Hole in the Wall (Australian game show)

Hole in the Wall
Genre Game show
Presented by Jules Lund
Country of origin Australia
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 5
Production
Location(s) Melbourne Central City Studios
Running time 30 minutes (including commercials)
Broadcast
Original channel Nine Network
Picture format 576i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Audio format Dolby Digital 5.1
Original run 6 August 2008 – 17 September 2008
Chronology
Related shows Brain Wall
External links
Website

Hole in the Wall was an Australian television game show hosted by Jules Lund, based on the Japanese game show Brain Wall. In the show, contestants are required to fit though holes in a polystyrene wall that moves towards them.

Produced by FremantleMedia, the show began airing on the Nine Network from 6 August 2008.[1][2]

Format

Each episode features two teams consisting of three celebrity contestants, with each team competing for a charity. The contestants, fitted with hard hats and spandex, stand on a rectangular strip called the "Play Area" as a polystyrene wall moves towards them. The aim is to assume a position that will best allow their bodies to fit through a shape or a number of shapes cut into the wall. The wall measures 4 metres (13 ft) by 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) and travels along a 15 metres (49 ft) straight path that approaches at varying speeds. If contestants fail to fit through the hole, they are pushed back into a 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) deep pool of water behind them.

The game consists of four rounds plus a final round that decides the winner. The first round has three contestants on the strip. A point is awarded to each contestant who fits through the hole. The second round has two contestants. For two points to be awarded, both contestants must fit through the hole.

The third round is variable in the number of players and the scenario played, differing in each episode. For example, scenarios have included facing the wall blindfolded, being forced to rely on the studio audience to guide a contestant, and facing the wall with either a prop or a guest contestant. These guests have included members of the audience and Jules Lund himself. The fourth round sees all three contestants having to face a wall travelling at double speed. Five points are awarded if all contestants fit through the hole, but otherwise no points are scored.

The last round has the team with the most points being given the choice of either facing the wall or forcing the other team to do so. The winner is based on the success of the team that is chosen to face the wall. This brings up controversy since all the points accumulated are worth nothing and the winner of the last round wins the whole show.

German TV company RTL Television, broadcast two episodes of a spin-off called Ab durch die Wand in 2008, then it was cancelled.

Episodes

Episode 1: Beauty and the Beasts (6 August 2008)

Audience: 1.555 million[3]

Beasts
Scott Cam (captain)
Mark "Jacko" Jackson
Tim Smith
Beauties
Tottie Goldsmith (captain)
Brodie Harper
Kelly Landry
Round 1 Scott assumes the left position standing up, Tim the middle position lying down on his back with legs curled back and Mark the right position standing up, although none assume the correct position by the time the wall approaches. They are pushed into the water as the middle section of the wall breaks off. (0) All in a sitting position, Totti assumes the front position facing ahead, Brodie the middle position facing ahead and Kelly the back position facing to the left. Totti and Brodie make it through but Kelly is pushed into the water on account of facing to the left instead of straight ahead like the other two. (2)
Round 2 Mark and Tim play in round 2. The wall is revealed and Tim, seeing the difficulty of the approaching wall, turns around and jumps into the water voluntarily, leaving Mark on the Play Area. With one player left, the wall seems easy to get through but Mark assumes a slightly angled stance and is pushed into the water. (0) Kellie and Brodie play in round 2. They stand back-to-back, with Brodie on the left and Kelly on the right and get stuck in the wall and are carried away by it. The wall stops above the water and they are both still attached. (0)
Round 3 Scott and Tim play in round 3, with Scott holding an oversized hammer on the left and Tim crouching down on the right. Scott makes it through and Tim gets pushed into the water. (0) Tottie and Kelly play in round 3. Kelly holds an oversized cricket bat on the left and stands on the right. Both make it through. (3)
Round 4 All standing up, Scott assumes the left position, Tim the middle and Mark the right. The wall breaks in half and Mark and Tim make it through but Scott is pushed into the water. If it weren't for the wall breaking, it is likely that Mark and Tim would have also been pushed into the water. (0) All standing up, Tottie assumes the left position, Brodie the middle and Kelly the right. All three attempt to jump through: Tottie gets stuck and is carried away by the wall, Brodie lands hard on the Play Area but slips into the water and Kelly lands very hard on the Play Area and makes it through. (0)
Points total 0 5
Final round The Beasts win by default. Tottie is pushed into the water; the Beauties lose.

Episode 2: NRL vs AFL (27 August 2008)

Audience: 1.188 million[4]

NRL
Paul "Fatty" Vautin
Paul "Chief" Harragon
Matty Johns
AFL
Garry Lyon
James Brayshaw
Billy Brownless
Round 1 (2) (2)
Round 2 (0) (0)
Round 3 (0) (0)
Round 4 (0) (5)
Points total 2 7
Final round

Episode 3: Battle of the Sexes (3 September 2008)

Audience: 1.143 million[5]

Guys
Richard Reid
Jason Dundas
Luke Jacobz
Girls
Giaan Rooney
Jaynie Seal
Bianca Dye
Round 1 (1) (2)
Round 2 Players: Jason, Luke (2) Players: Giaan, Jaynie (0)
Round 3 (0) (0)
Round 4 (2) (0)
Points total 3 2
Final round Girls win by default.

Episode 4: TV Stars vs Radio Stars (10 September 2008)

Audience: 1.145 million[6]

Also known as 'Blondes vs Brunettes'

Brunettes
Blondes
Round 1 (2) (1)
Round 2 (0) (0)
Round 3 (0) (0)
Round 4 (5) (5)
Points total 7 6
Final round

Episode 5:Actors vs Reality (17 September 2008)

Audience: 1.040 million [7]

Actors
Ian Stenlake
Kate Kendall
Simon Westaway
Reality
Brodie Young
Sara-Marie Fedele
Zach Douglas
Round 1 (2) (1)
Round 2 (0) Ian Stenlake Simon Westaway (0) Brodie Young Sara-Marie Fedele
Round 3 (0) Kate Kendall (0) Brodie Young
Round 4 (0) (0)
Points total (2) (1)
Final round

Notes

Production

Casting

The search for a host for Hole in the Wall was tough for producers, with a late-withdrawal of the hosting job meaning another search had to made in the last weeks before recordings began.[8] Quite a number of personalities had auditioned for the hosting role, including Colin Lane, Jason Dundas, Jules Lund, Shura Taft and Dan O'Connor.[8] It was believed that Shura Taft had landed the job when he was in the hosting role for early recordings of the show.[9] Taft was in fact a stand-in host for early production shoots to trial the shows' format while producers were still finding a suitable host.[10] Lund was eventually named as the host,[11] several weeks after actual recordings were scheduled to start.[11]

Filming

Hole in the Wall began recording episodes in mid-May 2008, after being delayed from late April 2008 at Melbourne Central City Studios at the Docklands. The pre-show buzz was highlighted when bigger studio audiences than anticipated turned up at the first shoots and some had to be turned away.[12][13] The later episodes' audience numbers were adjusted to cater for the overwhelming demand.[12]

External links

References

  1. Dyer, Glenn (16 October 2007). "Media briefs and TV ratings". Crikey.
  2. Knox, David (25 July 2008). "Airdate: Hole in the Wall". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
  3. Knox, David. "Week 32". TV Tonight.
  4. Knox, David. "Week 35". TV Tonight.
  5. Knox, David. "Week 36". TV Tonight.
  6. Knox, David. "Week 37". TV Tonight.
  7. Knox, David. "Week 38". TV Tonight.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Knox, David (2008-04-17). "So who's hosting Hole in the Wall?". Archived from the original on 2008-04-21. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  9. Knox, David (2008-04-22). "Hot Tip: Hole in the Wall Host". Archived from the original on 2008-04-23. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  10. Knox, David (2008-04-23). "Rumour: Hole in the Wall update". Archived from the original on 2008-05-01. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Knox, David (7 May 2008). "Jules Lund to host Nine gameshow". Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Knox, David (2008-05-21). "Hole in the game plan as crowds buzz". tvtonight.com.au. Archived from the original on 2008-05-23. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  13. "Overbooked Audience Member’s For Hole In The Wall Fuming...". What's on the tube?. 2008-05-14. Archived from the original on 2008-07-23. Retrieved 2008-08-03.