Hole in the Wall (Australian game show)

Infobox Television
show_name = Hole in the Wall


caption =
show_name_2 =
genre = Game show
creator =
developer =
presenter = Jules Lund
narrated =
theme_music_composer =
opentheme =
endtheme =
composer =
country = flagicon|AUS Australia
language = English
num_seasons = 1
num_episodes = 6/8 (as of September 17, 2008)
list_episodes =
executive_producer =
producer =
location = Melbourne Central City Studios
runtime = 30 minutes (including commercials)
network = Nine Network
picture_format =
audio_format =
first_run =
first_aired = August 6 2008
last_aired =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
related = "Brain Wall"
website = http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/tvshow.aspx?sectionid=8687&sectionname=holeinthewall
production_website =
imdb_id = 1288431
tv_com_id = http://www.tv.com/hole-in-the-wall-australia/show/75994/summary.html

"Hole in the Wall" is an Australian television game show hosted by Jules Lund, based on the Japanese game show "Brain Wall". In the show, contestants are required to fit though holes in a polystyrene wall that moves towards them

Produced by Fremantle Media, the show began airing on the Nine Network from August 6 2008. [cite news | first=Glenn | last=Dyer | coauthors= | title=Media briefs and TV ratings | date=2007-10-16 | publisher=Crikey | url =http://www.crikey.com.au/Media-Arts-and-Sports/20071016-Media-briefs-and-TV-ratings.html | work = | pages = | accessdate = | language = ] [cite web|first=David|last=Knox|title=Airdate: Hole in the Wall|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/07/airdate-hole-in-wall.html|publisher=tvtonight.com.au|date=2008-07-25|accessdate=2008-07-25]

Format

Each episode features two teams consisting of three celebrity contestants, with each team competing for a charity. The contestants, fitted with hard hats and spandex, stand on a rectangular strip called the "Play Area" as a polystyrene wall moves towards them. The aim is to assume a position that will best allow their bodies to fit through a shape or a number of shapes cut into the wall. The wall measures convert|4|m|ft by convert|2.3|m|ft and travels along a convert|15|m|ft straight path that approaches at varying speeds. If contestants fail to fit through the hole, they are pushed back into a convert|1.5|m|ft deep pool of water behind them.

The game consists of four rounds plus a final round that decides the winner. The first round has three contestants on the strip. A point is awarded to each contestant who fits through the hole. The second round has two contestants. For two points to be awarded, both contestants must fit through the hole.

The third round is variable in the number of players and the scenario played, differing in each episode. For example, scenarios have included facing the wall blindfolded, being forced to rely on the studio audience to guide a contestant, and facing the wall with either a prop or a guest contestant. These guests have included members of the audience and Jules Lund himself. The fourth round sees all three contestants having to face a wall travelling at double speed. Five points are awarded if all contestants fit through the hole, but otherwise no points are scored.

The last round has the team with the most number of points being given the choice of either facing the wall or forcing the other team to do so. The winner is based on the success of the team that is chosen to face the wall.

Episodes

Episode 1: Beauty and the Beasts (August 6 2008)

Audience: 1.555 million [ cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/08/week-32.html |title=Week 32 |accessdate= |last=Knox |first=David |publisher=TV Tonight ]

Episode 4: TV Stars vs Radio Stars (September 10 2008)

Audience: 1.145 million [ cite web|url= http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/09/week-37.html|title= Week 37 |accessdate= |last=Knox |first=David |publisher=TV Tonight ]

Also known as 'Blondes vs Brunettes'

Episode 5:Actors vs Reality (September 17 2008)

Audience: 1.040 million [cite web|url= http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/09/week-38.html|title= Week 38 |accessdate= |last=Knox |first=David |publisher=TV Tonight ]

Notes
*Number inside brackets denotes number of points obtained for that round

Production

Casting

The search for a host for "Hole in the Wall" was tough for producers, with a late-withdrawal of the hosting job meaning another search had to made in the last weeks before recordings began.cite web|first=David|last=Knox|title=So who's hosting Hole in the Wall? |url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/04/so-whos-hosting-hole-in-wall.html|date=2008-04-17|accessdate=2008-05-22] Quite a number of personalities had auditioned for the hosting role, including Colin Lane, Jason Dundas, Jules Lund, Shura Taft and Dan O'Connor. It was believed that Shura Taft had landed the job when he was in the hosting role for early recordings of the show.cite web|first=David|last=Knox|title=Hot Tip: Hole in the Wall Host |url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/04/hot-tip-hole-in-wall-host.html|date=2008-04-22|accessdate=2008-05-22] Taft was in fact a stand-in host for early production shoots to trial the shows' format while producers were still finding a suitable host. [cite web|first=David|last=Knox|title=Rumour: Hole in the Wall update|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/04/rumour-hole-in-wall-update.html|date=2008-04-23|accessdate=2008-05-22] Lund was eventually named as the host,cite web|first=David|last=Knox|title=Jules Lund to host Nine gameshow|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/05/jules-lund-to-host-nine-gameshow.html|date=2008-05-07|accessdate=2008-05-22] several weeks after actual recordings were scheduled to start.

Filming

"Hole in the Wall" began recording episodes in mid-May, 2008, after being delayed from late April, 2008 at Melbourne Central City Studios at the Docklands. The pre-show buzz was highlighted when bigger studio audiences than anticipated turned up at the first shoots and some had to be turned away.cite web|first=David|last=Knox|title=Hole in the game plan as crowds buzz|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/05/hole-in-game-plan-as-crowds-buzz.html|publisher=tvtonight.com.au|date=2008-05-21|accessdate=2008-05-22] [ cite web|url=http://whatsonthetube.net/2008/05/14/overbooked-audience-members-for-hole-in-the-wall-fuming/ |title=Overbooked Audience Member’s For Hole In The Wall Fuming… |accessdate=2008-08-03 |date=2008-05-14 |publisher=What's on the tube? ] The later episodes audiences numbers were adjusted to cater for the overwhelming demand.

External links

* [http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/tvshow.aspx?sectionid=8687&sectionname=holeinthewall Hole in the Wall official website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/holeinthewalloz Hole in the Wall official YouTube site]

References