SOLICITOR Steven Finn admitted he shook with nerves before his appearance in Chris Tarrant's hit telly quiz Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

The 46-year-old from High Wycombe was already jittery after witnessing a fellow contestant winning nothing on ITV's Who Wants to be a Millionaire on Saturday but he went on to pick up £16,000.

Mr Finn, a partner in High Wycombe law firm Kidd Rapinet, used up all his life-lines and took home the money after being asked who wrote the book On the Trail of the Assassins?

If he had answered John Grisham, the dad-of-one would have won £32,000, but he is not letting that get him down.

He said he is very happy with the money but found it hard to keep his cool under the searing studio lights and glare of the cameras.

Mr Finn said: "It was very nerve-racking being on the show.

"When I answered the Fastest Finger First question I had a good idea that I was in with a shout of playing for the money and that is when my knees really started to knock.

"I was very nervous sitting in the chair because there are 200 people sitting around you and it is like an amphitheatre."

Mr Finn only made about eight calls in his efforts to get on the show at the beginning of December.

The woman who went before him on the programme was one of only a handful of contestants to win nothing.

Mr Finn said: "We all felt really bad about her winning no money at all.

"Chris Tarrant was doing his best to help her as much as he could but unfortunately she didn't win a penny.

"Chris Tarrant was a really nice guy on and off the camera."

Mr Finn revealed that his appearance on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? was not the first time he has had a brush with fame.

He appeared on University Challenge in the 70s representing Kings College, London but his team was knocked out in the first round at the hands of the eventual champions.

Despite his appearances on the small screen, Mr Finn says he does not plan to change careers.

He said: "I haven't caught the bug for TV, definitely not.

"There is a lot of waiting around and rehearsing, so I think I will stick to being a solicitor."