Family Feud (2014 Australian game show)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television entertainment |
| Founded | July 14, 2014 |
| Fate | Cancelled in 2018; revived for special run in 2020 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne (2014–2017), Sydney (2018, 2020) , Australia |
Key people | Grant Denyer (host) |
| Products | Television game show |
| Parent | Network Ten |
Family Feud is an Australian adaptation of the original American game show format. It was broadcast on Network Ten from 14 July 2014 until 22 July 2018, with a special 10-episode run airing in August 2020. Hosted by Grant Denyer, this marked the fourth Australian iteration of the show, succeeding Bert's Family Feud (2006). Network Ten became the third broadcaster to produce its own version of the series. Beginning in 2016, Ten also introduced a celebrity spin-off titled All Star Family Feud.
The production was held at Global Television Studios in Melbourne from 2014 through 2017, then moved to Network Ten Studios in Sydney for the 2018 and 2020 editions.
In 2020, Network Ten brought back the program for a prime-time special consisting of 12 episodes, featuring frontline personnel who had been involved in the 2019–2020 bushfire emergency and the COVID-19 pandemic. The grand prize for this event was A$100,000.
Gameplay
Contestants representing their families respond to questions previously answered by 100 survey participants. Responses are accepted if they correspond to hidden answers displayed on the game board or are deemed equivalent by judgment. Points are awarded based on how many surveyed individuals provided that answer—one point per respondent. Only answers given by at least two people appear on the board. Each competing team comprises four members.
Sample questions might include prompts such as "Name a famous George," "Name a popular family vacation destination," or "Name a slang term for police officers." Answers reflect common public opinion rather than objective facts; therefore, plausible but infrequent responses may be rejected if they were not commonly mentioned in the survey.
Game Basics
Each round initiates with a "face-off" between one member from each family to determine control over the question. The contestant who provides the answer with higher survey popularity decides whether to play that question or pass it to their opponents.
Players then respond individually without consulting teammates within a time frame monitored by the host. Incorrect or slow answers result in strikes. Revealing all correct answers before accumulating three strikes secures victory for that round.
Once three strikes occur, control transfers to the opposing family, who can attempt to steal points by correctly guessing one of the unrevealed answers. This family may deliberate before providing their guess and can choose among individual suggestions or offer their own answer. A successful steal awards them both the points earned during that round and those tied to the revealed answer; if unsuccessful, points remain with the original team. The remaining hidden answers are then disclosed, traditionally called out by the audience starting from those worth the fewest points to those worth the most.
Scoring
The first team to accumulate 300 points wins and proceeds to the Fast Money segment. The game features four rounds: rounds one and two award single points per answer, round three doubles point values, and round four (and any subsequent rounds) triple points. If neither family reaches 300 points after four rounds, Sudden Death rounds follow where only the top answer is used and captains participate. Should no winner emerge after Sudden Death, additional players continue until one team surpasses 300 points.
Since 2009, any family achieving five wins in a row retires undefeated and is rewarded with a new vehicle.
Fast Money
The victorious family selects two members for Fast Money. One contestant enters an isolated booth while the other answers five questions within a 20-second limit, which begins once the host finishes reading the first question. Players may skip questions and return if time permits. Points correspond to how many surveyed individuals gave matching answers; at least two matching responses are required for scoring, often announced with phrases such as "The Survey says!"
The second participant then answers those same questions within 25 seconds without knowledge of prior responses. If an answer duplicates one already given, a buzzer sounds and they must provide an alternative reply. Each point earned translates into $10 (for example, scoring 148 points results in $1,480). Reaching or exceeding 200 points wins $10,000 for the family.
To date, forty-six families have won cars through this format, with one family achieving the top prize of $50,000 along with a vehicle.
Production and broadcast
Family Feud initially occupied the 6:00 pm slot, airing every weeknight from Monday through Friday, with an additional Sunday broadcast introduced in February 2015. Filming took place at Global Television Studios in Melbourne between 2014 and 2017, before moving to Network Ten's Sydney studios in 2018.
The program launched on 14 July 2014, premiering simultaneously on Ten and its multichannels Eleven and One to maximize viewer reach. The debut episode attracted a total audience of 690,000, which increased to 719,000 by the second episode. Subsequently, Network Ten requested OzTAM to combine ratings across all three channels into a single consolidated figure instead of reporting them separately. Although this simulcast was originally intended to last only one week, it continued, prompting criticism from media buyers and analysts who accused Ten of artificially boosting ratings. Beverly McGarvey, Ten’s chief programming officer, refuted claims of rating inflation, emphasizing that viewers genuinely watched across the multiple channels. Despite the controversy, the simulcast strategy remained in place as it effectively engaged audiences for the brief daily half-hour show.
In January 2015, Network Ten announced that Family Feud had achieved its highest ratings in the 6:00 pm weekday timeslot in over five years. However, Andrew Backwell, Nine Network’s head of programming, warned that these figures were potentially overstated due to the aggregation of multichannel data.
On 8 May 2018, Network Ten confirmed the cancellation of Family Feud, with plans to replace it with the British game show Pointless. Following this, host Grant Denyer transitioned to presenting an Australian adaptation of Ellen’s Game of Games, titled Game of Games.
In May 2020, Network Ten revived Family Feud as a limited 10-episode prime-time special series dedicated to honoring frontline workers. This special run began airing on 16 August 2020, featuring an increased grand prize from $50,000 to $100,000; however, none of the teams managed to claim the top prize during this period.
Board Games
Imagination released three versions of the Family Feud board game, including themed editions such as a Disney version in 2016 and a Star Wars edition in 2017. Additionally, a music-themed edition became available on the official website in 2017.
Buzzer App
The Buzzer App was launched in 2015.
Online Game
An online adaptation of the game show was introduced in 2014.
Word Hunt
In 2015, Bauer Books published a word search puzzle book related to Family Feud.
Lottery Ticket
A lottery ticket inspired by the show was produced by Scientific Games in 2015.
All Star Family Feud
All Star Family Feud is a celebrity edition where teams compete to raise funds for charitable causes. This version aired from 14 March 2016 until 6 May 2018.
Podcast Version
On 14 July 2022, ARN's iHeart Podcast Network Australia partnered with the KIIS Network and Fremantle to launch Family Feud: The Podcast, hosted by comedian Peter Helliar. Reflecting the television format, two celebrity guests compete across rounds for prizes awarded to listeners. The podcast premiered one day earlier on 13 July 2022.
Criticism
In October 2014, Family Feud attracted criticism over a question considered sexist: "Name something people think is a woman's job," which included answers such as cooking and nursing. Network Ten issued an apology describing the question as "ill-advised," explaining that questions are sourced from an international database that may not always align with Australian perspectives. In January 2015, another question about "something annoying a cyclist might do" sparked negative reactions on social media and drew criticism from the president of the Australian Cycle Alliance, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding content sensitivity.
In Popular Culture
On 18 October 2016, the soap opera Neighbours incorporated Family Feud into its storyline, showcasing the Canning family participating in the game, with a guest appearance by former host Grant Denyer.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Logie Awards | Most Popular Entertainment Program | Family Feud | Nominated |
| Most Popular Presenter | Grant Denyer | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | Logie Awards | Gold Logie | Grant Denyer | Nominated |
| Logie Award for Best Presenter | Grant Denyer | Nominated | ||
| Best Entertainment Program | Family Feud | Won | ||
| 2017 | Logie Awards | Gold Logie | Grant Denyer | Nominated |
| Logie Award for Best Presenter | Grant Denyer | Nominated | ||
| Best Entertainment Program | Family Feud | Nominated | ||
| 2018 | Logie Awards | Gold Logie | Grant Denyer | Won |
| Logie Award for Most Popular Presenter | Grant Denyer | Won | ||
| Most Popular Entertainment Program | Family Feud | Nominated |
External links
- Articles with short description
- Family Feud
- Network 10 original programming
- 2014 Australian television series debuts
- 2018 Australian television series endings
- 2020 Australian television series debuts
- 2020 Australian television series endings
- 2010s Australian game shows
- 2020s Australian game shows
- Australian English-language television shows
- Television shows set in Melbourne
- Television series by Fremantle (company)
- Australian television series based on American television series
- Television series impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Australian television series revived after cancellation