Trip to the Brain
(slightly late) Press release time!
Lune Media has announced a series commission from Network Ten for a brand-new quiz show – Shaun Micallef’s Brain Eisteddfod.
The one-hour, weekly quiz program is hosted by actor, writer, television presenter and one of Australia’s favourite comedians Shaun Micallef.
Leonie Lowe, Managing Director at Lune Media said: “I’m thrilled to be working with Shaun again on this exciting new series. It is the third time we have collaborated, and our partnership has always been both respectful and successful. I really admire his passion and commitment to his work and the team.
Viewers will see Shaun’s natural ability to engage and encourage the young contestants with his unique mix of quick-fire humour and razor-sharp wit.”
Over ten weeks Shaun Micallef’s Brain Eisteddfod brings together eighteen schools from around Australia and will pit their best and brightest Year 11 students against each other to determine Australia’s biggest brains.
Teams of three will combine for testing of their knowledge on a range of subjects from English, Mathematics, History, Foreign Languages to Biology and Economics, and much more for a fiercely contested and fun-filled one hour of entertainment.
Shaun Micallef said: “I’ve always believed there was intelligent life on this planet, and I am delighted and proud to be part of Channel TEN’s efforts to discover it right here in Australia. Also, I was once a Year 11 student myself and will be using my old notes to double-check the answers.”
Shaun Micallef’s Brain Eisteddfod is a Lune Media production in association with Giant Baby for Network Ten Australia. The series is based on an original concept from Giant Baby and Lune Media. Executive Producers are David Galloway, Shaun Micallef and Leonie Lowe.
It’s the It’s Academic reboot we’ve been waiting for! Finally a new generation will understand that Late Show sketch where Santo says “Tonga”!
Otherwise, everything here makes total sense without once sounding like something we’d be excited to watch. If it wasn’t official before that the only way comedians can get on Australian commercial television is on a quiz show, it sure is now. Bob Franklin for the next host of Family Feud!
In fact, we might even be a bit disappointed at this news: while it’s certainly possible for Micallef to fit this in between two seasons of Mad as Hell in 2022, this does make that seem a bit less likely… though realistically, this year’s return of Question Everything and The One That’s Just Hypotheticals But With Annabel Crabb had already sealed the death of ABC comedy.
But on the up side, at least “Brain Eisteddfod” is moderately amusing to say.