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Edwin Daly wins $1m on Hot Seat

67 year old South Australian retiree joins an elite millionaire's club -and why it isn't a TV spoiler.

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67 year old Edwin Daly will tomorrow night win $1 million on Hot Seat.

The retiree from Mount Barker South Australia becomes the first million dollar winner in the show’s seven year history.

The final question, on Australian literature, caps off a string of correct answers by Edwin after two earlier contestants opting to pass. With nobody answering any wrong questions, the million dollars stays in play until the very end.

“Am I going to wake up in a minute?” says the shocked winner.

The win contradicts a dream he had that looking down at the 4 multiple choice answers, none would include the correct answer.

Edwin and wife Cathy, who tell host Eddie McGuire they will take a holiday, have been active in their Mount Barker Baptist Church helping others in need. He also served 12 months national service in Vietnam.

Hot Seat has reached the million dollar question seven times in its history but it has never been won. Eddie McGuire only gave away the top prize in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? twice.

Edwin the sixth in Australian television history to win the cash prize, joining Million Dollar Minute, Big Brother and The Big Adventure. Andrew Skarbek on Million Dollar Minute remains the top earner on $1,016,000 last year.

Nine promos revealed Edwin’s win in a change of strategy to draw in maximum viewers.

Traditionally the network only teases something big, in order to keep viewers in suspense. But with ratings under pressure and Monday’s primetime including the launch of Married at First Sight, Nine isn’t taking any chances.

The episode screens 5:30pm (or thereabouts) Monday on Nine.

27 Responses

  1. Hi David, can you clarify a bit further please? I realize the programs do not run consecutively, as do Eggheads and Pointless, but do Nine just chuck them on at random? I cannot figure why Eddie does not push the point in shows recorded after the Mill that it has and can be won.

  2. I’m going to watch the next few episodes – simply to find out whether the three players who didn’t get a go will be on again for another opportunity- and whether that big win gets a mention.

  3. Can someone explain to me how this isn’t a spoiler? (Deliberately so, of course, but nonetheless).
    I totally get that the need for publicity to boost interest will – almost certainly – lead to higher ratings (albeit probably a one-day or short-term boost) notwithstanding that much of the excitement/suspense has been completely ruined for many of those watching who now know the outcome… but there was some text on here earlier I believe suggesting that, despite the pre-publicity campaign, this wasn’t a spoiler. How so?

    1. Sure. Where a network is releasing info on their own show I don’t deem this to be a Spoiler, it’s synopsis (or equivalent). However you are perfectly within your rights to suggest Nine has actually spoiled their own show, as others have noted.

      1. I still don’t fully ‘get’ the distinction, although perhaps it is a little bit different for the very reasons you’ve given. I’m grateful for your response David. The blog continues to be absolutely must-read for anyone with an interest in television.

  4. In reflection to Nine’s tactics in trying to lift their ratings against The Chase, it just seems to be no coincidence this has occurred and in this way. Sadly, throwing money at the problem doesn’t solve the problem (ahem!).

    In the words of another game show (which incidentally is beating it consistently now…) “Our survey said.. .” Buh-bow!

  5. Poor move by Nine – they could have teased the moment without revealing anything or at least leak it through another outlet and the reguse to confirm it.

  6. So let me get this straight. We know the Mill is going off. We know who the winner is. We know his life story and what he’ll do with the money. We know what the final question is about. We even know what his facial expression is. What possible reason is there left to watch?
    I’m like Homer looking at a Gary Larson calendar…I don’t get it. I don’t get it. I………don’t get it.

  7. I am part of an international fan community of WWTBAM and want to know the answer to the following question.

    When the $1,000,000 win music is played, is it the same theme as what has been used since the beginning of WWTBAM in the world? (1st episode was in the UK in 1998) Or have Australia’s Hot Seat felt the need to change up the music?

  8. EPG shows 5.20 start time. I agree its ridiculous to give it away but in so many years of the million not going off and so many teases over the years about big wins and promos, they had no choice but to promote it this way so people will believe them and watch. Out of curiosity I will record and watch for the first time in years just to see it go off rather than contestants all passing or getting answers wrong and giving someone $1000 at the end just for turning up. Ratings will be huge.

  9. I think this shows where nine is going wrong . Yes put out a big hint that it’s going to be won but leave a little element of surprise. But do think it’s time for nine to reset 530 – get sale of the century out of the vault .

    1. I say entice Larry Edmur with the big bucks to move back to Nine so The Price Is Right can go back to Nine, which is the Australian TV network that does The Price Is Right the best.

      I know The Price Is Right can be hosted without Edmur but let’s face it, who else can you picture hosting the show?

      1. Can’t see how price is right would work in this day and age – too many specials, price changes, 2 or multi-buy deals, half price deals, different brands, pricing variance between regions, etc – who really knows what the normal price for anything is anymore? We just buy the cheapest.

  10. The test is whether Nine keeps Hot Seat going after someone wins the million dollars. In 2009 Seven had a show called Minute To Win It and someone won the million dollars after six episodes. It was abruptly axed. In this case it is hoped Nine doesn’t axe Hot Seat. Nobody wants to go back to endless repeats of Antiques Roadshow at 5:30.

    1. No one won the $1,000,000 on Minute to Win It.
      The $1,000,000 challenge would have most likely have been “Supercoin”
      Look up a YouTube clip on a international version of Minute To Win It to see how ridiculously hard that game is.

      A guy won $500,000 though.

  11. I’m sure the ratings will probably still be higher than usual but it is very strange just how much information they have released about this episode. Feels like there’s really no point in watching it now as I already know everything that is going to happen, even down to the point that the final question is about Australian literature.

    1. But we’ll all watch it nonetheless. We’ll want to see how it pans out along the way, how hard were the first 14 questions (causing 2 contestants to pass)?. How many questions would we have known the answers to? What is the final question.? Would we have been able to answer it for a million dollars.? I think it will rate. Curiosity is a powerful emotion.

  12. I hope this strategy completely backfires on them. If I was a loyal viewer of the show who has watched it for years then I would be right royally pissed they have completely ruined the big moment and the suspense of whether he wins or not.

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