All-Star Squares
| Company type | Television game show |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television entertainment |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Ian 'Danno' Rogerson (host) |
| Parent | Seven Network |
All-Star Squares represents the Australian version of the American quiz show Hollywood Squares. It was broadcast on the Seven Network in 1999, with Ian 'Danno' Rogerson serving as host. Contestants competed by attempting to align three stars consecutively—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally—by choosing a celebrity to answer a question. Players then evaluated whether the celebrity's response was true or false; a correct assessment earned their symbol on the board, whereas an incorrect one granted the square to their rival unless it completed a winning line.
Monetary rewards were structured as follows: the first two rounds offered $250 each, the third round provided $500, and all subsequent rounds were valued at $1,000. During the second round, a "secret square" was introduced, granting a special prize to the first contestant who accurately judged that particular celebrity's answer. If undiscovered, this secret square shifted to the following round. Should time expire during play, competitors received $250 for every square they held. In case of a tie, a $250 tie-breaker was played, with the player who won the majority of games selecting the deciding square. The overall champion kept their accumulated cash and chose a celebrity holding an envelope containing a grand prize, which they could win by correctly judging that celebrity’s response. Winners returned for subsequent episodes to challenge new contenders.
Previous versions
Versions preceding this one aired from the 1960s through to the mid-1980s. The show Personality Squares debuted on Network Ten in 1967, initially hosted by John Bailey and later by Joe Martin and Bob Moore until 1969. It was revived as Celebrity Squares on the Nine Network, with Jimmy Hannan hosting from 1975 to 1976. The format resurfaced in 1981 under its original name Personality Squares on Network Ten, again featuring Hannan as host. Currently, Network Ten holds the format rights through Paramount, which acquired King World’s rights in 2000.