Where are our favourite game show hosts now? Checking in with the Australian TV legends who won our hearts

Tony Barber: Sale Of The Century

“Well, I really fancied myself as a nightclub crooner/actor-type but I’m happy with the way things went,” says Tony of his time as the TV host with the dancing feet on Sale Of The Century.

These days, Tony is far from our screens – happy in semi-retirement on the Mornington Peninsula with “my beautiful wife Kristine and a Lagotto Romagnolo called Maestro”.

But he laughs that he “is still available for appropriate job offers suitable to a relatively fit upright gentlemen of 81 years vintage”!

Why does Tony think Sale was so popular? “Quiz has always been big in Oz, and we were the duck’s guts of this genre.

“Fast-paced, fabulous prizes and very attractive models and co-hosts,” he says, adding that his favourite moment was “the first time I handed someone the keys to the Merc”.

Another memorable highlight – one Tony can laugh about now – was a painful one.

“I announced the cash jackpot and got hit on top of my head when the safe came down!”

Greg Evans: Perfect Match

“They were some of the happiest days of my life,” says Greg about his time hosting Perfect Match (and then Blind Date) in the mid-’80s.

“Every time we made an episode, everyone had fun, the crew, the cameraman, the people in the control room were laughing. The audiences, they had fun,” he says.

“And we had 11 marriages as a result of the show, over the years.”

While he co-hosted with gorgeous women like Kerrie Friend, Tiffany Lamb and Debbie Newsome, it was Dexter the robot who won the hearts of many Aussies.

“People see me and ask, ‘Where’s Dexter?'” he laughs.

“He’s in ACMI in Melbourne. He’s got his own shrine in a corner of the museum.”

These days, Greg, 68, is semi-retired, but also works as a marriage celebrant.

“I’ve married 800 couples now,” he says. “And it’s almost another episode of Perfect Match!

“It’s a 13-minute performance. The only thing you can’t say is, ‘See you same time next week!'”

John Burgess: Wheel Of Fortune

One of the longest-serving game show hosts in the country, “Baby” John fronted Wheel Of Fortune from 1984 to 1996, then took his talents to Catchphrase – another hit for the TV legend who is still working in TV and radio at the age of 78.

“I have a belief that you have to keep your brain active and that’s what I’m doing,” says John.

“TV programming people probably think I’m too old, but I don’t. I still think I’m about 40 by the way!”

While Wheel Of Fortune is no longer on our screens, Burgo knows why it lasted so long.

“People love to see other people winning things,” he explains.

“[Also] we didn’t offend anybody – it was good fun. And it never patronised anybody, everybody was treated the same.”

John loved every moment of his time on the show.

“I met lots of lovely people, and we gave away millions of dollars worth of prizes,” he says.

“I’m often amazed at the age range of people who come up and want to shake my hand, or take a selfie with me. It ranges from probably 20s to, well, death!

“Some people say, ‘Oh, I used to watch you on Wheel Of Fortune,’ and I say, ‘Geez, you must’ve been five years old!'”

Larry Emdur: The Price Is Right

The Morning Show host has also fronted The Chase, The Main Event, Wheel Of Fortune and more… and Larry jokingly calls himself the most axed person on TV!

But he knows the secret of one show’s success.

“The Price Is Right was the ultimate TV escape. It was reality TV before reality TV, real people making often life-changing decisions under enormous pressure is fun to watch!” says the 56-year-old.

While the show was well-known for its big life-changing prizes, Larry says he loved the small moments just as much.

“A single mother-of-four desperately wanted a microwave. She couldn’t afford to buy it.

“Seems like such a small prize but it’s all she wanted and she won it. It was a wonderful moment,” he smiles.

Of course, the big moments could also be entertaining.

“It’s when someone won something they really didn’t want, like the lady who lived in a 24th floor apartment who won an above-ground swimming pool or the elderly man who lived in a caravan who won a roller door,” he laughs.

Grant Denyer: Family Feud

“I didn’t realise some of the joy you could bring,” says Grant about hosting Family Feud for six years.

“I was basically a human ATM, dispensing cash to people who really needed it.

“It’s nice that you can be there and help out these lovely genuine beautiful Australians, and just help their dreams come true.”

Of course, along with the prizes, part of the appeal of Family Feud is when people gave the wrong answers – something Gold Logie winner Grant, 44, loved, too.

He chuckles, “I remember the very first episode and I was really nervous.

“I asked, ‘Name a yellow fruit,’ and the first contestant ever buzzes in straight away, as confident as anything and says, ‘Orange.’ I’m like, ‘Oh man, we’ve got ourselves a show!'”

Why does he think game shows are so entertaining to watch?

“A game show is that equivalent of taking your bra off when you get home, or undoing the top button of your pants!” he laughs.

Mike Hammond: Gladiators

“My favourite game show host [was] Ian Turpie when he hosted The New Price Is Right back in the ’80s when I was still a kid,” says Mike, who hosted Gladiators in the mid-’90s.

“I thought he was brilliant, and you really got a sense of the fun and enthusiasm he brought to the show.”

These days Mike works in radio, and his time with the popular sports entertainment show is just a distant memory.

“My run with Gladiators was about 25 years ago – but it’s a real tribute to the huge team of about 300 people that were involved in making the show the truly spectacular event that it was and loved by people of all ages,” he says.

“The whole thing was so much larger than life, from the various games and props, through to the Gladiators’ immense skill and strength.

“And often the mere ‘mortal’ contestants gave the Gladiators a real run for their money! Gladiators holds a fond place in my memory.”

Rob Elliott: Wheel Of Fortune

“It was uncomplicated. It was simply a guessing game and people love guessing puzzles,” says Rob when asked about the magic of Wheel Of Fortune.

The host of the top-rating show from 1997 to 2003, the 56-year-old is still in the game business.

“When I left the show I created a board game called Smart Ass,” says Rob.

“It has since sold over four million copies worldwide. I’ve now created about six games.”

Delighted to be on our list – joking that it must have been “compiled at a retirement village” – his favourite memories from the show were the naughty moments.

“When contestants asked for a vowel. They’d say, ‘Can I have an E?’ to which I’d respond, ‘Well, it’s Friday… why not?!’

“That was usually followed by muffled laughs from the stoners who would be sitting in the back row of the audience!” Rob laughs.

Glenn Ridge: Sale Of The Century

Glenn is happy to be away from our TV screens these days, enjoying his retirement.

“I have many fond memories of my days with Sale Of The Century and working with Jo [Bailey], Nicky [Buckley], Karina [Brown], Pete Smith and all the crew behind the scenes who made it possible,” says the 65-year-old.

“And I’m now very much enjoying life out of the spotlight!”

Peter Everett: Ready Steady Cook

“What great times we all had back then,” says Peter of his time hosting the cooking game show.

“I know all the chefs became great mates through the show. They are all still good mates to this day.

“I would often bring in cake or chocolates that I’d made the night before. As the years went on, my shirts got tighter and tighter, the makeup got heavier.

“I’d go into the girls in makeup and demand more shadowing. They would say, ‘It’s only a makeup brush, not a magic wand!”

The show, which ran for nine years, was nominated for four Logies.

“We were the first daytime show to be nominated for a Logie for the best lifestyle show,” says Peter.

He adds cheekily, “I see that Abba is back after 40 years. Maybe there’s room for a little show called Ready Steady Cook to return after 10 years?”