30/10/2026
🦈❤️ FROM THE POKER TABLES TO BBC RADIO!! 🎙️📻
What an absolutely incredible day we’ve had today, and one that we won’t be forgetting in a hurry! ❤️
Today, Royal Sharks Poker founder Martyn Everitt and his sister Nicki Jay Kay headed into the BBC Radio CWR studios to join the lovely Vic Minett for a chat about all things POKER! 🦈♠️♥️
And what a brilliant time they had!!
They talked about how Nicki first got into poker, how she won her very first game and how, from that moment, she was absolutely HOOKED! 😂
We even got to put Vic’s poker face to the test, complete with her very own Royal Sharks Poker hat! 🧢😂
But amongst all the laughs, there was something really important that we wanted to get across today...
Poker isn't as scary as it looks on the TV...
When some people hear the word poker, they immediately think of high-stakes gambling, losing thousands of pounds or even those horror stories about people losing their houses.
And that’s such a shame, because there’s a whole other side to poker that so many people have never experienced.
A side that’s about friendship, laughter, confidence, community and bringing people together.
That’s exactly what we’ve been working so hard to build with Royal Sharks Poker.
Across our growing network of pubs and clubs, we’ve got people from all walks of life sitting around the same tables. Complete beginners learning their first hands, experienced players sharing their knowledge, people coming along on their own and leaving with a whole new group of friends.
Some people come for the competition, some come for a bit of fun on a weeknight, and others just love having somewhere to go where they feel welcome.
And that’s what makes it so special.
You don’t need to be a professional. You don’t need hundreds of pounds. You don’t even need to know how to play!
You just need to come along, pull up a chair and give it a go. ❤️
And who knows where that first game might take you?Just look at Nicki!! 😍
From learning the game and winning her first poker night, to discovering a genuine passion for poker and now talking about it on BBC Radio! That could be YOU!!
Martyn said something today that really sums up what this is all about:
❤️ “I’m so incredibly proud of my big sister and how far she’s come on her poker journey. Seeing how much she’s fallen in love with the game and watching her confidence and passion grow has been amazing. I genuinely can’t wait to see her taking on the poker scene in Malta, and hopefully one day we’ll be cheering her on at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas!!” ❤️
And that’s the beauty of it. Everyone starts somewhere.
We’re incredibly grateful to Vic Minett and everyone at BBC Radio CWR for welcoming us into the studio, making us feel so comfortable and giving us the opportunity to share something we’re genuinely passionate about.
📰 Have a read of the article here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6vg0zn940nno
🎙️ You can listen back to Vic Minett’s breakfast show on BBC Sounds:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live/bbc_radio_coventry_warwickshire
♠️♥️ If you’ve read this far and thought, “Actually, I’ve always fancied learning poker”, then we’ve got something for you!
On Saturday 21st November, Vic, Nicki, Martyn and a few more of the Royal Sharks will be getting together for a special LEARN TO PLAY POKER NIGHT! 🦈
📍 Coton Sports & Social Club "The Lib",
52 Henry Street, Nuneaton, CV11 5SQ
📅 Saturday 21st November 2026
⏰ 7pm start
And where better to do it than back in Nuneaton, where this whole Royal Sharks journey began?
We’ll be helping complete beginners understand the game, learn the basics, get comfortable around a poker table and hopefully discover just how much fun it can be!
Come along on your own, bring a friend, bring your family. Everyone is welcome! ❤️
Check out the event here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1C9RMbbXg5/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Finally, to everyone who has supported Royal Sharks Poker so far, whether you’re a player, tournament director, venue owner, friend or family member, thank you.
Days like today remind us why we started doing this in the first place.
It’s never just been about winning a game of poker. It’s about the people you meet, the memories you make and the journey you go on along the way. 🫶🦈
Build a Legacy. Come & Swim with the Sharks. 🦈👑
