Challenger (1997 game show)

Challenger

Company type	Television program
Industry	Television entertainment
Founded	1997
Defunct	1998
Headquarters	Brisbane , Australia
Products	Children's game show
Number of employees	3 (hosts)

Challenger was an Australian children's game show broadcast on the Nine Network during 1997 and 1998. The program initially featured Diarmid Heidenreich as host, widely recognized for his portrayal of Dougie, the pizza delivery character in mid-1990s Pizza Hut advertisements. Subsequently, hosting duties were taken over by Adrian DeVito and Zoe Sheridan. Across its run, 265 episodes were produced before the series was succeeded by the revival of Now You See It.

Format

The competition pitted two teams, Alpha and Omega, each composed of three children including a captain.

Diarmid (1997)

During the opening round, participants responded to questions drawn randomly from six categories—Cosmix, Entertainment, Geography, Language, Nature, and Sport—using a buzzer system. Each correct answer earned 5 points, with an additional 20 points awarded if all three categories matched. The victorious team then selected which member would commence the physical challenges.

In round two, teams engaged in physical tasks designed to secure questions typically valued at 10 points apiece, plus a 20-point bonus for correctly answering all six questions associated with each challenge. Every team member took part in one challenge, some of which required assistance from teammates.

The concluding segment, Slime Time, involved team captains positioned beneath a slime shower while their teammates searched through slime to locate question discs. Teams had the option to answer or compel their opponents to respond to questions worth 50 points; correct answers triggered slime being poured on the rival captain. Incorrect responses awarded points and slime to the opposing team. Occasionally, special guests such as school principals were slimed alongside captains.

Prizes for contestants included merchandise from Australian Geographic stores and occasionally a Nintendo 64 gaming console.

Adrian & Zoe (1998)

The initial round, known as Mind Zone, presented three categories: "It's a What?", "Pick Your Face," and "Position Yourself," all based on "What/Who/Where Am I" style questions. Only one question was posed; the team answering correctly did not gain points but earned the right to decide which team would undertake the physical challenges first.

In the second round, teams completed physical tasks similar to those during Diarmid’s tenure. Each challenge involved locating physical discs (with the exception of Go Ballistic), each disc corresponding to a question worth 10 points without specific category distinctions.

The final round, Hyperflush, followed the previous format: captains sat inside a tank while teammates searched for a disc. Correct answers awarded a 50-point bonus, and the losing captain was soaked with colored water, often creating humorous moments.

Contestant rewards included CD-ROM encyclopedias and Walt Disney Records CDs.

List of Challenges

All challenges incorporated physical activity primarily focused on collecting discs or balls to answer questions and accumulate points. During Diarmid’s era, explanations preceded challenges; in Adrian and Zoe’s period, instructions followed Mind Zone.

• Oblivion – Contestants navigated mazes featuring revolving door mirrors while being guided by a teammate positioned outside. This challenge was formerly named "Get Lost" and involved solid-color doors.
• Pro-Pole-sion – Participants swung from suspended poles to capture discs attached to them while balancing on metal footholds.
• The Sphere – Contestants were spun inside a large orb before popping balloons to find discs; some balloons contained flour. Previously called "Cape Sphere."
• Vertically Challenged – Involved climbing a volcano-themed wall to retrieve discs followed by searching inside a UFO for more; some holes contained shaving cream or flour. Descent was via fireman’s pole or ladder.
• Go Ballistic – One contestant inside a rocket caught plastic balls dropped from above while teammates supplied balls via conveyor belts; success required catching six red balls.
• Big Squeeze – Competitors ran an obstacle course wearing an oversized fat suit while collecting discs.
• Schwing It – An obstacle course featuring a flying fox over smoke pits, a chain link bridge, monkey rings with hanging discs, and smoke-filled pits for additional searching. Previously titled "Hang Loose," which included feather and bubble pits.
• The Pipe Line – Teams assembled pipe segments on hanging pipes while smoke obscured vision after ten seconds; no team managed full completion.
• Rampage – Contestants ran up a half-pipe secured by a bungee line to grab discs placed on the ramp and side walls.
• Blockage – A block puzzle assembly based on completed sections that earned questions; this challenge appeared only during Diarmid’s hosting period. No team fully completed it.