Tipping Point Australia

Tipping Point

Company type	Television programme
Industry	Television game show
Founded	July 2, 2012 (2012-07-02)
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom, South Africa
Key people	Ben Shephard (presenter)
Products	Quiz programme
Website	www.itv.com/tippingpoint

Tipping Point is a quiz programme from the United Kingdom that has been broadcast on ITV1 since 2 July 2012. It is also shown in reruns on channels such as ITV Quiz, U&W (a channel under UKTV), and Really (TV channel) (owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). In South Africa, the show is available on BBC Brit. Presented by Ben Shephard, the format involves three contestants (four during Series 1–11) who answer general knowledge questions to earn counters. These counters are then used on a large arcade-style coin pusher machine to win cash prizes and other rewards.

Gameplay

The game features a machine with two horizontal shelves holding flat, circular counters. The upper shelf moves slowly forward and backward, while the lower shelf remains fixed in place. At the back of the machine, there are four distinct drop zones separated by pegboards reminiscent of those found in pachinko games. Players answer questions to accumulate counters, which they then drop one at a time into a chosen zone. The goal is for counters to settle flat on the upper shelf so that when it retracts, it pushes counters off the front edge, initiating a chain reaction that causes counters to fall into the "win zone." Each counter landing in this zone awards £50 to the player. Counters that bounce out of the machine but land either on the floor or the edge of the win zone still count toward their total.

Only the contestant who wins at the end keeps their total earnings; all others lose their accumulated amounts.

Starting from Series 2, three "mystery counters" marked with question marks were introduced, offering prizes such as flower bouquets or holidays if they reach the win zone, regardless of final standings. Series 5 added two "double counters" labeled "x2"; if one lands in the win zone, all counters from that drop earn double (£100 each), and if both fall together, points quadruple (£200 each). By Series 9, these mystery and double counters were colour-coded green and yellow respectively for easier recognition. Generally, one of each special counter type begins on the lower shelf, with others positioned on the upper shelf.

Counters that enter the win zone while the machine is not active are termed "ambient drops" and are removed without affecting scores. If this happens after a player has selected a drop zone but before releasing a counter, they may choose to keep or change their chosen zone. Mystery or double counters that fall as ambient drops are returned close to their original spots.

A "ghost drop" occurs when a counter brushes against the transparent front panel during its descent, creating friction that slows or briefly halts its movement. Such ghost drops, along with poorly timed releases or unexpected bounces, can cause counters to partially overlap on the upper shelf. This usually prevents them from falling into the win zone and can disrupt a player's turn.

An "edge surfer" describes a counter that leaves a drop zone resting on its edge as the upper shelf moves forward. Whether it lands before or atop other counters at the edge can influence game results.

From Series 1 through 11, episodes featured four contestants per game; after each round, the player with the lowest score was eliminated and forfeited all winnings. In cases of ties, sudden death toss-up questions determined who advanced: correct answers allowed progression while incorrect answers led to elimination. Multiple ties resulted in repeated sudden death rounds until only one contestant was eliminated or one moved forward. From Series 12 onwards, with three contestants per episode, eliminations occur only after Rounds 2 and 3.

Players who are blind or visually impaired may receive assistance from a backstage aide who offers advice through an audio earpiece based on monitor feeds; however, this helper cannot assist with answering questions or making gameplay decisions. Contestants who are deaf or hearing impaired may have an onstage interpreter to facilitate communication but receive no active help during gameplay.

Round 1

At the start, each participant is given three counters. The host poses general knowledge toss-up questions, and the first contestant to buzz in gets to respond. A correct response allows the player to either deploy one of their own counters or compel an opponent to use one, depending on their judgment of the machine's payout chances. Once all counters are expended, contestants lose the ability to answer further questions. When only a single contestant retains counters, they must continue answering correctly to utilize them.

An incorrect or unanswered question results in the loss of a counter, which is placed into a penalty pool. If any counters remain in this penalty pot at the conclusion of the round, they become available through a final toss-up question open to all players. The contestant who answers correctly claims all penalty counters; a wrong answer disqualifies that player from the next question. If no penalties arise during the round, it concludes once all counters have been played.

Round 2

During this phase, contestants have 45 seconds (30 seconds in Series 1–11) to answer rapid-fire general knowledge questions, earning one counter for each correct response. After time runs out, players use their accumulated counters to win cash prizes. The leader from Round 1 decides who takes the first turn; subsequently, the highest scorer among remaining contestants chooses who plays next. In case of ties, preference goes to the contestant who first answered correctly in Round 1. At the end of this round, the participant with the lowest score is eliminated.

Round 3

The two finalists alternate answering a total of six questions—three per player. After hearing each question, the player in control may choose to answer or pass it to their opponent. A correct answer grants a counter to whoever responds; an incorrect answer awards that counter to the adversary. Counters are immediately played into the machine upon being earned. Control at the start of this round is determined by the Round 2 leader; if tied, priority remains with that leader.

Final

The sole remaining contestant receives a unique jackpot counter and selects a zone within the machine to drop it, aiming for a £10,000 jackpot by landing it in the designated win zone. To earn additional counters, they must answer one multiple-choice question from each of six categories in any sequence they choose. Each question presents three options and can be wagered on for one to three counters—the greater the wager, the more challenging the question. Correct answers yield counters which are immediately dropped into the machine.

Counters that land in the win zone during this stage are valued at £50 apiece, including those dropped while playing with the jackpot counter; mystery and double counters remain active as well. Ambient drops contribute to total winnings once the jackpot counter has been played but are nullified before it enters and after all counters from the final category have been used. Successfully landing the jackpot counter in the win zone increases winnings to £10,000; starting from Series 8, this amount doubles to £20,000 or quadruples to £40,000 if one or both double counters fall alongside it.

If unsuccessful after completing all six categories, contestants may choose to exchange their current winnings for three extra counters or conclude the game and keep their earnings. Opting for extra counters forfeits accumulated money if these additional counters fail to win (except for any mystery prizes), but double and mystery counters only apply if they drop with the jackpot counter. Should a contestant finish without winning and have their jackpot counter resting on the bottom shelf, they play these three extra counters as a final attempt to determine whether trading would have secured them the jackpot.

Tipping Point: Lucky Stars and Specials

The celebrity edition, Tipping Point: Lucky Stars, features famous personalities competing to raise funds for charity and is usually broadcast during primetime with a live studio audience—except during the COVID-19 pandemic and Soccer Aid Specials. Notable alterations to the format include:

1. Cash amounts are increased twofold, with standard and mystery counters valued at £100 and the jackpot set at £20,000 (excluding Soccer Aid Specials).
2. The machine contains no double counters (except in Soccer Aid Specials).
3. Mystery counters provide humorous prizes, cash bonuses, or trivia questions that can earn extra counters; in Soccer Aid Specials, these prizes are donations branded with the Soccer Aid logo.
4. Round 2 is limited to a 30-second duration (except in Soccer Aid Specials).
5. Contestants eliminated from the game keep their charity earnings; if a finalist loses after trading, their charity receives £1,000.

Tipping Point: Best Ever Finals

This 30-minute spin-off airs during intervals between regular or Lucky Stars episodes—such as during ITV Horse Racing coverage—and highlights the most thrilling finales from both standard episodes and celebrity specials dating back to Series 2.

Regular

Series	Start date	End date	Recorded	Episodes	Notes
1	2 July 2012	27 July 2012	2012	20	Premiered as a summer substitute for The Chase. Aired continuously without breaks. Episode 1 was rebroadcast on 2 July 2022 to mark its 10-year anniversary.
2	2 January 2013	26 February 2013	2012	40	Mystery counters were introduced. No interruptions in airing.
3	20 May 2013	20 November 2013	2013	70	Broadcast included pauses between July–September and late October–November.
4	17 February 2014	29 August 2014	2013	—	Experienced multiple breaks spanning April through August.
5	5 January 2015	4 December 2015	2014	125	Double counters were added. Several hiatuses occurred throughout the year.
6	7 December 2015	21 October 2016	2015	150	Pauses took place in December–January and May–August.
7	2 January 2017	10 November 2017	2016		Breaks coincided with events such as the US presidential inauguration and other dates.
8	8 January 2018	17 May 2019	2017	165	This series was the first where double counters also doubled the jackpot; it was the last to feature black mystery and double counters. Multiple interruptions included royal occasions.
9	1 January 2019	9 December 2020	2018		Featured green and yellow mystery as well as double counters. Several extended pauses occurred.
10	1 January 2020	12 March 2021	2019		Marked the milestone of the show's thousandth episode. Breaks were linked to COVID-19 disruptions and the US presidential transition.
11	19 April 2021	1 June 2022	2020		Adopted COVID-19 safety protocols during filming; final series with four contestants and a Round Two lasting thirty seconds. Its start was delayed due to Prince Philip's passing. Multiple breaks throughout the year.
12	11 April 2022	TBA	2021		Introduced three contestants per episode and extended Round Two to forty-five seconds; continued COVID-19 measures. Breaks included major national events.
13	17 April 2023	TBA	2022	100	Scheduling interruptions due to sports broadcasts and seasonal programming.
14	9 September 2024	TBA	2023		Numerous planned breaks spanning late-2024 into mid-2025.

Lucky Stars

Series	Premiere date	Finale date	Number of episodes	Notes
1	9 June 2013	25 August 2013	12	The first three series were broadcast consecutively without interruption.
2	5 July 2014	23 August 2014	8
3	15 October 2016	3 December 2016
4	3 September 2017	29 October 2017		Final series to include black mystery counters; experienced a mid-series pause on 8 October 2017.
5	7 July 2019	22 September 2019	11	Debuted green mystery counters; break occurred on 1 September 2019.
6	13 September 2020	29 November 2020	12	No interruptions throughout the series.
7	4 April 2021	16 May 2021	7	Produced under COVID-19 restrictions; absence of live audience; no breaks.
8	3 April 2022	24 July 2022	9	Maintained COVID-19 safety protocols; intermittent breaks due to UK prime minister search on several occasions.
9	16 July 2023	10 November 2024		Experienced multiple hiatuses during August, September, and October–November intervals.
10	8 September 2024	TBA		Planned pauses scheduled for September, October, November, and December periods.

Specials

Title	Original air date	Notes
2014 Text Santa Special	19 December 2014
2015 Text Santa Special	18 December 2015	Also served as Series 6, Episode 10
2018 Christmas Special	29 December 2018
2019 Christmas Special	25 December 2019
2020 Christmas Special	24 December 2020	Filmed adhering to COVID-19 protocols; no live audience present.
2021 Soccer Aid Special	2 September 2021	Followed COVID-19 safety measures; featured contestants Chris Hughes, Charley Boorman, Ali Hamidi (Also Series12, Ep165)
2021 Christmas Special	24 December 2021	Continued COVID-19 precautions; included participants Bobby Norris, Scarlett Moffatt, Anton Du Beke
2022 Soccer Aid Special	9 June 2022	Competitors: Lee Juggurnauth, Liv Cooke, Jeff Brazier (Also Series13, Ep100)
2022 Christmas Special	17 December 2022	Contestants: Mr Motivator, Josie Gibson, Len Goodman
2023 Soccer Aid Special	8 June 2023	Participants: Brian McFadden, Maisie Adam, Sam Matterface (Also Series14, Ep100)
2023 Christmas Special	26 December 2023

Best Ever Finals

Series	Premiere date	Finale date	Number of episodes	Notes
1	12 March 2019	17 November 2019	5	Series one included a break spanning from mid-March to mid-November 2019.
2	10 March 2020	14 June 2021	12	This series marked the initial inclusion of Lucky Stars finales; featured several interruptions between March 2020 and June 2021.
3	15 March 2022	29 August 2022	8	Experienced a pause from March to August 2022.
4	14 March 2023	15 March 2024		Underwent an extended hiatus between March 2023 and March 2024.
5	16 November 2024	16 May 2025		Included breaks during November and December 2024 as well as May 2025.

International broadcasts

• Australia – The original UK edition of the show began airing on the Nine Network from 2 December 2019, taking over the afternoon news slot during the summer non-ratings period. Episodes are shown on weekdays at 3:00 pm, competing with ITV's The Chase on the Seven Network. The celebrity spin-off Lucky Stars is scheduled for Fridays in the same time slot. Late-night reruns are broadcast after midnight. In January 2021, select episodes were briefly moved to prime time on Saturdays. In April 2023, Endemol Shine Australia revealed intentions to produce a local Australian adaptation filmed on the UK set. By August, Nine Network confirmed a domestic Tipping Point version would premiere in 2024, replacing Millionaire Hot Seat, with Todd Woodbridge as host and production based in Melbourne.
• Ireland – Episodes air Monday through Friday at 4:00 pm and again at 5:00 pm on Virgin Media Two.
• New Zealand – The original UK series along with its celebrity edition Lucky Stars are broadcast on TVNZ 1, airing Monday to Saturday at 10:00 am and Monday to Friday at 3:00 pm.

International adaptations

Key:

Country	Local title	Broadcast network	Host	Premiere date
Australia	Tipping Point Australia	Nine Network	Todd Woodbridge	24 December 2023 (preview) 29 January 2024 – ongoing
Cyprus	Tipping Point	Alpha TV Cyprus	Tasos Tryfonos	10 September 2023 – ongoing

Merchandise

The official Tipping Point mobile application was initially released for iOS devices by Barnstorm Games on 30 March 2014, followed shortly by an Android version on 3 April 2014. In 2015, John Adams launched an electronic board game under its Ideal Games label. A newer app titled Tipping Point Blast! was introduced in 2020.