Viewers of The Wheel were left squirming after Joey Essex’s performance on the BBC quiz show.
The popular programme returned to screens on Saturday evening (November 15) – with Michael McIntyre once again presenting.
During the episode, celebrity specialists Stacey Dooley, Maisie Adam, Oti Mabuse, Asim Chaudhry, Ricky Wilson, Omid Djalili and Joey Essex were available to assist contestants attempting to secure substantial prize money.
First up was contestant John, who hoped to win funds towards purchasing a home with his husband. For his initial question, John needed to tackle a subject about indie music, with reality television personality Joey assigned to assist him.
However, mere minutes into the programme, a confused Joey, seemingly uncertain about the game’s mechanics, exclaimed: “What does this mean! ?” whilst his fellow celebrities chuckled. A bewildered Michael remarked: “It doesn’t bode well that Joey says ‘what does this mean?'”, reports the Mirror.
Joey and John were subsequently presented with the question: “Which of these words do not feature in the lyrics to the Killers’ indie anthem Mr Brightside.” The options were Alibis, Destiny, Control and Escape.
Yet it was Joey’s pronunciation of Alibis that sparked considerable discussion, as he enquired: “What does Alibis mean?” A shocked Michael observed whilst the studio audience erupted in laughter.
Meanwhile, viewers at home expressed their frustration over Joey’s gaffe, with one person posting on X: “Alibis, he’s taking the p***.” Another commented: “The education of some people in this country is appalling.” A third viewer commented: “Joey Essex trying to pronounce the word “Alibis” is the funniest thing I’ve heard this year.”
Someone else added: “Why do they still have Joey Essex on TV? Just irritating. What’s funny about being famous for pretending to be stupid?”.
Despite the mispronunciation, Joey and John selected the correct answer, which was escape. However, John was eliminated in the subsequent round after he and Oti Mabuse answered incorrectly.
Later in the programme, John faced a question about dentistry – Joey’s chosen subject. The question asked: ‘According to 2024 YouGov survey, what percentage of Britain adults brush their teeth twice a day?” The options were 22%, 45%, 68% and 89%.
With Oti’s assistance, John selected 68%, which proved correct. But when Michael consulted Joey to verify his answer, Joey admitted he had chosen 45%.
