10 Most Evil People Who Appeared on Game Shows
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VOICE OVER: Tom Aglio
WRITTEN BY: Jordy McKen
Dive into the dark world of game show contestants who turned out to be criminals. From murder to shocking revelations, these individuals prove that not everything is as it seems under the bright studio lights. Our countdown includes notorious criminals like Rodney Alcala from "The Dating Game," Stuart Hall from "It's a Knockout," and Ryan Alexander Jenkins from "Megan Wants a Millionaire." These shocking stories reveal the sinister side of seemingly innocent game show participants. Which of these surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments.
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re examining the worst contestants and hosts from TV game shows around the world who committed horrible acts.
After appearing in “Rock of Love with Bret Michaels,” Megan Hauserman[a] was given her own game show, “Megan Wants a Millionaire,” in 2009, which involved a group of wealthy men battling for her love. But after 3 episodes, the show was abruptly canceled. It was all due to contestant Jenkins. He was issued an arrest warrant for the murder of his wife, Jasmine Fiore. Fiore’s body was discovered in a suitcase in Buena Park, California, with clear attempts to hinder her identification. After avoiding the police, days after the warrant was issued, Jenkins took his own life in a hotel in Hope, British Columbia, Canada. His final note spoke about his jealousy of Fiore and how much he loved her.
Dating game shows can be a nightmare. After all, you know very little about the contestants. But, thankfully, for the Turkish show “Ne Çıkarsa Bahtına,” which translates to “The Luck of the Draw,” Sefer Çalınak informed everyone how bad he was in 2014. He casually admitted to having killed 2 of his partners. He was first sentenced for taking his wife Fadime’s life, because he was jealous, and was released after 4 years and 6 months due to amnesty. The second time, Çalınak claimed it was in defense as a woman he was seeing attempted to kill him, forcing him to take her life. He was released with amnesty once more. Understandably, the show asked Çalınak to leave.
Awkward jokes about disliking your partner are a bane of game shows. In 2020, Tim Bliefnick made one such comment on “Family Feud.” When asked by Steve Harvey the biggest mistake he made at his wedding, the contestant responded it was saying “I do.” The following year, Bliefnick broke up with his wife, Becky. She made comments that she didn’t feel safe with him. In 2023, Becky was fatally shot in her home in Quincy, Illinois. After shell cases that matched the firearm used in the murder were discovered in Bliefnick’s home, he was charged. He apparently shot 14 times, one for each year they were married. Bliefnick received 3 life sentences for his horrible crime.
With a history of going AWOL from the US Marines and robbing several gas stations, Edwards spent time in jail. Yet upon his release, he was seemingly a changed person. During this time, Edwards popped up in the game shows “What’s My Line?” and “To Tell the Truth.” However, he soon devolved back into crime. In 2009, his daughter, April Balascio[d], researched her father’s history and discovered he may have been involved in murder. She soon informed the police, and he was connected to 5 deaths. Edwards confessed and pleaded guilty to the crimes, earning him a capital punishment sentence. Some have theorized he could have killed more people . Edwards died of natural causes in prison in 2011.
Appearing on “Wheel of Fortune” in 2004, Vallow seemed like an average, excitable contestant. No one knew the horror she would later do. In 2019, after concerns were raised about her missing children, Tylee and J.J., Vallow left her Idaho home for Hawaii with her husband, Chad Daybell. This strange behavior caused the police to investigate, finding several people close to them had died suspiciously, including her former husband Charles and Daybell’s ex-wife Tammy. Several months after Vallow’s arrest, the children’s bodies were found. In 2023, Vallow was sentenced to life for the deaths of her children and Tammy. Her trial for conspiring to murder Charles Vallow is scheduled to begin in 2025.
In 1989, Curry appeared on 3 episodes of “Jeopardy!” He won 2 episodes, racking up $24,101 in winnings before losing. That same year, he met Linda Kinkade at the San Onofre[f] nuclear power plant where he worked. However, in 1994, after less than 2 years of marriage, Linda suddenly passed away after experiencing an illness. Curry soon cashed in on Linda’s insurance policies and retirement plan, giving him a $419,000 financial boost. Eventually, investigators became suspicious and reopened the case. They concluded that Curry had spiked Linda with a sleeping medication before injecting her with a fatal dose of nicotine. After being arrested in 2010, in 2014, Curry was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in jail.
On the surface, François Vérove was seemingly a good man. After all, he spent most of his career as a police officer in France before retiring in 2019. That same year, he appeared on “Tout Le Monde Veut Prendre Sa Place,” which translates to “Everyone Wants to Take Their Place.” During his career, a serial killer known as “Le Grêlé,” or “The Pockmarked Man,” was terrorizing the country. In 2021, after realizing the killer was one of their own, the police contacted Vérove to provide a DNA sample. Days later, his body was found after taking his own life. Vérove left a note that confessed to several crimes, claiming he stopped in 1997. It’s believed he had 3 victims and perhaps upwards of 9.
In 1989, Cooper appeared on the UK darts-based game show “Bullseye.” Starting his criminal career in the 1960s, Cooper mostly committed his deeds in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire[h]. By the time he was on “Bullseye,” he’d become a murderer. In 1998, Cooper was sentenced to 14 years in jail for committing 30 burglaries and robberies. During this time, the police re-examined a series of Pembrokeshire murders and a case of assault against teenagers. Shortly after his release in 2009, Cooper was re-arrested, this time for his DNA matching the historical attacks. In 2011, now diagnosed as a psychopath, Cooper was found guilty of killing 4 people and assaulting 2 teenagers. He was sentenced to a whole life order, which means he’ll never be released.
In 1972, after taking the presenting reins of “It's a Knockout,” Hall became a fixture of UK TV with his infectious enthusiasm. Yet behind the scenes, he would become one of the UK’s biggest celebrity serial abusers. In 2013, in the aftermath of the Jimmy Savile[i] scandal, Hall was in court charged with several cases of historical assault. He pleaded guilty to 14 charges, earning him a 15-month sentence. After a review, the sentence was deemed too lenient, so it was doubled to 30 months. In 2014, Hall was found guilty of further charges and received an additional 2 years and 6 months. After his release in 2015, Hall further tarnished his destroyed reputation by publicly calling his accusers “vindictive, malicious people.”
In 1978, introduced as a successful photographer, Alcala competed in “The Dating Game” to win a date with Cheryl Bradshaw. While he was successful, Bradshaw refused the date as she found him “creepy.” This decision likely saved her life. During this time, Alcala had begun taking people’s lives as well as committing various assaults. Despite serving time in jail, Alcala continued his rampage, leading to his arrest in 1979. In 2010, after being sentenced to death twice and appealing the sentence, Alcala received the same sentence once again. Officially, it’s confirmed he killed 8 people. However, there’s speculation the number could be far higher at over 130. In 2021, Alcala died from natural causes in jail.
If you could bring back any game show that’s not on TV anymore, which would you pick? Let us know below!
bwenna https://youtu.be/WIGY-0Ms8OY?si=7OW7jZmZwbwO_C-W&t=4
[b](turkish) sef-FARE CHOH-LOO-nock https://forvo.com/search/%C3%87al%C4%B1nak/ OR https://translate.google.ca/?sl=tr&tl=ar&text=Sefer%20%C3%87al%C4%B1nak&op=translate
(turkish) nay chick-KARSA BOTTIN-uh https://translate.google.ca/?sl=tr&tl=ar&text=Ne%20%C3%87%C4%B1karsa%20Baht%C4%B1na&op=translate
[c]BLEEF-nick https://youtu.be/CDhYOUCEfQw?si=LfRszUnD-WsL4kOR&t=6
[d]buh-LAWSHY-oh https://youtu.be/DiQDddkWgxU?si=3JMWlK4P1S-ECE2h&t=4
[e]LORE-ee VAL-oh (rhymes with "shallow") https://youtu.be/jWTHetlk2l4?si=ixo6_FPWVSggCgns
TYE-lee https://youtu.be/jWTHetlk2l4?si=htzmBiXlzlkLgMHF&t=151
DAY-bell https://youtu.be/jWTHetlk2l4?si=2fZsW-NfdYUk7oEJ&t=154
[f]sanna-NO-fray https://youtu.be/0LR47t39W20?si=EJAZ5b92FD5xhPdF&t=1
[g](french) frawn-SWAH vay-RUVV https://youtu.be/g_HVm1-90xk
(french) too luh moaned veuh PRONND-ruh sah PLASS
https://translate.google.ca/?sl=fr&tl=ar&text=Tout%20le%20monde%20veut%20prendre%20sa%20place&op=translate
(french) luh gray-LAY https://youtu.be/g_HVm1-90xk?si=AVG9E8X-cmZj-6NT&t=20
FYI: here's the word "le" in French on its own if you're interested what it sounds like (it's hard to give a phonetic since there's no comparable sound in English) https://forvo.com/search/le/
[h]PEM-BROOK-sure / PEMBROOK-shur https://forvo.com/search/Pembrokeshire/
[i]SAV-ull https://forvo.com/search/Jimmy%20Savile/
[j]al-CAL-uh https://youtu.be/V4G1FNFGHXA?si=YKxSIzzleXLvVBP5&t=334
Ryan Alexander Jenkins
“Megan Wants a Millionaire” (2009)After appearing in “Rock of Love with Bret Michaels,” Megan Hauserman[a] was given her own game show, “Megan Wants a Millionaire,” in 2009, which involved a group of wealthy men battling for her love. But after 3 episodes, the show was abruptly canceled. It was all due to contestant Jenkins. He was issued an arrest warrant for the murder of his wife, Jasmine Fiore. Fiore’s body was discovered in a suitcase in Buena Park, California, with clear attempts to hinder her identification. After avoiding the police, days after the warrant was issued, Jenkins took his own life in a hotel in Hope, British Columbia, Canada. His final note spoke about his jealousy of Fiore and how much he loved her.
Sefer Çalınak[b]
“Ne Çıkarsa Bahtına” (2010-16)Dating game shows can be a nightmare. After all, you know very little about the contestants. But, thankfully, for the Turkish show “Ne Çıkarsa Bahtına,” which translates to “The Luck of the Draw,” Sefer Çalınak informed everyone how bad he was in 2014. He casually admitted to having killed 2 of his partners. He was first sentenced for taking his wife Fadime’s life, because he was jealous, and was released after 4 years and 6 months due to amnesty. The second time, Çalınak claimed it was in defense as a woman he was seeing attempted to kill him, forcing him to take her life. He was released with amnesty once more. Understandably, the show asked Çalınak to leave.
Tim Bliefnick[c]
“Family Feud” (1976-85; 1988-95; 1999-)Awkward jokes about disliking your partner are a bane of game shows. In 2020, Tim Bliefnick made one such comment on “Family Feud.” When asked by Steve Harvey the biggest mistake he made at his wedding, the contestant responded it was saying “I do.” The following year, Bliefnick broke up with his wife, Becky. She made comments that she didn’t feel safe with him. In 2023, Becky was fatally shot in her home in Quincy, Illinois. After shell cases that matched the firearm used in the murder were discovered in Bliefnick’s home, he was charged. He apparently shot 14 times, one for each year they were married. Bliefnick received 3 life sentences for his horrible crime.
Edward Edwards
“What’s My Line?” (1950-75) & “To Tell the Truth” (1956-68; 1969-1978; 1980-81; 1990-91; 2000-02; 2016-22)With a history of going AWOL from the US Marines and robbing several gas stations, Edwards spent time in jail. Yet upon his release, he was seemingly a changed person. During this time, Edwards popped up in the game shows “What’s My Line?” and “To Tell the Truth.” However, he soon devolved back into crime. In 2009, his daughter, April Balascio[d], researched her father’s history and discovered he may have been involved in murder. She soon informed the police, and he was connected to 5 deaths. Edwards confessed and pleaded guilty to the crimes, earning him a capital punishment sentence. Some have theorized he could have killed more people . Edwards died of natural causes in prison in 2011.
Lori Vallow[e]
“Wheel of Fortune” (1975-)Appearing on “Wheel of Fortune” in 2004, Vallow seemed like an average, excitable contestant. No one knew the horror she would later do. In 2019, after concerns were raised about her missing children, Tylee and J.J., Vallow left her Idaho home for Hawaii with her husband, Chad Daybell. This strange behavior caused the police to investigate, finding several people close to them had died suspiciously, including her former husband Charles and Daybell’s ex-wife Tammy. Several months after Vallow’s arrest, the children’s bodies were found. In 2023, Vallow was sentenced to life for the deaths of her children and Tammy. Her trial for conspiring to murder Charles Vallow is scheduled to begin in 2025.
Paul Curry
“Jeopardy!” (1964-)In 1989, Curry appeared on 3 episodes of “Jeopardy!” He won 2 episodes, racking up $24,101 in winnings before losing. That same year, he met Linda Kinkade at the San Onofre[f] nuclear power plant where he worked. However, in 1994, after less than 2 years of marriage, Linda suddenly passed away after experiencing an illness. Curry soon cashed in on Linda’s insurance policies and retirement plan, giving him a $419,000 financial boost. Eventually, investigators became suspicious and reopened the case. They concluded that Curry had spiked Linda with a sleeping medication before injecting her with a fatal dose of nicotine. After being arrested in 2010, in 2014, Curry was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in jail.
François Vérove[g]
“Tout Le Monde Veut Prendre Sa Place” (2006-)On the surface, François Vérove was seemingly a good man. After all, he spent most of his career as a police officer in France before retiring in 2019. That same year, he appeared on “Tout Le Monde Veut Prendre Sa Place,” which translates to “Everyone Wants to Take Their Place.” During his career, a serial killer known as “Le Grêlé,” or “The Pockmarked Man,” was terrorizing the country. In 2021, after realizing the killer was one of their own, the police contacted Vérove to provide a DNA sample. Days later, his body was found after taking his own life. Vérove left a note that confessed to several crimes, claiming he stopped in 1997. It’s believed he had 3 victims and perhaps upwards of 9.
John Cooper
“Bullseye” (1981-95; 2006; 2024)In 1989, Cooper appeared on the UK darts-based game show “Bullseye.” Starting his criminal career in the 1960s, Cooper mostly committed his deeds in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire[h]. By the time he was on “Bullseye,” he’d become a murderer. In 1998, Cooper was sentenced to 14 years in jail for committing 30 burglaries and robberies. During this time, the police re-examined a series of Pembrokeshire murders and a case of assault against teenagers. Shortly after his release in 2009, Cooper was re-arrested, this time for his DNA matching the historical attacks. In 2011, now diagnosed as a psychopath, Cooper was found guilty of killing 4 people and assaulting 2 teenagers. He was sentenced to a whole life order, which means he’ll never be released.
Stuart Hall
“It's a Knockout” (1966-88; 1990; 1991-94; 1999-2001)In 1972, after taking the presenting reins of “It's a Knockout,” Hall became a fixture of UK TV with his infectious enthusiasm. Yet behind the scenes, he would become one of the UK’s biggest celebrity serial abusers. In 2013, in the aftermath of the Jimmy Savile[i] scandal, Hall was in court charged with several cases of historical assault. He pleaded guilty to 14 charges, earning him a 15-month sentence. After a review, the sentence was deemed too lenient, so it was doubled to 30 months. In 2014, Hall was found guilty of further charges and received an additional 2 years and 6 months. After his release in 2015, Hall further tarnished his destroyed reputation by publicly calling his accusers “vindictive, malicious people.”
Rodney Alcala[j]
“The Dating Game” (1965-74; 1978-80; 1986-89; 1996-99; 2021)In 1978, introduced as a successful photographer, Alcala competed in “The Dating Game” to win a date with Cheryl Bradshaw. While he was successful, Bradshaw refused the date as she found him “creepy.” This decision likely saved her life. During this time, Alcala had begun taking people’s lives as well as committing various assaults. Despite serving time in jail, Alcala continued his rampage, leading to his arrest in 1979. In 2010, after being sentenced to death twice and appealing the sentence, Alcala received the same sentence once again. Officially, it’s confirmed he killed 8 people. However, there’s speculation the number could be far higher at over 130. In 2021, Alcala died from natural causes in jail.
If you could bring back any game show that’s not on TV anymore, which would you pick? Let us know below!
[a]HAO-ZUR-min https://youtu.be/5pehjF6_j3E?t=22
fee-ORE-ee https://youtu.be/BNPUUEqHF64?si=LU6K71zk1F8xvEvj&t=426bwenna https://youtu.be/WIGY-0Ms8OY?si=7OW7jZmZwbwO_C-W&t=4
[b](turkish) sef-FARE CHOH-LOO-nock https://forvo.com/search/%C3%87al%C4%B1nak/ OR https://translate.google.ca/?sl=tr&tl=ar&text=Sefer%20%C3%87al%C4%B1nak&op=translate
(turkish) nay chick-KARSA BOTTIN-uh https://translate.google.ca/?sl=tr&tl=ar&text=Ne%20%C3%87%C4%B1karsa%20Baht%C4%B1na&op=translate
[c]BLEEF-nick https://youtu.be/CDhYOUCEfQw?si=LfRszUnD-WsL4kOR&t=6
[d]buh-LAWSHY-oh https://youtu.be/DiQDddkWgxU?si=3JMWlK4P1S-ECE2h&t=4
[e]LORE-ee VAL-oh (rhymes with "shallow") https://youtu.be/jWTHetlk2l4?si=ixo6_FPWVSggCgns
TYE-lee https://youtu.be/jWTHetlk2l4?si=htzmBiXlzlkLgMHF&t=151
DAY-bell https://youtu.be/jWTHetlk2l4?si=2fZsW-NfdYUk7oEJ&t=154
[f]sanna-NO-fray https://youtu.be/0LR47t39W20?si=EJAZ5b92FD5xhPdF&t=1
[g](french) frawn-SWAH vay-RUVV https://youtu.be/g_HVm1-90xk
(french) too luh moaned veuh PRONND-ruh sah PLASS
https://translate.google.ca/?sl=fr&tl=ar&text=Tout%20le%20monde%20veut%20prendre%20sa%20place&op=translate
(french) luh gray-LAY https://youtu.be/g_HVm1-90xk?si=AVG9E8X-cmZj-6NT&t=20
FYI: here's the word "le" in French on its own if you're interested what it sounds like (it's hard to give a phonetic since there's no comparable sound in English) https://forvo.com/search/le/
[h]PEM-BROOK-sure / PEMBROOK-shur https://forvo.com/search/Pembrokeshire/
[i]SAV-ull https://forvo.com/search/Jimmy%20Savile/
[j]al-CAL-uh https://youtu.be/V4G1FNFGHXA?si=YKxSIzzleXLvVBP5&t=334
