Behind the scenes of Lo Show dei Record: meet the record-breaking Adjudicator Simone Barlaam

From 18-year-old Lalit Patidar, the teenager with the hairiest face on a person, to Holly Murray's shiny title (most rhinestones on the body), Lo Show dei Record is back and in full swing.

This year, the Italian TV show about all things record-breaking (presented by Gerry Scotti and airing primetime on Canale 5) has reached its 11th edition.  

Once again, Gerry will accompany the audience on an amazing journey at the discovery of the world's superlatives, supported by the help and expertise of official Guinness World Records Adjudicators Lorenzo Veltri and Sofia Greenacre.

Marco Frigatti, the iconic face of Guinness World Records in Italy, will follow some exciting record-breaking challenges from China. 

This year's edition, however, sees a brand-new addition to the team: Adjudicator, Paralympic superstar and multiple record holder Simone Barlaam.

Let’s get to know the new Adjudicator of Lo Show dei Record!

"Being on Lo Show dei Record was an incredible experience for me," Simone confessed, looking back at the filming days.

"It was my first time filming in such a big production. Getting to work with all these amazing adjudicators is surreal! Especially considering I grew up watching Lo Show and reading the Guinness World Records book!"

He carries on: "Getting to know the Italian legend Gerry Scotti was pretty special too."

Did you know that Gerry Scotti is a record holder?
After 15 editions – for a whopping 1,690 episodes – he has shattered the record for most episodes of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? hosted by a male presenter... twice! 
Although the first achievement for the popular format (in Italian: Chi Vuol Essere Milionario) dates back to 2011, Gerry surpassed his own record in 2020.

Throughout the episodes, Simone will join another Italian excellence: freediving champ Umberto Pelizzari, who will once again document some water-based challenges during the show. 

"I would have never imagined that one day I would have become an Adjudicator myself," he adds about the experience on set. 

Whether making waves in an Olympic pool or wearing the Adjudicator suit on the set, what is certain is that the 24-year-old Paralympic gold medallist has won over the audience with talent in spades and an infectious smile. 

Born in Milan, where he lives today, Simone has taken the world of Paralympic swimming by storm thanks to his grit and talent.

After winning his first gold during Mexico City's 2017 World Para Swimming Championships, he quickly reached international fame, appearing in the pages of the Guinness World Records yearly edition for the first time in 2021.

His performances have shattered longstanding swimming records, including:

Now, Simone can flaunt an impressive collection of medals: four Paralympic golds, 19 world championship titles, and 12 European titles.

"I’ve always loved being in the water for the way it made me feel," Simone said.

"On land, I was (and still am) clumsy and slow while, in the water, I’ve always felt light, fast and graceful."

Born with coxa vara, a congenital hypoplasia in his right femur resulting in his right leg being shorter than his left one, Simone started swimming when he was only three years old and took on Para swimming when he was a teenager.

After joining the Italian national team in 2017, his love for the water bloomed into a record-breaking career.

During his debut year, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) awarded Simone a prestigious Golden Collar award for Sporting Merit. A few years later, he was also voted Best Male Swimmer during the 2019 London World Championships.

The elite athlete once again conquered the podium during Tokyo 2020, his first-ever Paralympic Games, where he made his mark with one gold, two silver medals, and a bronze.

Simone's winning streak continued with six golds during the 2023 World Championships in Manchester.

At the end of September of the same year, he won the coveted 2023 Para Awards in the Best Male Athlete category.

However, among the triumphs of his international career, the four-time Paralympic champion isn't afraid to look back and turn the challenging moments into valuable life lessons.

As in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, which he remembers as a "tough time", his optimistic mindset transforms every bump in the road into a chance to improve.

"Like many of us, being alone for such a long time made me realize I had to work on myself," he explains today, looking back at lockdown. "I wasn’t happy with the person I was and with what I was doing."

"I’ve worked on myself with the help of a psychologist. When those difficult times were over, I was ready to take on new challenges with a brand new smile on my face!"

He claimed his third Paralympic title in Paris during the 2024 Summer Games.

In the audience, as reported by the International Paralympic Committee, Professor Philippe Wicart followed the race: the very same doctor who helped Simone through the many surgeries he underwent to improve his mobility.

"Incredible," Simone said about the emotional reunion. "Thinking that 12 or 13 years ago, I was here in this very city, with him, in a very different location. It feels surreal."

"He’s an amazing example," Wicart added. 

"He shows me that we made the right choice, and it makes my advice stronger for other people I advise."

But Simone wasn’t satisfied with "only" being an athlete, a Guinness World Records Adjudicator and a TV personality. 

In collaboration with the Olympic Organising Committee for the upcoming Milano-Cortina 2026, he’s put his love for drawing at the service of the community, creating a comic series that captures the excitement of the Winter Games.

The series allowed Simone to experience a brand new angle of the Games and nods to Team26 (the Volunteer Programme of the Winter Games), highlighting the crucial role volunteers play during such events — both for athletes and organizers.

“It’s an honour,” the elite athlete said, "especially since I know firsthand how essential volunteers are for us during events of this calibre."

A longstanding fan of the TV show himself, Simone believes that "Everyone should watch Lo Show dei Record!"

"It’s entertaining, funny, mind-blowing and OFFICIALLY AMAZING."

The TV show, directed by Roberto Cenci, has been a long-running success in Italy.

It became a platform where record holders from all over the world could talk about their experiences, test their skills with record-breaking stunts and challenges, and inspire the audience while demonstrating the beauty of record breaking.

This year, there will be even more space for inspiring stories, thrilling challenges and remarkable meet-ups, with the tallest and shortest women living reuniting in Milan months after the life-changing encounter at the Savoy Hotel in London for GWR Day 2024.

And, if you are a diving enthusiast, you can't miss the aquatic challenges!

Hold your breath and prepare to dive into Y-40, recognized in 2014 as the deepest pool for diving in the world.

Located in Montegrotto Terme (Padua, Italy) and filled to the brim with thermal water, this one-of-a-kind pool was created by innovative architect Emanuele Boaretto with the support of the local Boaretto Group Hotel and Resort.

Although Deep Dive Dubai broke the record in 2021, the majestic Y-40 — with its jaw-dropping 42-metre depth, windows, caves and even a viewing tunnel — remains one of the most breathtaking places in the world.

Read more about the incredible records set during Lo Show dei Record and get inspired by real-life stories of greatness.

Who knows? You might be the next talent on the show!