Criminal Record and Discrimination from TV Show

[Brad Rogers]

I've been trying for years to get on 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'. I've been to jail albeit about 15 years ago and I haven't been in trouble since. They say that you can't go on if you have a criminal record and I feel that I'm being discriminated against because I've paid for my crime. Do I have to keep paying for it or have I got a legal way to be accepted to the show? Society is always banging on about rehabilitation but they won't look past my past transgressions and stop the discrimination.

 

[John R]

Hi Brad,

1. Which state/territory are you located in?
2. If you were in jail over 15 years ago, you may apply to clear your criminal record using a spent convictions application in your state/territory.

 

[Tim W]

...or have I got a legal way to be accepted to the show.

No, you don't.
Subject to the various anti-discrimination regimes, and employment law generally*
it's their show and they can cast who they like.

In any event, a spent conviction (even if it is available for your offence - no, don't tell us)
does not mean you can say "no" when asked
by an employer (or, say, as a condition of taking part in a game show...)

"Have you ever been arrested for..." ​

where this would be untrue.
Their choice of language in that question is not an accident.



* in some game shows, "contestants" are employed by the production company