Panto special deals up £8,000 for Smethwick mother

A Deal or No Deal contestant from Smethwick won £8,000 to put towards a house and car for her and her young daughter.

Levinne Bennett juggles a full-time job as a support worker with shifts as a cleaner five nights a week, plus studying, as well as looking after her daughter Sharayah.

But Levinne was in line for a Christmas cash windfall after appearing in costume for a pantomime special edition of the Channel 4 show last night.

Despite being saddled with the so-called Death Box, numbered 22, 26-year-old Levinne overcame the odds to transform the £1 – which was eventually revealed to be hidden in her box – into £8,000.

She had begun in brilliant fashion, wiping out four of the less valuable blue boxes in her first round of five choices and bravely turning down an offer of £15,000. She would refuse £11,000 then £10,000 then £20,000 before dealing for £8,000.

Dressed as Aladdin, she used all the luck and charm of a magic lamp.

Speaking on her success, Noel said: "We're happy for you."

At the end of the show, Levinne said: "It's been an amazing experience."