‘First I won the lottery, then…’ – the winners’ stories

‘I returned to work at McDonalds’

Luke Pittard left his McDonalds job in Cardiff after winning £1.3 million in 2006. He and his girlfriend settled in a £230,000 home with their daughter, Chloe. But 18 months after handing in his notice, Mr Pittard returned to work, saying he enjoyed working at the fast food outlet too much.

When Channel 4 News contacted the restaurant, they were told he had just finished his shift.

‘I married again’

When he won £148 million in August 2012, Adrian Bayford said he wanted a “normal life”. Fifteen months later the 43-year-old split from his wife of nine years. Now he is reportedly planning to marry Samantha Burridge, who is 16 years his junior, after knowing her for just six weeks.

‘I waited to hear from my childhood sweetheart’

They were teenage sweethearts. But after 14 years together, they grew apart and split up. Three years later Matthew Breach won £17.8m – and many expected his ex, Kerry Graves, to get back in touch. She did. By text.

“She said it couldn’t happen to a nicer person and that I could do with some luck,” Mr Breach said.

There was no misty-eyed reunion though. Ms Graves now lives with her new boyfriend and son.

‘I tried to take Scotland to independence’

Chris and Colin Weir became Europe’s biggest-ever lottery winners after scooping £161 million Euromillion jackpot. Of their many investments, the Ayrshire couple donated more than £1 million to the Scottish National Party in the final fortnight of the independence referendum campaign, just failing to see them over the line.

‘I lost my money, friends and family’

Mark Gardiner, a glazier from Hastings, won a half share of £22.6million in 1995. He lost his money, lost his friends and lost touch with his family. The former window fitter later split with his fourth wife. His conclusion? “Whatever your problems, money magnifies them.”

Happily, Mr Gardiner, now 53, has reunited with his first wife Bridget, started a family and recently claimed to be happy for the first time in years.

‘I ended up in jail’

Michael Carroll from Swaffham in Norfolk was 19 when he won under £10 million in 2002. Since then, he has reportedly been jailed for driving without insurance and within 18 months was down to his last £500,000. He is thought to have spent most of his winning on bad investments, houses, partying, jewellery, gifts to family members and drugs.

He has reportedly since found peace working in a shortbread biscuit factory.