Deal or No Deal delivered another brutal twist today (January 8), as player Simi discovered she had let a huge £75,000 slip through her fingers after striking a deal with The Banker.
The law student, who was backed in the studio by her proud mum, walked away with a respectable five-figure sum — but only after learning the life-changing amount had been sitting in her own box all along.
£75,000 heartbreak on Deal or No Deal
Simi got off to a dream start, with host Stephen Mulhern hailing her opening round as “one of the best” The Banker had seen.
That early success was reflected in the offers, with The Banker initially putting £1,920 on the table before increasing it to £5,120 — all while £50k, £75k and £100k remained in play.
But the game soon took a turn. The £100,000 was wiped out, prompting The Banker to slash his offer to £4,020, which Simi confidently turned down. Moments later, the £50,000 followed, tightening the noose on her remaining chances.
With 1p, £2k, £5k, £7.5k and £75k still in play, The Banker returned with an offer of £5,325 — again rejected. Simi then removed the 1p and £2k, prompting Stephen to reassure her: “You’re going home with at least £5,000.”
So what did Simi actually win?
With momentum back on her side, Simi turned down £12,850 and successfully knocked out the £5,000 box. The audience erupted — and The Banker responded with a huge jump, offering £29,500.
This time, Simi dealt.
But the sting was still to come.
Before she left the studio, Stephen asked her to open the box she had held onto from the start. As her mum had feared all along, it revealed the crushing truth — £75,000 had been hers for the taking.
Viewers react
“She’s just blown £45k – what an idiot!” said one pretty blunt viewer. “Happy for Simi dealing at £29,500 but she should’ve listened to her mum when she had £75,000 in her box all along,” another commented. “OMG what a game,” said another, adding: “Mums are always right.”
Others rushed to defend Simi’s decision. “She made the right call for her. She said she wasn’t a risk taker and £29,500 is still amazing. Well done Simi,” one praised.
“If the offer is enough for what you want, it doesn’t matter what’s in your box!” another argued.
Read more: Deal or No Deal player Kev beats the Banker and takes home four-figure sum
Deal or No Deal airs weekdays at 4pm on ITV1.