Wipeout

Wipeout
Wipeout logo
Genre	Game show
Created by	Matt Kunitz, Scott Larsen
Presented by	James Brayshaw Josh Lawson Kelly Landry
Narrated by	James Brayshaw Josh Lawson
Country of origin	Australia
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	8
Production
Executive producer(s)	Rikkie Proost
Location(s)	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Running time	60 minutes (including commercials)
Broadcast
Original channel	Nine Network
Picture format	TBA
Audio format	Stereo
First shown in	Australia
Original airing	February 3, 2009
External links
Official website

Wipeout, presented on air as Wipeout Australia, is an Australian game show, which is based on the U.S. game show of the same name. The game show premiered on the Nine Network on Tuesday February 3, 2009 at 7:30 pm for an initial run of eight episodes. The show was produced by Endemol Southern Star. The show has begn to be re-aired on GO!, "9's" accompanying channel.

Production

Potential contestants had to fill out a 14 page application and attend auditions in Sydney, which were held on August 2, 2008. The 160 successful contestants then participated in the filming of the series over a period of one week starting October 2, 2008 at the international Wipeout obstacle course, located in Buenos Aires, Argentina.^[1][2] Post-Production began in Sydney in November 2008.

Presenters

On September 8, 2008, it was announced that Kelly Landry has been given the on-location reporter role on the show.^[3] She is the only one of the three presenters to actually talk with contestants and observe their attempts to complete the various stages of the Wipeout course.

James Brayshaw, a sports presenter for the Nine Network, and actor Josh Lawson were announced as the two co-hosts on November 26, 2008.^[4] Brayshaw and Lawson provide humorous commentary from within a studio setting.

Format

Wipeout Australia's format follows that of its American forerunner, although the initial number of contestants who compete in the first (Qualifier) round is 20, rather than 24. (The UK version, Total Wipeout also begins with 20 rather than 24, and began broadcasting a month before its Australian counterpart in January 2009.) Thus only eight competitors do not advance, rather than the half who are eliminated in the US show.

The twelve fastest competitors to complete the Qualifier advance to the Sweeper round, wherein they attempt to maintain their balance on a 3m-high metal pole while a rotating "Sweeper" arm tries to unseat them. After six players fall into the water, the remaining six advance; the sweeper arm continues to rotate however, with the last contestant standing winning a $A1000 bonus.

The remaining six contestants then compete in the Dizzy Dummy round, where they are spun on the titular dummy and then required to navigate a short assault course. One player advances, and the remaining contestants are re-spun until the four finalists have been selected.

The dizzy dummy had been replaced with the Dreadmill, where contastants must try to walk through the treadmill to complete certain task with obstacles.

These four enter the Wipeout Zone, and attempt to complete the major final course in the fastest time. The winner is awarded $A20,000 in prize money.

Episodes

Season 1

Episode 1

* Marshall became the first person to cross the Big Balls successfully, after already navigating the Tumble Tubes.

* Marshall and Coombes hit the water "simultaneously" according to the commentary, although Marshell left his podium first, while Coombes hit the water first.

• This is the only episode in which the final four were all male competitors.

Episode 2

* Dan Ryan become the first contestant to cross the Sucker Punch.

** Luke Leone retired between the Sweeper and Dizzy Dummy rounds, and his place went to the 7th Sweeper survivor. * This episode was re-aired as a season two episode of the United States version on September 9, 2009, commentated by U.S. hosts John Henson and John Anderson.

Episode 3

* Dursten was reinstated during the third Dizzy Dummy round, after both Ellis and Maclarn withdrew injured. technically hennock was in the sweeper, but before, they said gascard made it through to the sweeper.

Episode 4

* Dubbing himself the superhero "Excito", Earle made it past the Sucker-Punch Wall without falling.

Hubbock crossed the Big Balls before finishing the qualifier in the fastest time seen on Wipeout Australia.

Episode 5

Episode 6

Episode 7

Episode 8

References

External links

• Official Website
• Wipeout Forums
• Wipeout at TV.com