13-year-old superfan co-hosts Family Feud Canada with Gerry Dee
There's a new game show host in town! Meet Christos, aged 13, from Quebec who took over hosting duties for Gerry Dee on the set of Family Feud Canada for a special taping earlier this year.
Christos loves streaming game shows on his computer while holding cards and pretending to be a host. "From a young age, Christos liked to pretend he was on TV. It all started with a Greek show and then he moved on to Family Feud and never stopped," says his mom Marianna.
Christos's fantasy became a reality thanks to Canada's Make-a-Wish Foundation. "We thought that being a Family Feud Canada host alongside Gerry Dee would make for the perfect day for Christos," says the foundation's Melissa Perri. "A wish offers a much-needed break from treatments and hospital visits, allowing the child and their family to find strength, resilience and a sense of normalcy in an otherwise difficult time."
Christos brought his outsized personality and sense of humour to Family Feud Canada. The production team made the experience special with VIP access to the studio, time to hang out with Gerry and a seat next to the director during taping. Gerry's stylist, Tara Williams, even arranged for a new suit — just like the one Gerry wears on the show — from made2measure clothing.
"The best part of the day was being able to see his dream come true: to be on camera in front of a live audience," says Marianna, "having everyone's attention on him, clapping for him, laughing with him and of course being able to interact with Gerry Dee."
Says Dee, "I can't believe CBC would do that to me. Bring in my replacement, right before my eyes. The scary thing is, he was actually really good. I'm glad he's not old enough to have the job. Otherwise, I think I would be in big trouble."
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