Last Chance Learners
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | April 18, 2007 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Reality TV show |
Last Chance Learners was a reality TV series from Australia, developed by the Seven Network. The program followed ten learner drivers who received instruction from seasoned driving coaches as they competed to earn their driver's licenses and a brand-new Hyundai Getz.
The show debuted on Channel Seven on 18 April 2007 at 7:30 pm, with former Test cricketer and Who Dares Wins presenter Mike Whitney serving as host. Although a live reunion special featuring all ten participants and prize giveaways was scheduled after the finale on 4 July 2007, it was ultimately cancelled. The series was later rebroadcast on 7Two. Additionally, it aired in the United Kingdom on Living2 under the title Desperate Learners Driving School.
Learner Drivers
The contestants were split into two groups of five, each guided by a dedicated driving coach: Jann Shipley led the red team, while Chris Breen took charge of the blue team.
Red Team
| Learner Driver | Partner | Age | Years Holding Learner Permit | License Test Attempts | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharni Freeman | Chris Martin | 27 | 12 | 0 | Passed – Episode 11 |
| Virgilia Nielsen | Darren Appleton | 19 | 3 | 3 | Passed – Episode 7 |
| Shannan Wilson | Lee Bollom | 28 | 11 | 3 | Passed – Episode 12 |
| Isabel Sng | John Wong | 32 | 14 | 0 | Withdrew – Episode 7 |
| David Bester | Darren Balsley | 24 | 3 | 2 | Passed – Episode 12 |
Blue Team
| Learner Driver | Partner | Age | Years Holding Learner Permit | License Test Attempts | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simone Woods | Josh Woods | 32 | 16 | 0 | Failed to pass |
| Shaun Favell | Eddie Bray | 36 | 17 | 4 | Failed to pass |
| Robert Giess | Colleen Berry | 34 | 17 | 0 | Passed – Episode 5 |
| Naida Churchill | Lisa Moyle | 33 | 6 | 0 | Passed – Episode 12 |
| Belinda Lemair | Andrew Lemair | 32 | 13 | 2 | Passed – Episode 4 |
Episodes
| # | Air Date | Challenge Description | Winning Team | Test Candidate | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 April 2007 | Pace Car Challenge | Red | N/A | N/A |
| 2 | 25 April 2007 | Emergency Braking Test | Red | Shannan | Failed |
| 3 | 2 May 2007 | Reverse Parking on a Crowded Street | Blue | Virgilia | Failed |
| 4 | 9 May 2007 | Braking on Wet Roads | Blue | Belinda | Passed |
| 5 | 16 May 2007 | Reversing Through a Car Grid | Blue | Robert | Passed |
| 6 | 23 May 2007 | Nighttime Driving | Red | Naida | Did not attempt test |
| 7 | 30 May 2007 | Hill Three-Point Turn | Blue | Virgilia | Passed |
| 8 | 6 June 2007 | Parking Spot Search at Paddy's Markets | Red | Naida | Failed |
| 9 | 13 June 2007 | Country Road Driving | Red | Shannan | Did not attempt test |
| 10 | 20 June 2007 | Map Navigation Task | Red | David | Failed |
| 11 | 27 June 2007 | 4WD Challenge | Red | Sharni | Passed |
| 12 | 4 July 2007 | N/A | N/A | David, Naida, Shannan, Shaun, Simone | David, Naida, and Shannan succeeded; Shaun and Simone did not pass |