There are dozens of loved British gameshows, from The Chase to Countdown - but what’s it actually like to be a contestant on a string of the UK’s most popular programmes? A seasoned TV participant tells all in a new interview with Spin Genie.
Surrey-based bus driver James Belshaw, 46, has taken part in a long list of shows over the years, appearing on the likes of Tipping Point, Countdown, Pointless, Lingo, Coach Trip and more.
And having been through his fair share of audition processes over the last decade or so, and often making it onto our screens, James has given his top tips to budding gameshow contestants.
He emphasises the importance of having a good story, why it’s not always the best idea to go for the shows you love the most, and why new shows can be the way to go when it comes to your chances of getting on-screen in the first place.
Always have a unique story
“You can make a unique story out of anything, but you've got to think of a story from the right angle. That's very broad, but it does really help, you’ve got to have something to start off with that the other contestants don't.
There's got to be a talking point, you’ve got to think of something that can make a good story in the show that maybe can be repeated throughout the show. It can be, obviously entertaining, something people haven't heard before,
Treat the audition process like you’re talking to the show’s host
When you meet a stranger, you should talk to them in an audition like you’ve known them for years. The researchers, producers, or whoever you’re chatting to, are effectively being the host, right, so you need to talk to someone like you’re old buddies.
It's weird because I'm a bus driver now and I talk to no one. I'm in a very introverted job these days, but it’s good to be maybe a bit more extroverted than you are, but not to the point of annoying, you know, because also I think you gotta, some people do go on these things, right.
Try not to appear on the programmes you love the most - as it can hinder you
What I find is, if you’re really into a TV show and you love it, you get really excited. I try not to get into any TV shows too much so I don’t get too in my head about it. When we were on Coach Trip, people were getting so excited about Brendan [Sheerin], but he’s been a tour guide most of his life, he knows what people are like, some people need to chill out.
Sometimes contestants get a bit too excited, and then they don't perform as best as they could do because they love the show so much they've built it up in their heads so much they want to do so well. I think people who sometimes exit early are probably the ones who are probably the biggest fans a lot of the time because they're so excited to be there, they just don't function as well.
Applying for new shows can really help your chances
The reason I was so successful getting onto shows, I think, is because my tactic was to apply for new shows that haven’t been before, because then what happens is they tend to cast people who've done [TV] a bit. There’s quite a few of us actually.
They can see how we behave on TV and they know you’re not gonna be like a Bullseye contestant from the 1980s where they're all like, ‘I work in the mines’. That in itself is brilliant, I love bullseye, I love watching all those old school style contestants.
Be prepared to be ripped into - and know how to play the game properly
I have seen contestants behave a bit rubbish. I did Come Dine With Me and there was a guy who was really rinsed, I came across quite well there. On Coach Trip, we were the baddies for a bit, because we tried to take down the original alliance. They first tried to bring us into it, we voted for the key protagonists and turned the audience against us because they already loved these contestants for like 15 days.
That was something I didn’t really realise at the time. On Come Dine With Me, I was very aware of any leading questions, because they do try and catch you out. They were like, ‘Who don’t you like?’ I said, ‘I love them all, I’m here for a good time’.
Know how to stand out from the crowd
How shows succeed is how they’re cast. I did this one show called Cannonball. It was a water-based show, a bit like Total Wipeout. There were about 25 people. At the audition, you say, how did you get on, I went dressed as a cat because they don’t like water. I had cat whiskers, a cat tail and a cat t-shirt. It had like 20 contestants, it was an hour long.
If you had less contestants with a theme each week, it might have been more interesting. Once you’ve done quite a lot of shows, you become more observant. If you’ve done a lot of shows that have been brand new and then get cancelled, you can see how they might be better.
