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TV’s big bucks are not in Reality contests

If you want to make the big bucks in television you might think again before all that singing, cooking or renovating.

As we wrap up the year in telly here’s a lesson to be learned for those wanting to strike it rich as a TV contestant.

If you want to make the big bucks in television you might think again before all that singing, cooking or renovating.

Just go and make a wacky video. You could nab a whole lot of moolah without any of the pain.

Looking back on 2011, Australia’s Funniest Home Videos delivered the most money versus input.

Jason Ngam of Toorak submitted a 19 second video “Funny Fountain” and won a cool $250,000 for his efforts. You can see the winning clip here.

That leaves those who went through months of anguish on MasterChef, My Kitchen Rules and The Block in his wake.

Here’s how some of the year’s other winner stacked up. But do they really reflect the ratings?
Cash prizes:

$250,000 Jason Ngam Australia’s Funniest Home Videos
$250,000 Jack Vidgen Australia’s Got Talent
$250,000 Tyler & Nathan The Amazing Race Australia
$115,000 Polly & Waz The Block
$100,000 Kate Bracks MasterChef Australia
$100,000 Sammy & Bella My Kitchen Rules
$100,000 Julia Morris The Celebrity Apprentice Australia
$100,000 Michael Lynch The Renovators
$100,000 Robert Davidov Top Design
$100,000 Sarah & Lachlan Beauty & The Geek Australia
$50,000 Dylan Cooper Project Runway Australia*
$20,000 Montana Cox Australia’s Next Top Model
$0 (cash) Reece Mastin The X Factor
$0 (cash) Manu Feildel Dancing with the Stars

Last year Minute to Win It gave away $500,000.

NB: Does not include Hot Seat, Deal or No Deal or Million Dollar Drop.

*cash and materials.

16 Responses

  1. To be fair, Julia Morris’ dosh went to charity. I always thought the Masterchef prize pot should be bigger considering the effort involved (and the gargantuan revenue generated).

  2. Hey get off Jason Ngam’s back all you haters. He entered a video, the public voted for it and it won. Its not his fault or AFHV that the other shows have low prize money. Good on you Jason for giving it a shot and winning the loot.

  3. MC book deal is worth a bit. If people buy the books it’s more. DWTS gives all prize cash to charity. X_factor is a cashless contest. It produces singing talent only.

    And the funniest thing for some is worth $250,000! Got any better prizes for LOL’S?

  4. With shows like Amazing race,Renovators and Masterchef one has to ask weather the grand prize at the end is worth all the trouble the contestants went through to be apart of the show. Becuase filming is carried out over several months many contestants are forced to leave thier jobs, break thier rental lease etc in order to particpiate. They probably find the majority of thier prizemoney going towards paying of debts they accumilated during they there on the show

  5. Australia’s Mildly Amusing Home Videos had it’s place in the days before YouTube but now it’s just a pointless anachronism. Do they still pad the show out with international clips?

    That winning clip was seriously p!ss-weak. The very next clip, with the toddler spinning the saucepan lids, was much better.

    @Jerome – a lot more than 24 people apply to be on MC so the odds are actually much worse than 1 in 24. The ones with celebrities would have smaller selection pools but you have to already be a celebrity (whatever that really means these days).

    1. Yes for many it’s about the long term gain, especially for a singer or model etc. Not sure everyone who entered The Amazing Race or Renovators was looking for a career launching pad? But I thought it was interesting the way the numbers stacked up.

  6. I would say minute to win it is the best deal, they gave away over 100k most episode and didn’t have to do much. With masterchef the worst deal the measly 100k is made worse by the fact that going into it is only a 1/24 chance of winning.

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