A BEAUTY therapist and supporting artist who starred on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire said her five-year-old was “heartbroken” she didn’t win any money as he fancied a new house!

Contestant Nicola Kemp-Simonds, of Prestatyn, appeared on Monday’s episode of the rebooted quiz show, which returned to tv screens for one week to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

Nicola, who is married to Steven and has sons Niall, 19, and Tyler, 5, sadly didn’t get past the Fastest Finger First round or into the ‘hot seat' - but still found the experience “amazing” and took away a Who Wants to Be a Millionaire board game.

Nicola joked: “By not winning, I’ve shattered the dreams of small child. He told me 'I am sad mummy didn't win because I wanted a new house'.

"My husband was in the audience and three friends. When it came to the faster finger first, I failed miserably and on the other two occasions, I didn't press okay firmly they said or it didn't sense my finger. It was an ipad, so I didn't press firmly enough.

"I feel quite proud to have made it on to the week-long special show as hundreds and thousands of people applied. I put Prestatyn on the map.

"We were treated like gold by the production team. I had a night in a hotel and I took away a millionaire board game."

Nicola put forward her interest in taking part in the show, which was hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, about three months ago after seeing a 'casting' post on Twitter.

"I sent a flippant email, I didn't even really think about and then I got selected to audition," the mum-of-two said.

"We had a long chat, then a Skype chat and then a mock game show over Skype where they watched our reactions.

"There was security checks and more and then three weeks ago, I got a phone call saying 'congratulations'. I filmed the Friday before and my show aired on the Monday."

Nicola lined up her father Rodney Kemp and sister-in-law Ann Rogers to be her 'phone a friends'.

She added: "In the era of Google, Alexa etc my father and sister-in-law had to have a security guard, who was sitting outside the house in a car, ready to video tape them. My father was on tenterhooks.

"The experience was brilliant and we were treated so well. We filmed in Manchester's MediaCity. They tried to keep us calm as we were all like rabbits in headlights.

"We did a rehearsal and got to sit in the hot seat, as though Jeremy was there."

Nicola and the other contestants enjoyed a 'meet and greet' with Clarkson.

"He was quite nervous about doing the show," she said.

"He is was absolutely lovely with us but he is a Marmite kind of bloke.

"He tried to put all the contestants at ease but told us 'I'm going to give as good as I get - it's my job.' But he said he wanted to see us all do well."

Nicola prepped for the show by using a 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' quiz book.

She explained: "My husband and I focused on the high numbered questions.

"If I had made the hot seat, I wanted to make £32,000 and use as little lifelines as possible.

"No one knows how stressful it is trying to get the fastest finger first - it’s so much easier on your sofa at home."