Émilien, a 22-year-old French history student, became the most successful gameshow contestant in European history, winning over €2.5 million and 23 cars on 'Les Douze Coups de Midi'. Despite his immense winnings and record-breaking 647 consecutive appearances, he maintains a frugal lifestyle, driven purely by a passion for general knowledge and learning.
Émilien, a 22-year-old history student, achieved unprecedented fame by becoming the most successful French gameshow contestant and the biggest gameshow winner in European history, holding the world record for most solo consecutive appearances on a TV quiz show. Starting on 'Les Douze Coups de Midi' in September 2023 at age 20, he made an astonishing 647 consecutive appearances over nearly two years, winning over €2.5 million and 23 cars, among numerous other prizes. His run ended in July on a timed round, but by then he was a household name, boosting audience ratings and sparking interest in general knowledge among young people. Despite his winnings, Émilien lives modestly in Toulouse. He attributes his success not to financial gain, but to a pure passion for quizzing and learning. His unique study methods include compiling an extensive 180-page Google Doc of facts, rewatching hundreds of thousands of quiz show reruns to memorize questions, and honing his 'listening' skills to extract trivia from everyday conversations. He also participates in local quiz club meet-ups, often with pensioners, where he competes and sets questions. His curiosity, which started as a child devouring books of world records, was further amplified during the Covid pandemic lockdowns. The intense filming schedule meant he often filmed five to six episodes a day, comparing it to taking multiple exams. To cope with stress, he prioritized 10-11 hours of sleep and maintained small rituals like eating fruit compote before each episode. He plans to take a year off before potentially resuming his history studies, exploring a future in quiz streaming or question-setting, and continues to add facts to his Google Doc, now applying his theoretical knowledge to real-life observations like identifying plants.
