Wheel of Fortune (Australian game show)
Australian adaptation of the classic American game show.
Wheel of Fortune is an Australian television game show produced by Grundy Television until 2006, with later revivals by other production companies. It is based on the same general format as the original American version of the program.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Game show
- Based on
- Wheel of Fortune, Merv Griffin
- Presenter
- Ernie Sigley
- John Burgess
- Tony Barber
- Rob Elliott
- Steve Oemcke
- Larry Emdur
- Tim Campbell
- Graham Norton
- Starring
- Adriana Xenides
- Kerrie Friend
- Sophie Falkiner
- Laura Csortan
- Kelly Landry
- Announcer
- Steve Curtis
- John Dean
- John Deeks
- David Day
- Ron E. Sparks
- Simon Diaz
- Theme music
- Jack Grimsley
- 2024 Version:
- Merv Griffin (2024–)
- John Hoke (2024–)
- Bleeding Fingers Music (2024–)
- Opening theme
- 2024 Version: Changing Keys (2021 version)
- Country
- Australia
Facts from the source article.
History
Production shifted to SAS-7 after ADS and SAS swapped network affiliations and channel frequencies at the end of 1987. Alongside a new set, music, faster gameplay, and modified rules, John Burgess was removed from his twelve-year hosting role and replaced by Tony Barber. Burgess's final episode aired with his last words mentioning only the relocation, implying he was unaware of his dismissal. The following Monday, Barber took over amid controversy. Viewers were upset that Burgess was fired without an on-air farewell and struggled with the new rules and quicker pace. Burgess later told media he had been treated poorly and only learned of his firing by accident when a Grundy executive cancelled a golf game with him because he was needed for the new format. Ratings for the first two nights looked promising but then dropped sharply. After five weeks, Seven and Grundy reinstated as many old rules as possible, recovering some ratings.
Major Prize Round (The Golden Wheel)
The contestant who scored the most points after the Final Spin round moved on to the Major Prize Round. By 1987, the wheel’s dollar amounts were swapped for prize names, always including at least one car wedge. The winner then had ten seconds to solve the puzzle and claim the prize, making as many guesses as they wanted within that time. If they failed, the score carried over to the next episode, increasing until the puzzle was solved. The format occasionally changed. During Family Week in 1995, contestants got five consonants and a vowel regardless of their score. For Celebrity Week in 1997, they were given R, S, and E, then chose two more consonants and a vowel. The Golden Wheel, introduced in 1987, originally had two gold-silver car wedges. Sometimes, an extra car wedge appeared each day the car wasn’t won, but it never showed up more than three times in a row. The hostess brought them to the contestant, who picked one; the host then opened it to reveal the prize, rather than waiting until after the round. When the Golden Wheel returned, it was redesigned to match the updated set and wheel, and this version lasted until the end of the Seven Network series.
Timeline
Late 1992: Sunburst backdrops were replaced with cones and the green backdrop became turquoise; a new colour scheme for the wheel was introduced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Wheel of Fortune (Australian game show)?
Wheel of Fortune stars Adriana Xenides, Kerrie Friend, Sophie Falkiner, Laura Csortan and Kelly Landry.
When did Wheel of Fortune (Australian game show) end?
Wheel of Fortune last aired on 28 July 2006.
More in Television Series by Reg Grundy Productions
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