The Leader & State Register

LAUREL — With a second chance at winning a million dollars, Patrick Pugh, of Laurel, returns to the television hot seat Monday, Nov. 24, for a follow-up appearance on the syndicated game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"

Mr. Pugh, who is risking $25,000 he won on the Sept. 26 show, accepted the offer to return after show producers discovered a spelling error on a question which he answered correctly but in doing so used two of his four lifelines. He missed the $50,000 question, using his last two lifelines.

Mr. Pugh returns to the spotlight with show host Meredith Vieira with $16,000 in hand, a new $25,000 question and all four lines: Ask the Audience; Phone a Friend; Double Dip and Ask the Expert.

"If I get that right I keep on playing," said Mr. Pugh. "If not, I leave with $1,000. It will pay off the debt that I incurred traveling to New York."

Locally, the show airs weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on ABC affiliate WMDT-47.

Given the option to take his Sept. 26 winnings or return, the 26 year old Laurel man decided to take the risk and returned to New York City for another show taping.

He’s not sure if confident is the right word in his risky decision.

"I would say reckless is more the word — young and reckless," said Mr. Pugh, who plans to use winnings to pay off debt — notably college loans — that would open the door to a stint with the Peace Corps.

Mr. Pugh said he had to turn down an initial Peace Corps invitation to Morocco because he had not taped the first Millionaire show and did not have money to pay off college loans, as required prior to joining the Peace Corps.

The son of Karen and Chuck Pugh of Laurel, Mr. Pugh worked as a seasonal police officer at Dewey Beach during the summer.

Again, show rules prohibit contestants from revealing show outcomes, question categories or money won — or lost — prior to show airing.

"They said they come down and steal my pets if I said anything," Mr. Pugh said with a chuckle. "It is to just keep what little suspense there is."