<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/france" rel="" target="" title="French"><span>French</span></a><span> gameshow contestant has been dethroned after a </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/record" rel="" target="" title="record-breaking"><span>record-breaking</span></a><span> run of 646 wins that lasted 21 months.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Émilien, 22, made his first appearance on the </span><em><span>12 Coups de midi</span></em><span> daily game show on September 25, 2023, according to a statement from French TV network TF1, which announced the end of his run on Sunday. The network has not revealed his surname.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the show, four contestants compete in a general knowledge quiz. The winner then answers a series of questions to determine their prize pot for that day, before returning to take on a new slate of opponents the day after.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/erin-patterson-mushroom-poisoning-trial-verdict-update/931c6e69-9054-4bed-ab50-0af86c3e52d9"><strong><span>The mushroom murder pics you weren't allowed to see - until now</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Émilien won more than €2.5 million euros ($4.5 million) in cash and other prizes, as well as 23 cars, making him the biggest winner in French game show history, said TF1. His haul more than doubled the previous record of one million euros ($1.8 million), held by Bruno Lafourcade.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I never expected to have the chance to stay for such a long time," said Émilien, who comes from south-west France.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's amazing everything that has happened. It's hard to understand."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/emilien-12-coups-de-midi-french-gameshow-contestants-epic-21month-winning-streak-finally-ends/50eeeb9a-1566-4ca9-b300-45bdb641cb6b" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prior to appearing on the show, Émilien studied history at university and was aiming to become a teacher.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He then paused his studies to concentrate on his record-breaking run, which came to an end when he ran out of time to answer a question during Sunday's show.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite his loss to Romain, an architect, Émilien has become the world record holder for the most solo game show appearances, and the European record holder for prizes won, according to TF1.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/darling-downs-zoo-queensland-update-woman-arm-injured-animal-bite/8e913db2-37d4-44d0-b0a6-2b07dd1b8318"><strong><span>New details emerge after woman loses arm in zoo mauling</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-reaction/ad8212a0-3655-4758-ad81-4f5791e9eea7" rel="" target="" title=""><strong><span>Inside the courtroom as Patterson found guilty</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His run became something of a sensation in France, with his defeat drawing an average of 5 million spectators on Sunday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>TF1's </span><em><span>12 Coups de midi</span></em><span> has some similarities with popular US quiz show </span><em><span>Jeopardy</span></em><span>, which airs every weekday for 30 minutes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The record for the highest number of consecutive wins on </span><em><span>Jeopardy</span></em><span> is held by Ken Jennings, who won 74 games in a row in 2004, followed by Amy Schneider, who won 40 consecutive games in 2022.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jennings also holds the record for the highest amount of prize money won on </span><em><span>Jeopardy</span></em><span>, at $US2,520,700 ($3,879,851) followed by James Holzhauer on $US2,462,216.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em></em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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