Milionerzy (Millionaires) is a Polish game show based on the original British format of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The show is hosted by Hubert Urbański. The first version of Milionerzy was broadcast from 3 September 1999 to 26 January 2003, the second version was broadcast from 19 January 2008 to 19 December 2010, the third version was broadcast from 9 February 2017 to 5 July 2025, and the fourth version has been broadcast since 1 September 2025. Since September 2025, it is shown every Monday to Thursday at 7:55 p.m. (CET +1 or CEST +2) on Polsat.
In April 2025, TVN confirmed it would not extend the license to produce further seasons of the program. In June 2025, Polsat confirmed the acquisition of the rights to the format. At the same time, casting for new episodes of the program began. The new broadcaster entered into cooperation with the program's current producer, Jake Vision.
Game rules The main goal of the game is to win 1 million Polish złoty by answering twelve multiple-choice questions correctly. There are three classic lifelines – ask the audience (), fifty fifty (, 50:50) and phone a friend () – and also three other lifelines – ask the host (), ask the expert ()The experts were: in the autumn 2009 season – Andrzej Fabianowski, Piotr Gąsowski, Michał Ogórek and Kazimiera Szczuka; in the 2010 seasons – Bartosz Węglarczyk, Michał Ogórek, Szymon Hołownia, Dorota Wellman and Jan Wróbel. and switch the question (). From March to December 2010 contestant could choose risk game, where the second guaranteed sum (40,000 zł) was not guaranteed. Since 2025, when a contestant gets the second question correct, they will leave with 2,000 zł. When a contestant gets the seventh question correct, they will leave with 50,000 zł.
The game's prizes In the first version of Milionerzy, there were fifteen questions:
Question numberQuestion value1100 zł2200 zł3300 zł4500 zł51,000 zł62,000 zł74,000 zł88,000 zł916,000 zł1032,000 zł1164,000 zł12125,000 zł13250,000 zł14500,000 zł15
In the second and third versions of Milionerzy, there were twelve questions:
Question numberQuestion valueExcept the 2 million złoty week.1500 zł21,000 zł32,000 zł45,000 zł510,000 zł620,000 zł740,000 zł875,000 zł9125,000 zł10250,000 zł11500,000 zł12
In the fourth version of Milionerzy, the question values for the first seven questions were increased: Question numberQuestion value11,000 zł22,000 zł35,000 zł410,000 zł515,000 zł625,000 zł750,000 zł875,000 zł9125,000 zł10250,000 zł11500,000 zł12
Appearance From 1999 through 2003 we could see three changes of the studio stage design, some differ in stylistics. From 2008 through 2010, after resumption we could see the fourth stage design, from 2017 through 2025, the fifth one. And after Polsat acquired the format, studio design was similar to markets like the United Kingdom, the United States, Turkey and Spain.
The first logo of Milionerzy from 1999 was very different from the standard model used in other editions of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. It was a violet rhombus on one of vertexes and rings standing on themselves on background of "Milionerzy" caption.First version of logo (YouTube) The second one, modelled on the traditional style and introduced with the changes of credits and scenography in 2000, is round with green question marks. The third one, used from 2008 until 2023, had a different color scheme (question marks are gold).The logo is visible on the show's official website. The fourth one, used from 2023 until now, has more golden question marks.
The first and second version of the opening credits were similar with people looking and aiming on Milionerzy logo. It was patterned on British credits of this time. From 2008 until 2023, the opening credits of the program featured an animation showing in sequence all prizes to one million złoty – it was patterned on the second British version.Second version of logo (YouTube)
From 1999 to 2003, the bar depicting the question and answer options in the game was black, in the shape of a rounded hexagon, with a light blue outline.
In 2008 the show switched to rave graphics based on the Macedonian and Danish versions: the question and answer bars were navy-blue and smaller than before. Also rave soundtrack was introducted.
In 2017 the show switched to rave graphics inspired by the 2011 graphics in the Dutch and Turkish versions. The question bar was brighter, also fonts were different. The background was not interlaced.
In 2023 the show switched to graphics inspired by the design of Olga van den Brandt and reverted to the original background music, except intro sequence. The dominant color is purple, while the question and answer bars are navy blue. First, only the question bar appears; the answer bar appears only after the host reads them. A new feature is that the colors of the logo on the big screen change at different stages of the game. In 2025 when the show moved to Polsat, the graphic was also upgraded to the current version of Olga van den Brandt graphic based on the Vietnamese and Swedish versions.
Production
Recording studio The first edition was recorded in the Warsaw-based WFDiF studio, 21, Chełmska St. from 1999 until 2000 and in the TVP studio on 17, Woronicza St until 2003. In 2008 and 2009 Milionerzy was recorded in the TVP studio in Kraków, 44, Nowohucka St. In 2010, the show was recorded in Farat Film studio in Warsaw, 22, Notecka St.
From January 2017 to the end of 2018, the show was filmed at the Transcolor studio in Szeligi near Warsaw. From January 2019 to November 2020, the program was recorded in Sękocin Stary at the TVN Sceno-Kreacje studio, and in 2021–2024 again in Szeligi. In 2025, due to a change of broadcaster, the recording location was moved to the Polsat hall at Łubinova Street in Warsaw.
Recordings outside Poland From November 2018 to February 2019, episodes for the Italian version were recorded at the TVN SCENO-KREACJE studio in Sękocin Stary near Warsaw. From 7 December 2018 to 14 March 2019, they aired in Italy on Canale 5, owned by Mediaset. Italy decided to record Millionaire in Poland due to a proposal from Sony Pictures Television, the licensor of the rights to the international format. Representatives stated that the Polish version is considered the best in the world. When agreeing to produce the show in Poland, the Italians had to provide transport to Poland for the production team, the host, and the contestants. Production and substantive support was handled by Jan Kepinski's company Jake Vision, which holds the license of the Polish version of Millionaire. Jake Vision was also responsible for finding an Italian audience in Poland, while the broadcast van was provided by TVN. On 22 and 23 May 2019, four episodes were recorded here to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Spanish version of the show.
Executive producer The executive producer of the program was Endemol in the first version, Intergalactic in the second version, and Jake Vision in the third version and onward.
Way to become a contestant Based on the source text.
1999–2003 Stage I – to become a contestant, you had to phone a special Telemedium number, then choose date of recording of the episode, then answer a question with four variants and tell your personal details. 100 people were drawn from those who answered correctly and told the same recording date and they went to the II stage. Stage II – people, who were drawn, gave their telephone number, and a pollster called them in a 2-days time and asked questions, which didn't have answer variants. 20 people, who gave the most similar answers to the correct ones were going to the III stage. Stage III – before the recording participants had to arrange answer variants in correct order. 12 people, who did it correctly went to the IV stage. They were 10 Fastest Finger First players and two reserves. Pollster phoned them to confirm that they participate.
2008–2010 Stage I – to become a contestant, you had to send a SMS with Milion text to a shown number, and then answer two questions with four answer variants sent by a SMS and to give your personal details. The first 100 people who registered, answered those 2 questions and gave their personal details, went to the second stage. Stage II – agent of the producer of the program phoned those 100 people. The call was recorded, about what those people were informed at the beginning of the call. Potential participant had to say about him, his hobby, job etc. Next, he had to answer several general knowledge questions, which didn't have variants. People chosen in the phone casting were informed about it in a 7-days time and invited to the studio.
2017–2025 Stage I – to apply for the program, you had to complete the questionnaire available on the program's website, in which you had to provide both personal data and answers to the open-ended questions contained therein. Stage II – selected individuals had an interview with a program representative. This might be a face-to-face interview, by phone or Skype. During these interviews, the representative asked contestants open-ended questions without answer options.
Broadcasting SeasonBroadcast timeWeek daysHoursEpisode lengthPicture format1September 1999 – May 2000Monday, Friday20:3025 minutes4:3Saturday, Sunday19:3045 minutesJune 2000Monday, Wednesday, Thursday20:3025 minutesSaturday, Sunday19:3045 minutes2August 2000 – March 2001Monday, Wednesday, Friday20:3045 minutesSaturday, Sunday19:35March–July 2001Monday, Friday20:50Saturday, Sunday19:353September–December 2001Monday20:5030–35 minutesSaturday, Sunday19:35January–February 2002Saturday, Sunday20:00March–May 2002Monday20:50Saturday, Sunday19:35June 2002Saturday, Sunday20:004September–December 2002Monday21:20Sunday20:00January 2003Sunday20:005January–June 2008Saturday, Sunday18:0045 minutes16:96September–December 20087March–May 20098September–December 2009Sunday9March–June 201016:9 HD10September–December 201011February–May 2017Monday to ThursdayThe exceptions are the 2017 Easter episodes, which aired on Saturday and Monday at 20:00, the final episode of the 2 million złoty week, which aired on Friday at 20:00, the 2024 Easter episode, which aired on Monday at 18:00, and the 2024 fall season episodes, which aired at 20:50.20:5522–25 minutesThe special (charity) episodes are longer, lasting 26–50 minutes. The finale of the 2 million złoty tournament lasted 60 minutes.12September–December 201713February–May 201814September–December 201815February–May 201916September–December 201917March 202018September–December 202019February–May 202120September–December 202121February–June 202222September–December 202223February–June 202324September–December 202325March–May 202426November–December 2024May–July 2025Saturday19:45On 28 June and 5 July: also at 20:20.Sunday19:4520:2027September–November 2025Monday to Thursday19:5528February–June 202629September 2026 – presentThe broadcast date on Polsat was announced. However, the first episode of this season was released on 31 August 2026 on Polsat Box Go.
Number of viewers
The biggest number of viewers was on 5 March 2000, when a contestant won 250,000 zł for the first time in the history of the show. The number of viewers of this episode was 6.5 million people.M. I. Niemczyńska, "Hitchcock w teleturnieju" ("Hitchcock in a game show"), Gazeta Telewizyjna (Television Magazine) – addition to Gazeta Wyborcza, N°21, page 9
First episode of second version (19 January 2008) was watched by 3.5 million viewers. The biggest number of viewers in second version was on 5 April 2008, when the 1,000,000 zł question came up for the first time in the 12-question format. The episode from 6 April 2008 in which a contestant got the 500,000 zł question wrong was watched by 4.2 million viewers.
First episode of third version (9 February 2017) was watched by 3.4 million viewers.