"The sheer guts she had" — Million Dollar Secret creator Glenn Hugill praises Cara Kies for her bold move in the finale

Million Dollar Secret concluded on April 9, 2025, with Cara Kies winning the $1 million prize after a tense finale. In an exclusive interview with TV Guide, the show’s creator, Glenn Hugill, reflected on Cara’s strategic decisions throughout the game and praised her for taking risks under pressure.

Cara's standout moment came during the final challenge, when she contemplated swapping her box—which potentially contained the prize—with another contestant’s.

“Even talking about it, the hairs on my arm go up. I mean, the sheer guts she had!" Hugill said.

Earlier in the season, the prize was secretly moved away from Sam, the original millionaire, and Cara received it in a mid-game twist. Cara mentioned that she had an unexplainable feeling about it that morning.

“I knew I was getting that money… this is not leaving me. I'm taking this all the way,” she told TV Guide.

From that point forward, she managed to avoid suspicion, carefully choosing what to reveal and when.

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Million Dollar Secret creator Glenn Hugill on Cara’s bold finale move and what set her apart

In his interview with TV Guide, Million Dollar Secret creator Glenn Hugill reflected on Cara Kies’ pivotal decision in the final moments of the game. One of the standout moments for him was Cara’s willingness to consider a risky box swap with Corey, even though she was aware of the stakes involved.

“Imagine having fought so hard to hold on to a million in this kind of backstabbing Olympics, and then have the balls to say, ‘I want to swap my box with that one over there,’ because you think they're taking it. Who is going to do that? Like, who will have the guts to do that?" Hugill shared.

In her TV Guide interview, Cara Kies explained that she has always been highly "intuitive," a trait she has relied on since childhood. She mentioned that when she opened the box and saw the money, she immediately sensed that someone would soon receive a clue about her identity.

Cara anticipated that the clue might reference her middle name or her sisters, so she mentally prepared herself. She added that during a conversation with fellow contestant Sam, the question was posed so casually that she instinctively responded with a lie, without hesitation, to protect her secret.

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Hugill discusses format, reception, and future plans

In his interview with Deadline published on April 14, 2025, Glenn Hugill discussed the success of Million Dollar Secret and how it distinguished itself among recent reality formats. He explained that the concept for the show was centered around simple yet powerful storytelling, where one player secretly possesses a $1 million prize and must avoid being discovered.

Hugill said that the show’s global performance reflected the kind of content that audiences are currently attracted to—formats that are easy to understand but difficult to win. He credited the team at Wheelhouse for developing the show in a way that resonated with both viewers and players. According to him, their approach emphasizes story over geography, enabling formats to travel more effectively across markets.

“The U.S. and UK are two nations divided by a common language and to be fair some genres never seem to translate,” he shared. “But platforms are commissioning globally. My [British] kids speak in perfect American accents because they watch so much American entertainment.”

He said the structure was designed to allow long-term strategies to be beneficial. Hugill also mentioned that Million Dollar Secret’s strong international reception paves the way for future versions, which may include adaptations in other countries and new formats featuring similar elements.

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All episodes of Million Dollar Secret season 1 are currently streaming on Netflix.