The long-running game show phenomenon Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is prepared to return to the airwaves for its fifth season on ABC, scheduled to premiere on Wednesday, July 22, at 8/7c. Under the continued stewardship of late-night veteran Jimmy Kimmel, the upcoming season promises a high-stakes environment where some of the most recognizable names in film, television, and sports will compete to win a grand prize of $1 million for their respective charities. While the network has leaned heavily into the celebrity-driven format for its recent iterations, the announcement has sparked a significant conversation among the show’s dedicated fanbase regarding the evolution of the program and the perceived disappearance of "everyday" contestants.
The fifth season of the Kimmel-hosted era maintains the fundamental structure that has made the franchise a global staple for over two decades. Contestants face a series of increasingly difficult multiple-choice questions based on general knowledge. As the monetary value of the questions rises, so does the complexity of the subject matter. To mitigate the risk of a total loss, the format includes various "lifelines" and safety nets. In this specific celebrity iteration, the stakes are tailored for philanthropic efforts: if a contestant or pair reaches the $25,000 threshold and subsequently answers a question incorrectly, they are guaranteed to leave with that $25,000 for their charity. At any point before locking in an answer, participants also retain the option to "walk away" with their current earnings.
A Staggering Lineup of Celebrity Pairings
For Season 5, ABC has leaned into a "dynamic duo" format, pairing celebrities to tackle the hot seat together. This strategic move often results in comedic banter and collaborative problem-solving, which has become a hallmark of the Kimmel era. The roster for the upcoming season is particularly dense with talent, spanning various sectors of the entertainment industry.
Among the most anticipated pairings is a reunion of sorts for fans of classic television. Jason Alexander and Wayne Knight, best known for their roles as George Costanza and Newman on the legendary sitcom Seinfeld, will join forces to navigate the trivia ladder. They are joined by other comedy heavyweights, including Larry David—creator of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm—who will be playing alongside his daughter, actress and writer Cazzie David.
The season also features a cross-pollination of prestige drama and blockbuster talent. Academy Award winner Ben Affleck is slated to appear alongside Jamie Ding, while the pairing of Jesse Eisenberg and Paul Giamatti brings together two of the most respected character actors in modern cinema. From the world of late-night and sketch comedy, Saturday Night Live’s "Weekend Update" anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che will take a break from their news desk to test their general knowledge. They are joined by former SNL cast members Taran Killam and Will Forte, as well as the comedic duo of Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel.
The musical and theatrical arts are represented by Tony Award winners Billy Porter and Leslie Odom Jr., while country music star Brad Paisley joins forces with Los Angeles Dodgers pitching ace Clayton Kershaw. Other notable participants include Awkwafina and director Paul Feig, Tig Notaro and Pete Holmes, Krysten Ritter and Sarah Shahi, and Michael Keaton appearing with podcast host and former speechwriter Jon Lovett. The lineup is rounded out by Michael Kosta and Wendi McLendon-Covey, Timothy Simons and Jackie Tohn, and sisters Sarah Jane Nader and Brooks Nader.
The Growing Demand for Civilian Representation
Despite the star power attached to the new season, a vocal segment of the audience has expressed a desire for the show to return to its original roots. Since the revival of the show in 2020 under Jimmy Kimmel’s hosting, the program has focused almost exclusively on celebrity contestants. This shift was initially a practical response to the production challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, where controlled environments with professional talent were easier to manage than nationwide casting calls for civilians. However, four years later, fans are questioning why the "everyday person" has been sidelined.
Following a promotional video posted to the official Millionaire Instagram account on July 16, which invited viewers to "say hello to the iconic pairs," the comment section was quickly flooded with requests for the return of regular contestants. The sentiment among many viewers is that the stakes feel significantly higher and the emotional payoff more profound when the $1 million prize has the potential to change a contestant’s life, rather than being added to a charitable foundation’s coffers.
"Bring back regular contestants again!" wrote one fan, a sentiment echoed by hundreds of others. Some viewers pointed to other revived franchises, such as The Weakest Link, which initially returned with civilian contestants before pivoting to a celebrity-only format. Critics of the current trend argue that the "American Dream" aspect of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire—the idea that anyone with enough knowledge and courage could become a millionaire overnight—is the core ingredient missing from the modern ABC version.
The Historical Evolution of a Cultural Phenomenon
To understand the current tension between celebrity and civilian formats, one must look at the show’s storied history. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire debuted in the United States in August 1999 on ABC. Hosted by the late Regis Philbin, the show became an instant cultural juggernaut, at one point airing several nights a week and pulling in upwards of 30 million viewers per episode. Philbin’s catchphrase, "Is that your final answer?" became a part of the national lexicon.
The original U.S. run was defined by the tension of ordinary people—teachers, IRS agents, and retirees—facing life-altering sums of money. The first-ever top prize winner, John Carpenter, famously used his "Phone-a-Friend" lifeline on the final question just to tell his father he was about to win the million dollars. These moments of human drama were what cemented the show’s place in television history.
Following the end of the primetime run in 2002, the show transitioned into a daily syndicated format. Meredith Vieira took the helm and hosted for over a decade, maintaining the civilian-focused approach. She was followed by a succession of hosts, including Cedric the Entertainer, Terry Crews, and Chris Harrison. Throughout these years, the show remained a bastion for everyday trivia buffs.
The 2020 revival marked a distinct shift. By installing Jimmy Kimmel as host and moving the production back to primetime, ABC repositioned the show as an "event" program. The celebrity format allowed for higher production values and cross-promotion with other ABC and Disney-owned properties. While this has been successful in terms of maintaining a steady audience in a fragmented media landscape, the disconnect with the original "everyman" premise remains a point of contention for long-term fans.
Industry Analysis: Why Networks Favor Celebrities
The trend toward celebrity-led game shows is not unique to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Modern television networks increasingly rely on established "IP" (Intellectual Property) and famous faces to cut through the noise of streaming services. Celebrity participants provide a built-in marketing hook; a fan of Ben Affleck or Larry David is more likely to tune in to a game show they might otherwise skip.
Furthermore, the "Celebrity for Charity" model offers a safe, feel-good environment for advertisers. It eliminates the potential for "bad optics" that can sometimes arise when a regular person loses a life-changing amount of money on a technicality. For the celebrities, it provides a platform to support causes they are passionate about while showcasing their personalities in a relatively unscripted setting.
However, industry analysts note that this strategy can lead to "celebrity fatigue." When every game show from Jeopardy! to Celebrity Family Feud relies on the same pool of Hollywood talent, the unique identity of individual franchises can begin to blur. The civilian format provides a level of unpredictability and relatability that scripted or celebrity-led content often lacks.
Premiere Details and Accessibility
As Season 5 prepares to launch, ABC is banking on the chemistry of its celebrity pairs to drive viewership. The premiere on Wednesday, July 22, will serve as a lead-in for the network’s summer programming block. For viewers who are unable to catch the broadcast during its 8/7c time slot, episodes will be made available for streaming the following day on Hulu.
Whether the producers will heed the call of the fans for a return to civilian contestants in future seasons remains to be seen. For now, the "Hot Seat" remains reserved for the elite of the entertainment world, as they attempt to answer the fifteen questions that stand between them and a seven-figure donation to charity. While the faces in the chairs have changed from the schoolteachers of the early 2000s to the Oscar winners of today, the iconic theme music and the tension of the "Final Answer" continue to define one of television’s most enduring formats.
