Burgo turns on Wheel remake
- Published by David Knox
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“Baby” John Burgess has slammed Nine’s Million Dollar Wheel Of Fortune.
Burgess, now on 3MP in Melbourne, has said the show is outdated and that Tim Campbell is “no game show host”.
“I don’t want to sound like some miserable old bloke, but I do think the whole thing lacks warmth,” Burgess told the Sunday Telegraph. “Tim Campbell’s a talented fella, I liked him a lot in Shout, but he’s no game show host.
“I had a call from Adriana the other day and she said the same thing. She also thought it was a bit flat,” he said.
Burgo may be publicly saying what some are privately feeling, but he neglected to revisit his statement from a few months ago that he was “slightly gutted” not to have been asked back to the role. And Adriana? How can we forget seeing her talking to a stuffed bear in Celebrity Big Brother? And that’s without delving into some of the other press stories on her.
It’s true that Wheel hasn’t won a night against Deal yet. It’s true the audience is too over the top (it’s just a puzzle show after all). It’s also true that Campbell is probably trying a bit hard, and that the female role is superfluous in 2008.
But these things can be tweaked.
“They’ve lost sight of the fact that people want to be entertained, as well. You can’t just throw big lumps of money at them and expect them to switch,” Burgo said.
“In America, they give away, like, five cars and whatever and I think that’s what Nine is trying to do here – they’re trying to buy the audience.”
Nine has spent up big on reinventing an old favourite. It will need to leave the show for quite a few weeks to see if it can effect change.
Source: Sunday Telegraph
9 Responses
I love the new Wheel and think Tim is just great, he brings something diferent to the stale old format that “Baby John” would, he’s passed his use by date and definately sounds like a miserable old bloke.
They gave away their 1st $200k prize money tonight yay… and Deal have taken down their additional $200k prize money.
Geeze Burgo, sour grapes?!?!
I thought the second week of shows was a big step up from week one, it’s very new and they’re finding their way, but I saw definite improvement.
Tim seemed a very likeable personality as well in week 2.
I personally think that Wheel is a far stronger show than Deal, despite its incomprehensible choice of pastel colours for its studio. Mainly because I can’t stand Andrew O’Keefe. I don’t understand how people put up with him every afternoon, but since I also think Larry Emdur is sleazy and creepy, I’m obviously not in touch with the late-afternoon game show demographic.
To a degree I agree with the bitter old man. The host of the show these days is more important than the concept. Campbell wasn’t great on National Bingo Night and is again mediocre on the Wheel. Nine needs to find a personality who can take on O’Keefe. The best way to do this is through old fashion auditions, not inter station personality theft.
“I don’t want to sound like some miserable old bloke”
But the thing is, Burgo, is that you do. You didn’t get the gig, your radio ratings aren’t that hot, so this just looks like grumbling for the sake of getting yourself a bit of PR
Burgess must realize how sad it is to be making such comments, and we shall not start on Adriana.
Doesn’t matter if the show does well or bombs Burgo would be there saying “It’s not like how we did it in our day!” Burgess and the other outdated personalties must sit around the phone waiting for the networks to call saying they and the Australian public need them back on air.
I saw the first episode & thats about it. I love Tim but I don’t think he’s suited to this – his going to be hosting the up-coming Singing Bee which would me more up is alley – he’s good at hosting entertainment type shows.
Firstly I think we can take Burgos opinion with a pinch of salt considering he was “gutted” over missing out on getting the hosting gig. However I kind of agree it does feel a bit flat but it may pick up if Nine give it a chance.
It may have been better when Rob and that hot 90’s chick hosted it 10 years ago on 7, but they do a decent enough job now. I watched it the night it premiered and it wasn’t that bad. I haven’t caught it since, but that would be more due to me having better things to do at 5 in the afternoon, as opposed to watching a game show. It was definitely more entertaining than Temptation. That show is a better than a glass of warm milk for putting viewers to sleep.