Banbury man proposes to girlfriend and wins £66,000 on popular BBC game show The Wall

Roops Pandya and Rita Bulsara won more than £66,000 during an episode of The Wall, which aired on BBC One on Saturday February 12. (photo from Roops via the BBC)

Roopm 'Roops' Pandya proposed to his girlfriend, Rita Bulsara, on the BBC game show The Wall which aired over Valentine's weekend.

The couple not only came away from the show engaged to be married but winners of £66,374.

Roops said: "We both are quite a humble down to earth couple. None of this was for us.

"It's one of my late father's favourite shows. He passed away in November 2020. So I applied for Rita and I to go on the show."

The couple made it on the show out of more than 50,000 applicants.

Roops added: "My father was a keen gardener, and one of the reasons we wanted to win some money was to work on his garden. We wanted to do it since my mum is elderly, and we worried about her getting around in the garden.

"We decided to do a garden makeover, and make it so it's very safe for her."

Roops Pandya proposes to Rita Bulsara at the end of the game show The Wall, which aired on February 12. (photo from Roops via the BBC)

The couple not only wanted to pay for a garden makeover for Roops' mother and in memory of his father, but to pay for a special holiday away for Rita's parents too.

"We're taking Rita's parents on holiday too. The four of us are going on a cruise around the Greek islands. The rest of the money will go towards the wedding and honeymoon. We're going to do the honeymoon at the end of the year as part of my 50th birthday."

They've already set a date for the big day too.

Roops added: "We met on 10.10.17 so we're getting married on 10.10.22."

Danny Dyer with Roops Pandya and Rita Bulsara on an episode of The Wall, which aired on BBC One on Saturday February 12. (photo from Roops via the BBC)

"It was a good win and it was a successful proposal and obviously it was Valentine's weekend too.

"I think all the stars aligned and everything has worked out for the best."

Roops and Rita are already being recognised by people in the Banbury community from their appearance on The Wall. Roops recalled how the manager at the local Sainsbury's supermarket in town recognised him while he shopped. Rita also heard positive feedback from parents at the Local Primary School where she works as a Teaching Assistant.

The couple's journey to see the show aired on Saturday night February 12 was quite a long, but worthwhile journey.

You can still watch the show, including Roops' proposal to Rita through BBC iplayer here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0014jb9/the-wall-series-4-episode-1

Roops added: "We've absolutely enjoyed it. We'd like to thank the BBC for an amazing experience from start to finish and to Danny Dyer who was brilliant.

"The whole thing has just been absolutely golden, and the icing on the cake was she said 'yes.'"