MAJOR Charles Ingram who won Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? only to have the cheque withheld after being accused of cheating has been charged with deception.

Major Ingram, 38, of Easterton, his wife Diana, also 38, and Tecwen Whittock, 52, of Heol-y-Gors, Whitchurch, Cardiff, were charged with conspiracy and deception following a police inquiry into the September edition of the ITV1 show in which he won the £1million jackpot.

The trio were arrested by the Metropolitan Police in November on suspicion of conspiring to swindle the programme's makers, Celador Productions.

In a statement issued through his solicitors on Wednesday, Ingram said: "Both Mr and Mrs Ingram intend to defend the charges and are confident that they will be cleared of any wrongdoing and have instructed solicitors to represent them.

"Upon the successful conclusion of the criminal proceedings Mr Ingram will instruct his solicitors to proceed with his claim against the makers of the programme for payment of the £1million prize to which he believes he is lawfully entitled."

The Ingrams and Whittock were all bailed on Wednesday to appear at Bow Street magistrates court in London on August 7.