For most people, appearing on one TV game show would be a once-in-a-lifetime story. For James Belshaw, though, it has turned into a full-blown obsession.
The 46-year-old bus driver from Surrey has been applying for quiz shows since 2010, and he’s managed to appear on more than a dozen, from Pointless and The Weakest Link to Tipping Point and Lingo.
But while his journey sounds like the stuff of trivia dreams, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
Being Dropped from The Chase
James recalled one particularly awkward moment when he was all set to film an episode of The Chase — until producers discovered he had already been on rival show Pointless.
“They rang me up and asked, ‘James, were you on Pointless?’” he explained. “I hadn’t put it on my form.
I tried to joke it off, saying, ‘Is that the one with the really tall man sitting down?’ But that was it, I was out.
They must have just pulled in a reserve contestant instead.”
As disappointing as it was, James and his wife ended up filming another show, Letterbox, that same week.
He laughed about the whole situation, admitting there was no way he would have gotten away with it anyway.
“The same makeup people work across different shows,” he said. “I’d have been panicking the whole time that I’d be rumbled.”
A Risky Countdown Cheat
James even admitted to bending the rules to try and secure a spot on Countdown.
Over a decade ago, auditions were held over the phone, and James couldn’t resist using a bit of tech help.
“I had my keyboard, anagram solver, and numbers solver all set up on my computer,” he confessed. “I’m going to say it, I did cheat.”
His performance got him through to the actual show, but once he arrived at the filming hotel in Manchester and watched an episode on TV, panic set in. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m no good at Countdown.
What am I doing here?’ I even called my wife and told her I wanted to bail.”
But his wife convinced him to go through with it, reminding him that backing out could harm his chances with future auditions.
He stayed — but ended up earning the unfortunate title of being the lowest-scoring male contestant in Countdown history.
The Start of a TV Journey
James’s TV adventure didn’t begin with quiz shows. His first taste of television came from appearing on Coach Trip with his wife.
“We loved watching it and thought, why not apply?” he said.
“Once we got on, it opened the door. I just kept applying for more.”
From there, it became almost a hobby. James says he fell into a rhythm of chasing down auditions, especially when new shows were launching.
How Auditions Have Changed
Over the years, James has noticed how much the process of getting on TV has shifted.
“It used to be paper applications and in-person auditions,” he explained. “Now it’s all online forms and Zoom.
The old way was better, because you got to see everyone trying to sell themselves. It really brought out different personalities.”
He shared that many successful contestants he’s met were people who had already done some TV, which reassured casting teams that they wouldn’t freeze up or act awkwardly on camera.
Secrets of Standing Out
So, what’s the trick to actually being picked? James swears by having an interesting story to share.
In his case, he and his wife once held the Guinness World Record for the longest kiss, which became a popular anecdote with producers.
But he added that even ordinary hobbies can be turned into something memorable.
“It’s not enough to just say you like fishing or golf,” he explained. “There’s always a quirky angle if you look for it.”
More Than Just a Hobby
For James, game shows have become more than just entertainment — they’re part of his life story.
Even when things went wrong, like being dropped from The Chase or bombing on Countdown, he kept applying and kept chasing the buzz.
“Once you’re in that world,” he said, “it’s addictive. And the stories you collect along the way are worth it.”