Published at 18:59, Monday, 17 September 2012

A family are celebrating a £500,000 win on a TV game show after keeping their good fortune secret for months.

Christine and Martin Stalker with daughters Brooke, left and Ella

Millions watched Christine Stalker clinch the winner on Ant and Dec’s ITV show Red or Black? on Saturday night.

In fact, the show was recorded in London in June and the Carlisle family were sworn to secrecy and only allowed to tell close friends and family.

They celebrated in style on Saturday with 30 of their closest friends at the Coach and Horses pub in Kingstown with Christine wearing a red dress – the colour that won her the money.

Christine and husband Martin have already signed up to buy a four-bedroom house on the Garlands development and put their semi-detached home in Harraby up for sale.

Christine, 31, said: “My motto is you have to be in it to win it. I’m always winning competitions on local radio and my friends think I’m lucky but it’s because I enter. I think half of Carlisle knew our secret and all of Longtown, where I’m originally from.”

The receptionist at Ashlea Vet Centre on the Port Road Business Park will be at work as normal tomorrow and said she’d never give up the job she loves.

The couple have used up their holidays for this year and will have to wait until April to enjoy a luxury break in Egypt with daughters Ella, seven, and Brooke, five.

Christine was selected from 20,000 applicants. Contestants play games of chance and memory, choosing the colours red or black.

“When I was invited for the first audition, I didn’t know if I could be bothered because it was so early in the morning,” said Christine. “I’m glad I did. It’s nice to know we won’t have a mortgage to pay – that’s what most people go to work for.”

Both of their families are very close and they will distribute £80,000 of their winnings to relatives.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk