'I won £10,000 on Tipping Point and appeared on Pointless after following MSE's tips'
One MoneySaver had more than a sprinkling of luck on his side when he scooped the top cash prize of £10,000 on a popular television game show. His win came after reading our tips on 'how to play your cards right' and boost your chances of being selected for TV game shows. So if you think you can 'beat the Chasers' or 'take on the banker', don't 'phone a friend', read on...
Dan Farmer, a train driver from Hull, applied to appear on a number of programmes after reading MSE's blog on how to appear on TV game shows. He credits one top tip in particular, to let your personality shine through, as one of the key reasons he believes he got picked to appear.
The 30-year-old won ITV1's Tipping Point in an episode that aired in February 2022. He also attempted to find pointless answers in an episode of BBC One's Pointless in 2019 and tried to abide by the golden rule of not coming first or last on BBC One's First & Last in 2020, though walked away from both these shows empty-handed.
Dan: 'I kept reminding myself of MSE's tips, which calmed me down'
Dan (pictured with his pet dog) told us that growing up, his mum was a "massive Martin Lewis fan", which meant Dan started using the MSE site himself.
He said: "One day I was browsing the site and saw the blog about boosting your chances to get on a TV game show and just thought 'why the hell not?', so I started applying for multiple shows.
"I remember reading the line [in the MSE blog] which said: 'Sending off application forms and having telephone interviews isn't that scary – because you are just talking about yourself'. It took away the fear for me because it was so simple, all you really have to do is be yourself and let your personality shine through – so that's what I did.
"Pointless contacted me about a year after I applied; I thought it was a joke at first. Then I got on to First & Last, although again didn't win anything. When I applied for Tipping Point, during the audition, I kept reminding myself to be myself, which calmed me down."
'When I won the show I had to keep it secret from almost everyone'
On Tipping Point, contestants have 45 seconds to answer general knowledge questions. For each correct answer, they receive a counter, which is inserted into an arcade-style coin pushing machine. The more counters that are effectively pushed off the shelf, the bigger the amount of money that goes into your prize pot. The maximum you can win is £10,000.
Dan (pictured on the set of Tipping Point with host Ben Shephard) said: "After I won, I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that restricts you from telling anyone but your nearest and dearest until the show has aired.
"I rang my girlfriend (now wife) Beth. She's a teacher and was at work when I rang her, so I told her she needed to be alone. She ran into a cupboard! When I told her I'd won she was just ecstatic, I remember her saying to me: 'How can I go out there now and be normal? We've just won 10 grand!'."
'I would tell anyone to just give it go'
The pair told us they'd used some of their winning towards a deposit for a house, while the rest went on furnishing it.
Dan (pictured backstage with Jason Manford, the host of First & Last) added: "You watch game shows growing up, but never think there's a chance of getting on one. But I followed MSE's tips and did; now I'm always sharing the site with friends and telling them to apply for shows, because you really have nothing to lose.
"I would honestly tell everyone to just give it a go, because you never know what might happen."
How to 'get your 15 minutes of fame' and appear on a game show
If you fancy trying your luck on a TV game show, our top tips include:
Try for lesser-known shows. Fancy your chances on The Chase, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, or The Wheel? Sadly, so do a lot of people. While it's not impossible to get on, you've a better chance with lesser-known shows, or try new game shows looking for contestants.
Prepare your answers. To apply for most game shows, you need to fill in an application form, which can take some time. Yet many forms ask the same questions, so keep your answers written down so you can copy and paste them. Common questions include: "What are your hobbies?" and "What do you do for a living?"
Sell yourself. Popular shows get thousands of applications, so make yours stand out. Don't give one-word answers to questions – the more personality you can show, the better. Similarly, if there's an option to add a video of yourself, do it – it's an easy way to stand out.
When it comes to auditions, enthusiasm's key. After you've slogged through the application form, the next step – if you're lucky enough to be picked – is the phone interview or face-to-face audition. Be as bubbly and upbeat as you can and use the potential to win cash and prizes as your driving force to show them how much you want it. If you are memorable for any reason, you'll be in with a good chance of getting on the show.
For full info, see our updated blog on How to boost your chances of getting on and winning TV game shows.
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3 December 2024
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