SHOCKED viewers saw Michael Owen appear on Deal or No Deal - and produce a performance as tense as any penalty shootout.
Fellow ex-England attackers Emile Heskey and John Barnes joined their former Liverpool team-mate and his family in a game show of two halves.
Fans initially slammed Owen for "stinking" in the "worst start ever seen".
But the pundit stormed back in a festive version of the hit ITV programme.
One viewer said: "Michael Owen on Deal or No Deal. I can’t switch it off."
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Another claimed: "This is so cringe, and I should be taking the kid to bed, but here I still am."
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United ace recovered from a shaky early doors to see the low cash prizes wiped off the board.
That left the 44-year-old dreaming of the £100,000 jackpot for charity.
One armchair observer raved: "Michael Owen is absolutely smashing it on Deal or no Deal."
Another pondered: "Who'd have thought Michael Owen would be part of a cracking Deal or No Deal."
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But the show's second - and this time unwanted - turning point - came when Owen rejected a "banker's offer" of £10,200 and discovered he had rejected a huge sum held by his daughter, Love Island star Gemma.
One viewer responded: "Michael Owen saying "No Deal’ to £10k and Gemma’s box having £25k in it" - and added a meme saying, "What was your thought process behind that?"
In the end, the ex-Newcastle hitman scooped £5k.
Asked by presenter Stephen Mulhern to assess his efforts, Owen said: "A wobble at the start, then we came on strong. A few grand is good."
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Mulhern insisted the 89-cap icon had shown "a lot of courage".
Wife Louise was also among proud members of Owen's family taking part.
