Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Bulgarian game show)

Infobox Television
show_name = Stani bogat


caption =
format = Quiz show
camera =
runtime = 60 min.
creator =
executive_producer =
starring = Niki Kunchev
narrated =
country = Bulgaria
rating =
network =Nova Television
picture_format =
first_aired = May 12, 2001
last_aired = present
num_episodes=
website = http://www.stanibogat.com/
imdb_id =
tv_com_id =

"Stani bogat" (Cyrillic: Стани богат) is the name of the Bulgarian version of the quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. The name is translated in English as "Become Rich". The full name of the show is "Koi iska da stane bogat" (Cyrillic: Кой иска да стане богат) or "Who Wants To Be Rich" in English. It is aired on Nova Television and hosted by Niki Kunchev (also the host of Big Brother and 1 vs 50). The big prize in "Stani bogat" is 200 000 leva.

History of the Bulgarian format

"Stani bogat" aired for the first time on 12th May, 2001. It was aired every Saturday and Sunday at 18:30 h with duration 30 minutes. Because of its huge success, from September 2001 it started airing five times a week. Consecutively, the show's duration was increased to 45 minutes, and to an hour.

"Stani bogat" is definitely one of the most successful television programs in Bulgaria. It still has very high ratings.

The studio

At the beginning, "Stani bogat" was taped in the Romanian studio, as there still was not built such in Bulgaria. During the period 2001-2007 the show was taped at the Bulgarian studio in the Boyana Filmcenter in Sofia. Unlike the original version of the show, there were only six Fastest finger players in each episode.

However, since 7 January, 2008 when the new season started, there are ten players as in the classic format. The show is taped in a new studio with a new design, close to the original British version.

pecial editions

There has been aired many special editions of "Stani bogat", in which many Bulgarian celebrities have played. There have also been children and couples on the show. Bulgaria is the first country which aired a special edition in which blind people played the game.

After every season of Big Brother, all the participants are invited to the show.

In February 2008 Slavi Trifonov and Rosen Petrov participated in the show. They won 5 000 leva. The episode was watched by nearly 1 700 000 viewers.

The sequence of prizes

Here is the full sequence of prizes. It was in the following way at the beginning of the show:
*50
*100
*150
*200
*250
*500
*1 000
*1 500
*2 000
*2 500
*5 000
*10 000
*25 000
*50 000
*100 000

From September 2002, some of the sums were increased. This was the money tree till 2007:
*100
*200
*300
*400
*500
*1 000
*1 500
*2 000
*2 500
*3 000
*5 000
*10 000
*25 000
*50 000
*100 000

The new season started with a new money-tree. The big prize is 200 000 leva. Here is the current money-tree:
*100
*200
*300
*400
*500
*1 000
*1 500
*2 000
*2 500
*5 000
*10 000
*20 000
*50 000
*100 000
*200 000

Winners

On 13th June, 2002 Asen Angelov answered all the 15 questions. However, he had to return the big prize (100 000 leva), as it turned out that his daughter Iskra Angelova was a host of a morning show aired on Nova Television, which airs "Stani bogat", too, which is against the rules. However, Asen Angelov is still the only winner of the show.

There have also been two players to take 50 000 leva - Lyubomir Milushev (who played in 2001 in the first episodes) and Lyubomir Bratoev (he played in 2006).

Yavor Kostov also answered the final question in 2005, but he gave a wrong answer.

New version of Stani bogat

"Stani bogat" is still the most watched television program at its prime time. It returned on 7 January, 2008. It is aired every day-week at 20:00 h.

There are some changes in the show - it is shot in a new studio. There is also a new money tree.

A forth lifeline was introduced - "Switch the question", which is given after the first milestone question. It is used in the US format

"Stani bogat" also has a new website.

External links

* [http://www.stanibogat.tv/ Official site]
* [http://www.ntv.bg/productions/show_productions.php?id=10 Presentation page in Nova Television's website]