In July 2020, it was announced that the programme would return for a fifth time in September 2020, its 35th series. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no studio audience and the 'Ask the Audience' lifeline was temporarily suspended. It was replaced with an additional 'Phone A Friend' lifeline, giving a chance for the contestant to phone two different friends. It was broadcast across five consecutive nights from 7 to 11 September 2020. It was confirmed on 21 August 2020, that a contestant would win the £1 million jackpot, the first time the jackpot has been won during Clarkson's time as host and the first time the jackpot has been won in 14 years. The show returned on 26 and 27 December 2020, for 2 celebrity Christmas special episodes, with the Series 35 Lifeline rules being applied, as well as COVID-19 health and safety guidelines being applied. The first part of the 36th series of the show commenced on 17 January 2021, consisting of 6 episodes, airing every Sunday, similar to the old format weekly, with the 35th series lifeline rules also being applied in this series.