I've just watched PJ's game properly (I read about it rather than watching it when it was on as I wasn't near a TV earlier).
First of all, let me make it clear that I sympathise with PJ and think it's disgraceful that the banker did not offer a 6th that was money! Lynn made a good point when she said PJ may have no dealt an offer of £15k / £20k - but the offer could have been over £30k and PJ probably would've dealt. He said at the start of the show he'd be happy with £15,000, after his second offer.
Having watched it, it's even worse than I originally thought! PJ was not aggressive, cocky or arrogant and was clearly loved by the other contestants and it is quite clear the banker only did these tactics to get at the whole group.
This was done in Richard’s game when the banker offered an extra £5,000 for Andrew, but gave the money as a "blank cheque" as he knew there would be a rift in the group if Richard decided not to give the money to Andrew, and from what I hear and have read on the forum, there
was a rift created, and Andrew himself posted to say he has felt unable to contact Richard since his game because of what happened!
PJ's game left me totally confused - why did the banker do that to PJ? If it had been an aggressive player like Andy K in the crazy chair, then I can understand - but what had PJ done to deserve a change in the format of the programme???
I think this is what bugs me the most - that they feel they can just change the format of the programme as and when they want to. Some will (and have) said that the banker can do what he wants - well in that case, what's the point in any of the show's so-called "rules"? Why not just have 3 elephants instead of 22 boxes on some shows? Why not change the £250k to "A box of chocolate-coated peanuts" on some days depending on how the banker was feeling and whether he liked the player or not?!
How the contestants reacted after PJ's box was opened to reveal 1p says it all really - how awful it was for him to be put in that situation in the first place!!!
Had PJ won the £75,000, it'd have been very odd as he wouldn't have shown any courage in winning it and at the same time, the fact he technically won 1p is very odd as he didn't gamble to get it!
The fact that the banker phoned up and offered PJ the same amount that the viewer won is clearly Endemol thinking, "Oh, er, maybe we shouldn't have done that" and then finding a pathetic way around it! I'm so glad PJ got £15,000 out of it, although I am suspicious about that woman who chose the viewer’s box! A close friend of the independent adjudicator, maybe?
Urgh, that game left a very bad taste in my mouth, and I can't say I found the last 10 minutes or so entertaining at all - I'm glad PJ got some money out of it even though it was in a weird way! Enjoy the £15,000.01, PJ!
Maybe contestants should forget lucky numbers and swaps - they're clearly more trouble than they're worth!