YOU have heard of TV addicts but Dinos Sfyris is happier in front of the cameras than on the sofa.
If Dinos’s face looks familiar it’s because you might have seen him on Countdown... or perhaps The Chase, The Weakest Link?, how about The Krypton Factor, Pointless or maybe even The Boss?
In fact there are not many game shows he has not yet appeared on.
After sharing air time with Anne Robinson, Ben Shephard, Alexander Armstrong and Bradley Walsh, it’s something, that Dinos says, you tend to get used to.
Asked whether he has an addiction to testing his knowledge on TV, the former Wath Comprehensive pupil gives an answer as quick as he would when he a teatime teaser jumps out at him.
“Without a doubt,” said Dinos, 30, who works as a maths tutor and now lives in Rotherham.
“I love anagrams and puzzles but I am not great at general knowledge. That was clear on The Chase when I crashed out.
“Once you have been on a few shows you get a feel for what they are looking for. You are not as affected by nerves as much and you are personable with the host. It just comes a bit more naturally to you.”
Your next chance to catch Dinos will be when he appears back on Countdown later this month.
It will remain his favourite and he has had the honour of featuring alongside three different hosts in Des O’Connor, Jeff Stelling and Nick Hewer.
He also takes part in FOCAL Countdown tournaments around the country. They are organised by fans of the show and see them play against one another.
“It will always have a special place in my heart,” he said.
“It was the first show I went on. I was 18 and it was actually during fresher’s week when I was at university.
“You are only playing for a teapot so the players are there for the love of the game. It has been going since 1982 so it’s long-running and prestigious. I have been on all the long-running shows.
“The people who work on Countdown are so nice and it’s a lovely production team.
“I still have my teapot from my original appearance on Countdown and it has pride of place in my house.”
It is also where he has had the most success with three wins in a row.
His winning streak did not continue.
He added: “I was known as a bit of a nearly man after Countdown until I won on The Boss in 2017 I managed to break my unlucky streak.
“It was a case of close but no cigar a few times. I got voted off on The Weakest Link and got to the head-to-head with my partner Jess twice on Pointless.”
Dinos attempts to get onto one game show a year but is now going to take a bit of a break to spend time with his newborn son.
His biggest aim is to assemble a team to take on BBC’s Only Connect, hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell. It’s a show he feels is the most brain busting.
“The dream would be to go on Only Connect,” he said.
“I will probably have a bit of a break now. I was happy to get on Countdown whilst Jess was on maternity leave.
“I am always on the lookout for new and exciting ones.”
Dinos’s next appearance on Countdown is set to be aired on Friday February 22 on Channel 4 at 2.10pm.
