English Poker Pro Charlie Carrel Becomes TV Star in UK Documentary

April 3rd, 2017 | by Brian Corlisse

English poker pro Charlie Carrel has done his bit to give the game some more exposure by appearing in a TV show about his life.

English poker pro and EPT winner Charlie Carrel has been featured in a documentary on Channel 4 in the UK. (Image: pokerstarslive.fr)

Titled “How’d You Get So Rich” and set to air on the UK’s Channel 4 on April 3, the show profiles Carrel alongside a number of other well-bankrolled celebrities. According to the preview, host and comedian Katherine Ryan joins Carrel as he goes on the hunt for a new place to live.

Long Days Lead to Bright Future

Ahead of the episode, The Sun newspaper picked out the main highlights of the poker pro’s time in the spotlight. After telling host Ryan that it was during his time at college he first realized poker could be profitable, he explained that he used to play for 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

“I had better options in my social life, but it was because I realized poker could be such a massive opportunity and it could be life-changing and my way out of a nine-to-five, I took the gamble and it paid off” he said during the show.

Carrel first made his name on the UK poker scene when he won the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) Grand Final in 2014. That victory earned him $170,950, but it was his win in the 2015 European Poker Tour (EPT) Grand Final that made him a star.

After carving his way through a tough field in the €25,500 ($27,100) High Roller, Carrel managed to beat Senegal’s Imad Derwiche heads-up. The young pro started the final showdown with the chip lead and, despite a mini comeback from Derwiche, he picked up the $1,241,682 first prize when his Kd 6c held against 6h 2h.

A New Star in the Making?

With more than $5 million in live tournament earnings since 2014, math whizz Carrel has attracted the attention of multiple mainstream media outlets. As well as appearing on one of the largest TV stations in the UK, he was also interviewed by Vice back in 2016.

While it’s not quite the same level of publicity that Chris Moneymaker received when he won the 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, it’s certainly a notable start to Carrel’s fledgling career.

However, even if you are one of the hottest rising stars in the poker world, a rampaging gunman is still enough to get you out of your seat. Back on March 25, 2017, when a gunman opened fire in the Bellagio, Las Vegas, Carrel was among the people forced to head for the exits.

According to his Facebook post on the same day, he was ok but he had to make a swift exit from the poker room.

“Just had to run out of Bellagio in Vegas because a shooter came in. Kelly and I confirmed not shot,” Carrel wrote on Facebook.

On this occasion he was able to dodge bullets, which suggests he may be in for a long and illustrious career like a certain Phil Hellmuth who also has a penchant for avoiding flying aces.