Popular media personality Frank Edoho has dismissed long-standing reports that he was sacked from the hit television quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, clarifying that his departure was triggered by the sudden exit of the show’s primary sponsor.
Speaking on Sunday’s episode of The KK Show, Edoho addressed the media speculation surrounding his departure in September 2017 after 13 years at the helm. Reports at the time claimed the veteran presenter had been dropped as the production prepared to return with fresh backing.
Edoho revealed that the show’s decade-long sponsorship collapsed after the main benefactor, MTN Nigeria, was hit with a heavy government fine over a regulatory dispute. According to the presenter, the financial strain forced the firm to inform producers: “Hey guys, we can’t do this anymore based on the fact that we have to pay an incredible sum of money back to the Federal Government.”
The withdrawal led to a temporary hiatus for the programme in 2017. As producers sought new backers, Edoho entered contract talks, seeking an executive producer role and an equity stake in the franchise.
“I wanted to have a stake in it because I feel that I built myself up to the extent that I assumed I was an asset to the show,” Edoho explained.
However, negotiations stalled due to contractual differences. When the show’s return was announced without him, media outlets concluded he had been axed.
Edoho described the narrative as untrue and admitted feeling let down by the public fallout. “So they announced that I was dropped from the show, which was false then… I felt I was thrown under the bus after all the years I put in,” he said.