Bloke who’s won £70,000 on 18 game shows shares secret to getting on them

We've all screamed the seemingly obvious answers at the telly while watching a game show and thought, 'I'd be good on that'.

But this bloke didn't just think it while lounging on the sofa - he went and proved it 18 times over.

Mike Stratton has managed to bring home a tidy £70,000 in cash and prizes after securing a spot on some of the UK's most iconic game shows.

The Weakest Link, Fear Factor, 24 Hour Quiz, Perseverance, Beg, Borrow or Steal, Bullseye and Are You Smarter Than A 10-Year-Old all feature on his glittering TV resume.

The dad-of-three even secured a spot on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - but failed to make it past the Fastest Finger First round. Still, it's a mean feat all the same.

Mike got bit by the game show bug after earning a spot on Jerry Springer's Greed, where he walked away with £10,000 in 2001.

The part-time male stripper and former tanning salon owner had been applying 'for everything he could' and his beginners luck only encouraged his obsession with competing on daytime TV.

But it wasn't his dedication to churning out applications that made him a star contestant on so many popular shows.

Mike Stratton

The dad, from Wigan, revealed he had a secret weapon which made him a hot commodity for TV channels, who just couldn't say no to him.

Mike explained that he decided to use stereotypes about his appearance and day job to his advantage. And it worked!

The 55-year-old revealed: "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," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"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."

Mike Stratton

Mike said he views the application process as a 'hobby and a challenge', which gives him just as much of a thrill as actually appearing on TV.

He said: "I’m really good at getting on the shows. 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 just like the rest of us, he still gets the jitters when it actually comes down to competing.

Mike Stratton

"Every time I step behind a podium on a game show, I nearly wet myself it’s that nerve-wracking. I want to win that much."

Mike's TV triumphs over the years have totted up to a whopping £70,000 - which he has spent on house renovations, laser eye surgery and even IVF which helped him and his wife welcome twins into the world.

The dad added: "It changed my life."

The Chase's Market Labbett - better known as The Beast - even roped him in to be his phone a friend when he was on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.

Now that's surely saying something about his knack for game show knowledge.