The Price Is Right (Australian game show)
| Company type | Television game show |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television entertainment |
| Founded | 1957 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Larry Emdur (host) |
| Products | Television game show |
The Price Is Right is an Australian game show adapted from the American original of the same title. The latest iteration debuted on 7 May 2012 on the Seven Network, featuring the return of host Larry Emdur, who had previously led the program on two occasions.
Early versions
During the late 1950s, two regional adaptations of the original 1950s US format were broadcast almost simultaneously. One aired on Sydney’s ATN-7 from 1957 to 1959, initially hosted by Bruce Beeby and later by Keith Walshe. The other was shown on Melbourne’s GTV-9 in 1958, with Geoff Manion as host. The Melbourne edition premiered on 10 August 1958, running for 16 episodes on Sundays at 5:30 PM. Upon its conclusion, the timeslot was filled by Face the Nation, a panel discussion program inspired by its American counterpart, which had formerly aired at 5:00 PM.
In 1963, a nationwide version was launched on the Seven Network, hosted by Horrie Dargie.
Garry Meadows period (1973–74)
The first contemporary adaptation of The Price Is Right appeared on the 0-10 Network between 1973 and 1974, with Garry Meadows serving as host and Keith Livingston as announcer. This era coincided with the Reg Grundy Organisation’s efforts to localize numerous shows from Goodson-Todman Productions in the United States, closely mirroring original set designs and formats. Bill Mason of Grundy conducted extensive research during a visit to the US to ensure authenticity.
The series launched in a one-hour daytime slot on 5 February 1973, just five months following the US premiere, before transitioning to a half-hour primetime segment starting 30 April 1973. This version featured a distinctive Showcase round where the top two winners of the day competed in a "Showcase Playoff," bidding within a specified range—reminiscent of the short-lived American game Double Bullseye. After one contestant placed a bid, the opponent was informed whether to bid higher or lower. The first to guess correctly then arranged prizes from lowest to highest value on a pricing board, similar to the later US game Eazy az 1 2 3. The winner earned a place among the first four contestants for the subsequent episode.
Ian Turpie’s initial tenure (1981–85)
From 1981 to 1985, The Price Is Right aired on the Seven Network under the title The New Price Is Right, hosted by Ian Turpie with announcer John Deeks. This era introduced a "carry-over" champion format allowing returning winners. Initially, each episode included three pricing games followed by a Showcase Playoff and then a Showcase featuring seven prizes; the leading winner from that day competed against the reigning champion in the Showcase Playoff. In 1984, the third pricing game was replaced by an American-style Showcase Showdown, where earning $1.00 awarded a bonus prize and determined who faced off against the champion in the Showcase Playoff. Contestants alternated bids within a $100 range during this round, with victory granting access to the Showcase. There was no fixed limit on how many times champions could return; if no champion participated in an episode, a third pricing game was played instead.
During this period, contestants who guessed an exact price for any prize received a $50 bonus.
Pricing games featured
Between 1981 and 1985 on Seven Network, pricing games included:
- Any Number
- Bargain Game
- Bonus Game
- Bullseye
- Card Game
- Check Game
- Check Out
- Cliff Hangers
- Clock Game
- Danger Price
- Dice Game
- Double Prices
- Five Price Tags
- Give Or Keep
- Grocery Game
- It's Optional
- Hi-Lo
- Hit Me
- Hole in One
- Lucky $even
- Make Your Move
- Money Game
- Most Expensive
- Mystery Price
- Penny Ante
- Pick a Pair
- Poker Game
- Race Game
- Range Game
- Safe Crackers
- Shell Game
- Squeeze Play
- Switcheroo
- Take Two
- Trader Bob
- Temptation
- Ten Chances
- Three Strikes
Second Ian Turpie period (1989)
From 29 July until 14 October 1989, the program made a comeback on Network Ten as a one-hour show, once again hosted by Ian Turpie. This short-lived revival spanned 12 episodes and was part of Network Ten's 1989 schedule overhaul. The structure was similar to the American version but featured two pricing games per round instead of three, followed by a Showcase Showdown, which then repeated. The winners of the two Showdowns faced off in the Showcase Playoff, with the victor moving on to the final Showcase.
Pricing games featured
The pricing games presented on Network Ten during 1989 included:
- Any Number
- Cliff Hangers
- Clock Game
- Credit Card
- Dice Game
- Double Prices
- Five Price Tags
- Grocery Game
- Hole in One
- Lucky $even
- Money Game
- Pathfinder
- Race Game
- Range Game
- Safe Crackers
- Squeeze Play
- Switcheroo
- Temptation
Larry Emdur’s first hosting tenure (1993–98)
The Price Is Right returned to Australian screens from 13 December 1993 through 2 October 1998 on the Nine Network, with Larry Emdur as host and Shawn Cosgrove serving as announcer. This iteration closely followed the format used between 1981 and 1985, incorporating an additional $100 bonus for contestants who made exact bids on prizes.
During this era, car prizes were provided by different manufacturers over the years: Daihatsu supplied vehicles until 1994, followed by SEAT from 1995 through 1997, and Mazda in 1998. The series was discontinued in 1998 and briefly replaced in 1999 by a daily version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.
Additionally, a limited run of 13 episodes aired on Singapore's Channel 5 during July and August of 2000.
Pricing games lineup
The selection of pricing games during this Nine Network period comprised:
- Any Number
- Bump
- Buy or Sell
- Cliff Hangers
- Clock Game
- Cover Up
- Dice Game
- Five Price Tags
- Flip Flop
- Grocery Game (prizes ranged $10–$10.50)
- Hole in One
- Line em Up
- Magic #
- Make Your Move
- Money Game
- One Away
- One Dollar Deal (Lucky $even)
- Race Game
- Range Game
- Safe Crackers
- Side by Side
- Squeeze Play
- Switch?
- Switcheroo
- Temptation
- 2 for the Price of 1
- Two Price Tags (Double Prices)
Larry Emdur’s second hosting period (2003–05)
On 23 June 2003, The Price Is Right resumed airing on the Nine Network, with Larry Emdur returning as host amid earlier rumors suggesting former A*mazing presenter James Sherry might take over. The format stayed largely unchanged until 2004, when it expanded to a full hour to compete directly with Seven Network's Deal or No Deal. This version showcased four pricing games per episode, followed by Showcase Showdowns offering a $1,000 bonus for achieving a total score of $1. The winners then competed in a Showcase Playoff for advancement to the final Showcase. Contestants were also given opportunities for "cash buyouts" ranging from $1,000 up to $50,000 before certain price reveals.
At the start of this era, cars used for pricing games and Showcases were supplied by Suzuki. Later on, Citroën replaced Suzuki vehicles for pricing games while Alfa Romeo cars were designated for the Showcase prize. In 2005, Holden took over from Citroën as the car sponsor.
The Showcase prize package was enhanced with the inclusion of a $499,000 condominium located on the Sunshine Coast, along with eight additional prizes—forming what was known as the "Mega Showcase," valued between $500,000 and $600,000. Three contestants won this Mega Showcase: Marisa Tamboro and Laurie Dennis both in September 2004, and Joanne Segeviano during "Celebrity Week" in March 2005. Another contestant claimed all eight prizes but opted for a $50,000 cash buyout instead.
Segeviano's total winnings of $664,667 set a franchise record until February 2008 when Adam Rose surpassed it by winning over $1.15 million on the U.S. primetime edition.
In May 2005, the program reverted to a half-hour format featuring two pricing games followed by one Showcase Showdown. The top prize condominium was removed and replaced by a cash jackpot exceeding $100,000 placed inside the car's boot for the newly named "Monster Showcase," which Carolyn Hornsby won in July 2005.
On 2 July 2005, reports confirmed that The Price Is Right had been cancelled once again. The final episode aired on 24 November that year. Subsequently, Larry Emdur joined the Seven Network to helm a revival of Wheel of Fortune, which was discontinued after only a few months on air.
Pricing games featured
During the Nine Network's second iteration, the lineup of pricing games included the following:
- Any Number
- Bump
- Buy or Sell
- Cliff Hangers
- Clock Game
- Cover Up
- Dice Game
- Five Price Tags
- Flip Flop
- Grocery Game (prize range between $10 and $10.50)
- Hole in One
- Line em Up
- Magic #
- Make Your Move
- Money Game
- One Away
- One Dollar Deal (Lucky $even)
- Race Game
- Range Game
- Safe Crackers
- Side by Side
- Squeeze Play
- Switch?
- Switcheroo
- Temptation
- 2 for the Price of 1
- Two Price Tags (Double Prices)
Larry Emdur’s third hosting period (2012)
In 2012, The Price Is Right was brought back on the Seven Network, with Larry Emdur as host and Brodie Young serving as announcer. This revival adopted the branding and visual style from the 2009 French edition, Le Juste Prix, premiering on 7 May 2012.
The premiere episode honored original host Ian Turpie, who had recently passed away. The showcase vehicles were provided by Nissan.
Rumors about the show's return emerged after Emdur’s 2011 visit to CBS Television City, where he appeared on the American version hosted by Drew Carey. Additionally, George Gray, the US announcer, made appearances on Australian talk show Rove LA, frequently showcasing Price-related props.
Early in 2012, reports indicated Seven Network's intention to revive the series, which was officially confirmed on 28 March with Larry Emdur announced as host. Production commenced on 4 April at Global Television Studios in Eveleigh, Sydney. The program was slotted for a 5:00pm broadcast preceding Deal or No Deal. However, prize values were significantly reduced compared to earlier versions sponsored by Big W, leading to viewer dissatisfaction amid controversy.
On 22 October 2012, HSV7 shifted the show to a 3pm timeslot aiming to increase 7 News Melbourne viewership, but this move was unsuccessful. The absence of the show from Seven’s 2013 schedule alongside public remarks from Emdur sparked speculation about cancellation.
The format closely mirrored the 1994 US syndicated version hosted by Doug Davidson: three pricing games followed by a Showcase Play-off featuring top contestants. In case of ties, a one-bid round using current prizes was held. Initially, the Showcase bidding window was set at $1,000 before being reduced to $100; six items were presented with the car always locked in last. Contestants had 40 seconds to make their selections; any unchosen items after time expired were automatically locked in.
The final episode aired on 7 December 2012. On 30 January 2013, Seven officially announced cancellation with no plans for continuation.
Since 2017, exclusive Australian broadcasting rights have been held by Network Ten through an agreement between franchise owner Paramount Global and Fremantle. This arrangement aligns with a broader collaboration connected to Paramount’s US airing of the American version since its inception in 1972.
Pricing games lineup
The 2012 season rotated among 17 different pricing games, including:
- 3 Strikes
- Check-Out
- Cliff Hangers
- Danger Price
- Hi-Lo
- Hole in One
- It's in the Bag
- One Away
- Pick a Pair
- Plinko (players receive one free chip and can win up to two additional chips; prizes range from $0 to $1,000 per chip, totaling up to $3,000)
- Push Over
- Safe Crackers
- Secret X
- Squeeze Play
- Take Two
- Walk the Line (adapted from the grocery segment of the US game "Let 'em Roll")
- Wonder Wall (the Australian adaptation of the US "Punch a Bunch," featuring various prize amounts and opportunities for second chances)
Models
The models featured on the program gained recognition and played a significant role in enhancing its brand identity. Prominent individuals among them were:
- Angelica Binos
- Anne Maree Cooksley
- Chris Frankish
- Daryl Keeley
- Elise May
- Frank Raco
- Jacqee Saunders
- Kahli Sneddon
- Kellie Johns
- Roz Roy
- Susan Thorne
- Susy Irvine
- Danielle Atkins
- Jason Fincher
- Kathy Lloyd
- Kimberley Chen
- Samantha Steele
- Sarita Stella
- Cameron Davis
- James Nicholson
- Renee Slansky
- Sarah Pope
- Jenny Hoyle
In popular culture
The Price Is Right has left its mark on Australian pop culture, notably featured in the 1997 comedic film The Castle, where a character nearly secures the grand prize showcase. Additionally, in 2015, the consumer affairs show The Checkout created a spoof titled The Consumer Price Is Right, inspired by the 2003 version hosted by Emdur.