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Loving the Deal but Grant Denyer also wanted Top Gear Australia

Grant Denyer admits to feeling a litle jealous of Top Gear hosts driving suped up vehicles in exotic places.

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Grant Denyer is having a ball hosting Deal or No Deal for 10, but as the only racing driver on the network’s talent list, outside of those hired for the Australian Grand Prix, some observers thought he might have been in the running for Top Gear Australia.

“I thought I might have too,” he tells TV Tonight.

“I was obviously a massive fan of that format back in the day with the original three, Jeremy, James and Richard. Yeah, I’m a car man. I’m certainly the only active racing TV presenter in Australia who finished first in his Lamborghini, at the Bathurst 12 Hour in February.

“But as it turns out, I was racing at the Bathurst 12 Hour while they were all doing chemistry testing, I think at Eastern Creek with all the potential hosts. So because I didn’t make that, I was subsequently ruled out of the role, which I thought was unusual.

“I don’t know. Maybe 10 knew that Deal or No Deal was being filmed at the same time as Top Gear, and so therefore that it wasn’t possible. But at that stage, I don’t think I even knew about Deal or No Deal.”

Does he hope to make an appearance as a guest should the show proceed to further seasons?

“It would be fun. I get so jealous when I see all the clips of them in exotic places around the world driving incredible pieces of machinery. I’d be drooling to be able to do something like that, but at least the format’s back. As a car fan, I’m really happy about that, but it’d be cool to play.”

In addition to Deal or No Deal‘s 6pm gameplay, 10 will screen Deal or No Deal: Celebrity in primetime with famous faces competing for charity, including stars from Gogglebox, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Collingwood Football Club, the Matildas and Comedians.

“We’re hour long, so it’s slightly elongated format, which allows more room to muck around. We added three extra cases to open, and it exposes us to a different time slot as well. As you know, trying to turn around the six o’clock timeslot is one of the toughest challenges, if not the toughest challenge, in television. So exposing our audience in another timeslots just lets people know that the Deal is there, because people are still only discovering us. It’s early days. Whilst we’ve doubled the time slot already, and on the way to tripling it, it’s a long it’s a long game we’re playing.”

Deal or No Deal: Celebrity will screen from late July on 10.

8 Responses

  3. Wasn’t it the extra specials of Family Feud that eventually contributed to its downfall, as it was over exposed and people got sick of it? Hopefully 10 aren’t repeating this mistake…maybe they’re encouraged by the recent success of other game shows at 7.30

  4. I do think Grant has been shoehorned into this safe, cheeky TV persona which he does so well, but it does mean he gets overlooked for meatier fare such as Top Gear which he is absolutely made for. The current trio are holding their own very well indeed though so hopefully they’ll find a good guest spot for him sometime.

      1. Yeah, I’d pay that. I’d also further Grant’s public perception is that he’s a Beau Ryan-type doofus, but actually he’s more Blair Joscelyne.

      2. Have to disagree David, I am female and I can’t stand Grant Denyer and don’t know many other females who like him, also I am a Top Gear fan and am loving the new season .

  5. Despite being Sydney-linked, being TV based there and born in Nsw, many forget or don’t realise he actually grew up in Melbourne, in the city’s south-east in Narre Warren (also brought up on that Spotlight UFO special where he made a surprise appearance a couple of years ago) and still has strong connections. It’s no wonder his banter with natives from there including AFL is so natural. Also what made the OG Sunrise unique and in my opinion work so well nationally (non-original Sydney-siders bar Mel): Kochie Sa, Nat Wa and Beretts Vic.

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