''Perfect Match Australia'' is an Australian dating game show based on the format of the American game show ''

The Dating Game ''The Dating Game'' is an American television game show that first aired on December 20, 1965, and was the first of many shows created and packaged by Chuck Barris from the 1960s through the 1980s. ABC dropped the show on July 6, 1973, but it c ...

''. ''Perfect Match'' was produced by the

Reg Grundy Organisation Reg Grundy Organisation (founded as Reg Grundy Enterprises, later known as both Reg Grundy Productions and Grundy Television and known informally as Grundy's) was an Australian-based multinational mass media company, primarily involved in tele ...

. It originally aired on

Network Ten Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...

for 30 minutes most weekdays from 5:30pm between 1983 and 1989. The format was revived in Australia for subsequent programs ''

Blind Date A blind date is a social engagement between two people who have not met, usually arranged by a mutual acquaintance. Structure A blind date is arranged for by a mutual acquaintance of both participants. The two people who take part in the blind ...

'' based on its US counterpart on

in 1991, and again a revised version of ''Perfect Match'' this time airing on the

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

in 2002.

Overview

The show featured the same format as international versions ''

'' and ''

'', with a contestant determining their "perfect match" by asking three potential suitors of the opposite sex hidden behind a screen a number of scripted compatibility questions. Each episode featured two different rounds. One featured a male asking questions of three unseen females, the other had one female asking questions of three male contestants. Viewers of the show could see all contestants throughout each round. Frequently the questions—along with the answers contestants gave—aimed for comedy and were imbued with sly innuendo. After three questions the contestant would choose their preferred partner based on the answers they had given, and would then be revealed to the contestant, both the contestant and selected match, would then win the prize of a holiday to be taken together (along with a television crew). After this the partner with the highest "compatibility score", based on responses to interview questions prior to the game, specially calculated by a computerized robot called Dexter, would be revealed. If the contestant's selection had the highest "compatibility score", both the contestant and selected match won a bonus prize. Each episode also included a recap of the holiday taken by an earlier couple. The segment included footage of their weekend away, along with edited highlights of video interviews with each individual in isolation after returning home, which would be played to the couple as they were interviewed together in the studio. Sometimes previously unrevealed true feelings would be revealed when the video interviews were replayed. ''

The Comedy Company ''The Comedy Company'' was an Australian comedy television series first aired from 16 February 1988 until about 11 November 1990 on Network Ten, Sunday night and was created and directed by cast member Ian McFadyen, and co directed and produce ...

'' character Kylie Mole once appeared on ''Perfect Match''. Another ''Comedy Company'' character, Marika,

Con the Fruiterer Con Dikaletus aka Con the Fruiterer is a fictional character created by Australian actor and comedian Mark Mitchell. Mitchell created the character after being served by two Greek Australian stall holders at Glenferrie Markets in 1984. The charac ...

's long suffering wife, also made an appearance on ''Blind Date''. WWF professional wrestler

Paul Roma Paul Centopani (born April 29, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Paul Roma. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling between 1984 an ...

also made an appearance on ''Perfect Match''.

Hosts

''Perfect Match Australia'' was hosted by Greg Evans for the first three years. Through an oversight, Channel Ten forgot to renew his contract, so he was signed by Channel Nine who "warehoused" him.

Cameron Daddo Cameron Peter Daddo (born 7 March 1965) is an Australian actor, musician and presenter. From 1987 to 1988, he hosted dating game show '' Perfect Match Australia''. He won two Logie Awards for his performances in '' Golden Fiddles'' and ''Track ...

replaced him as host of ''Perfect Match'' from 1987 to 1988. After Daddo left the series, Evans, whose contract with Nine had expired, returned to Network Ten as host for the final season. The show also featured hostesses

Debbie Newsome Debbie Newsome (born 1960) is a former Australian television personality, married to Mark Learmonth, a mother of two (Tara Pavlovic & Troy Pavlovic) and lives in Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Best known for her role as a co-host on ...

(1984–85),

Tiffany Lamb Tiffany Lamb (born 22 September 1966) is an Australians, Australian model, actress, and TV presenter. She is best known for co-hosting ''Perfect Match (Australian game show), Perfect Match'', and starring in ''Flipper (1995 TV series), Flipper - T ...

(1986) and

Kerrie Friend Kerrie Friend (born 2 October 1963) is an Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians desc ...

(1987–89). After an initial relaunch returning in 1991 now known under the UK title of ''Blind Date'' the show was again hosted by Greg Evans with

Nicky Buckley Nicole Maree Louise Buckley-Bingham (born 25 November 1965) is an Australian television presenter and model. She became known in the early 1990s as co-host to Greg Evans on The Australian dating show '' Perfect Match''. Career Buckley became ...

serving as hostess. Craig Huggins was the announcer who recapped each contestant with quirky one-liners. Nicky Buckley was later replaced by Swedish-born model Ankie Nordberg. Again known under its original title of ''Perfect Match'' a brief 2002 revival was hosted by

Shelley Craft Shelley Craft (born 21 June 1976) is an Australian television personality. She is most well known for her long-running presenting roles on the Seven Network programs ''Saturday Disney'' from 1996 until 2002, and '' The Great Outdoors'' from 200 ...

and Agro. Radio broadcasters Max Rowley and

Bruce Mansfield Bruce Mansfield (24 April 1944 – 17 April 2016) was an Australian television/ radio personality and narrator. Early career Mansfield began in radio at age 16, when he won a junior announcer's competition at the 3UZ radio station in 1960. The ...

served as announcers. The original series also featured Dexter — a "

robot A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be c ...

" that supposedly mathematically calculated the compatibility of the couple, voiced by Keith Scott. In the 2002 version, Agro partially fulfilled a similar role to Dexter in announcing the couples' compatibility scores.

New Zealand version

A short-lived version hosted by Butch Bradley and Tiffany Baragwanath aired on TV3 from 1989 until 1990. It followed the same format as the Australian version.

In other media

Evans appeared as himself on a parody version of the show called ''Perfect Date'' in the 1999 comedy film ''

The Craic ''The Craic'' (stylised as ''The Craíc'') is a 1999 Australian comedy film starring stand-up comedian Jimeoin with Alan McKee, directed by Ted Emery. Plot It is 1988, and two best friends from Ireland—Fergus Montagu (Jimeoin) and Wesley Murr ...

''.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, id=0211840, title=Perfect Match Australia
Perfect Match
at the

National Film and Sound Archive The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...