Man who's won £70,000 across 18 different game shows unveils how to get picked

23 October 2023 , 13:03

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Game show addict Mike Stratton on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Image: Mike Stratton)

A self-proclaimed game show enthusiast has revealed he appeared in 18 different shows - and won an impressive £70,000.

Known as the "Game Show Guy", Mike Stratton has participated in popular TV quiz programmes like The Weakest Link, Fear Factor, 24 Hour Quiz, Perseverance, Beg, Borrow or Steal, Bullseye and Are You Smarter Than A 10-Year-Old. He even had a shot at the legendary Who Wants to Be a Millionaire but unfortunately didn't make it past the Fastest Finger First round.

His journey began when he received a flyer at the tanning salon he used to own with his wife in Wigan. The father of three said: "We got a flyer through the door. She handed it to me and said, 'You think you know everything, why don't you go on it?' I said, 'Okay, I will,' and that was it. I applied for everything I could."

Mike on The Weakest Link (Mike Stratton)

Mike holding his book (Mike Stratton)

At 55, Mike made his first game show appearance on Greed, hosted by Jerry Springer, where he bagged a hefty £10,000. Since then, he's been hooked, participating in multiple quiz shows every year. He said his favourite so far has been 24 Hour Quiz, aired on ITV between February and April in 2004.

Hosted by Shaun Williamson, famously known as Barry from EastEnders, three contestants lived together in a "quiz pod", answering multiple-choice questions for at least 16 hours each day. For every correct answer, they won a pound or sometimes more, and the show was aired thrice daily on ITV1.

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Mike, who stayed on the show for three weeks, bagged more than any other contestant with £13,500 in cash and prizes worth £15,000. The dad, who has been a part-time male stripper since he was 17, said: "Because I was a male stripper running my own group, as soon as they saw me, they thought I would be a bimbo. I would play along and make them think I was a bit thick then I'd go on the show and batter everyone. I'm not bad at game shows; I'm cleverer than I look. I have very quick reactions and I can think of answers quicker than most people."

He has won £70,000 in cash and prizes (Mike Stratton)

Mike believes his knack for getting onto the shows is one of his main skills. "I'm really good at getting on the shows," he said. "It's a hobby; it's a challenge. I'm loud, I'm outgoing, my talent is getting on the shows. They look for a certain type of person, not someone who's going to freeze on telly and do one-word answers. They want someone who is outgoing and confident. But they don't like you going on too many. At first, I was going on three a year. There are less shows about now." They don't want you to be recognised so now you can only go on one a year."

Mike, who has become so skilled at game shows that he was chosen by Mark Labbett known as "The Beast" on ITV1's The Chase to be his phone a friend on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, has now penned a book about his experiences. He said: "I don't say game shows are fixed," and added, "In the application form, on one section, they ask for your best and worst subjects. Why would they ask that?"

His book, titled "How to Get on Game Shows and win £1000s: Confessions of a Game Show Addict", shares hilarious and sometimes cringe-worthy tales from Mike's time on various game shows. It also offers advice on how to fill out the application form, handle the "call-back", survive the audition and increase your chances of winning.

He has appeared on 18 shows (Mike Stratton)

Mike said his winnings helped him renovate his home and pay for holidays (Mike Stratton)

Despite having been on nearly 20 shows, Mike admits he still gets nervous every time he steps up to a podium. He confessed: "Every time I step behind a podium on a game show, I nearly wet myself it's that nerve-wracking." He added, "I want to win that much it makes performing on stage seem like a walk in the park."

Mike has used his winnings including his biggest win of £15k on "Are You Smarter Than A 10-Year-Old" on home improvements, holidays, laser eye surgery and even IVF treatment, which resulted in the birth of his twins. "It changed my life," he said. "I had my eyes lasered and more importantly, it paid for my IVF. My wife and I were trying to have kids for eight years. We've paid for upgrades on the house, bathrooms, holidays, all sorts."

Mike, who last appeared on the game show Decimate with Shane Richie on BBC1 in 2016, is now eyeing a spot on Beat the Chasers, a spin-off from The Chase, on ITV. His book, How to Get on Game Shows and win £1000s: Confessions of a Game Show Addict, is up for grabs on Amazon.

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Paige Oldfield