Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Watch the moment an Australian schoolteacher won $20,000 on game show - and vowed to buy 200 pairs of shoes for her pupils

The host guided the teacher down the right path during the last question

Aftab Ali
Wednesday 22 July 2015 08:33 BST
Comments
The teacher was close to tears as she won the money for her school's pupil's shoes
The teacher was close to tears as she won the money for her school's pupil's shoes (YouTube)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

She won $20,000 on a TV game show and vowed to buy 200 pairs of shoes – but this isn’t a keen fashionista.

A big-hearted schoolteacher has promised to buy every one of the pupils in her school a new pair of shoes, to get them through the long and harsh winter, after winning the large sum on Australia’s version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Bri Dredge, 32, almost faltered and lost on the spin-off show, Millionaire Hot Seat, at the last minute – until host, Eddie McGuire, stepped-in to guide her down the right path.

The teacher at Yuille Park Community College in the city of Ballarat was asked to complete the title of T.S. Eliot’s 1939 book ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical…’

Ms Dredge’s choices of answers were: Birds, Cats, Advice, or Poetry.

The teacher struggles with her answer as the clock ticks - and gives the wrong one (via YouTube)
The teacher struggles with her answer as the clock ticks - and gives the wrong one (via YouTube) (YouTube)
Host Eddie McGuire asks Bri Dredge to think again before 'locking' on the wrong answer (via YouTube)
Host Eddie McGuire asks Bri Dredge to think again before 'locking' on the wrong answer (via YouTube)

Incorrectly opting for ‘Poetry’, Mr McGuire – who was clearly rooting for the children to have sturdy winter shoes – asked the teacher: “Come on, Bri. We want you to win this. Are you gonna really buy the kids shoes?”

Correctly opting for ‘Cats’, the teacher gathered cheers and applause and was close to tears as her wish to spend the $20,000 (£9,500) on shoes for her school’s 200 pupils came true.

Walking into the school after her win, Ms Dredge later described how every student in the school gave her a hug and thanked her.

She added: “The look on their faces was worth all the money that I won.”

After her “scary” moment on the show, the teacher hopes her win will inspire the students to get out of their own comfort zones and challenge themselves to do something new.

Watch the rollercoaster moment:

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in