A Jonesboro couple is set to compete on the NBC game show *The Wall* for a chance to win up to $12 million.
Nick and Ellie Stafford Smith were invited to participate in the show by producers impressed with Ellie’s charitable efforts. She raised over $20,000 for Make-A-Wish by baking more than 600 strawberry pies using a family recipe passed down from her late grandfather, C.P. Stafford.
“Any time I get to talk about him is great,” Ellie said. “He was my biggest supporter. He was one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met.”
The couple, who will appear on the show's 100th episode, traveled to Los Angeles for filming and have kept the experience a secret for more than a year.
The Wall, hosted by Chris Hardwick, combines trivia and chance, offering contestants an opportunity to win substantial cash prizes. Correct answers drop green balls that add to a prize total, while incorrect answers release red balls that subtract from it. Nick and Ellie spent time strategizing to prepare for their turn.
“Playing the game, we kinda figured out what we liked, what we didn’t like, and kinda went risky sometimes,” Nick said. “We thought we came up with a pretty good strategy for our game.”
Although the Smiths declined to reveal how much money they won, they expressed excitement to finally share their experience with friends, family, and viewers. “Everybody I’ve told, I’ve said, ‘You’ve waited two years, you might as well wait a couple more days,’” Ellie said.
The episode featuring Nick and Ellie Stafford Smith will air on Monday, Aug. 24, at 9 p.m. on K8 NBC.