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Is it time to revive Blankety Blanks?

If TV is looking for broadly appealing game shows, here's a classic that could be worth a shot.

With talk of Pointless departing the 6pm timeslot and 10 keen to keep broad entertainment in the slot, might it be time for a Blankety Blanks revival?

The classic game show enjoyed a sensational run under the master Graham Kennedy on 10 for just 2 seasons in 1977-78. Kennedy left while the show was still rating high, but fearing he had used all his best gags.

It was revived twice on Nine under Daryl Somers (1985-86) and Shane Bourne (1996-97).

The show has perfect play-ability and, depending on the guests, ample opportunities to plug other network shows.

But who to host any revival?

TV still doesn’t have enough female hosts in this genre. Any number of the regular women from Have You Been Paying Attention? would be worth testing. Celia Pacquola… Urzila Carlson…personally, I think Anne Edmonds would be just outrageous in this role.

If we’re talking males Ed Kavalee would be fun, but frankly of greater value on the panelist than as host. Joel Creasey…. Stephen Curry (he even played Kennedy in The King)… or what about Anh Do? His appeal is through the roof with Australians.

Would you be keen for a Blankety Blanks revival?

61 Responses

  1. A big part of the appeal of the original was the bawdy and politically incorrect humour. Unfortunately, due to the current climate, that wouldn’t be part of the reboot. Can you imagine the (male) host sharing a long kiss at the end of the show with a female panelist, looking down her top all the time, or reading a Cyril question in the stereotypical gay voice?

    1. As I’ve noted before, Graham owned those things but a host would bring their own style. It isn’t part of the format. It could also run in an MA slot if that’s the concern. Last night TV bleeped the C word in M slot.

  2. I only see this working as a late night show, which could be fun. If Pointless must go (and I hope it doesn’t), then I think a great replacement would be a local version of Tipping Point. It has a great mix of trivia and suspense.

  3. I think given the rise in dating shows and MAFS, Blankety Blanks could work. The host should be male to allow a broader range of gags, playing the straight guy to the panel much like HYBPA. Charlie Pickering?

  4. Don’t know whether a game show would be his cup of tea but I can see Shaun Micallef as host.As others have said in this PC world at least a segment of the population would be outraged, which is not necessarily a bad thing, people need to loosen up and get a life.

  5. I’ve glanced through the comments and haven’t seen Lawrence Mooney mentioned as a contender for host. He has a bawdy sense of humour that is very similar to Kennedy’s and he has that same “what will he say next?” appeal. I’d imagine anything hosted by Mooney would have to be heavily edited with certain words bleeped out and pixelation on those blue cards.

  6. Sadly…it was the compare and the make up of the panel…that made this show….
    Also…they could not get away with half the things they did back then….

  7. What a great idea! We need something different, Ed would be good he’d be making alot of jokes and possibly making it fun but I think Anh Do would be perfect! Even better I would like to see more Australian Dramas- ‘A Country Practice’ to come back or something like they used to have like ‘Breakers’ back in the days or just a new Australian family drama on Ch10.

  8. This is a terrible idea. There are no comedians today anywhere near the talent of the original show. They would try find the same kind of people (like the original) who aren’t even close to being as good and you can guarantee whoever hosts it would be doing “Dick and Cyril jokes”and screwing them up. The show would be a complete disaster…. Horrible idea.

  9. I think it would be good to see the game show back. They will need someone to host that may bring it the right kind of humour needed at 6pm (when people are getting home from work), like Grant did with Family Feud (it lasted longer than previous revival attempts due to what Grant brought to it).
    Maybe good hosts would be Rove (as rumoured before) or Grant. But there is also the chance that Sale of the Century may return at that time, as it was rumoured to be returning.

  10. I’m old enough to remember both the Daryl Somers (vanilla) and original Blankety Blanks with the King! It was such a hoot. My initial response was Yes, but i agree with others that unless the tone is set with a double entendre, it will be as tame as the revamp was with Daryl. We are living in such different times, but I would be curious to see how it might be developed for 2019 and perhaps playing with gender roles and stereotypes might make for an interesting twist

    1. The more I think of it a later time slot would allow more naughtines. Maybe a family friendly version at 6 then a subterraneous version after dark ! A Bizarro version. Bizarro Blankety Blanks 🙂

  11. Even though I enjoyed Blankety I really don’t think todays generation would take to it. Bring back Big Brother but with the American version. I think it would do really well.

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