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AACTA introduces $50K format prize in honour of Reg Grundy

Reg Grundy hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune’ in 1959. 

AACTA has launched the Reg Grundy Award: an annual $50,000 prize open to anyone with the best new idea for an unscripted TV format.

Established in partnership with Reg Grundy’s wife, RG Capital chairman Joy Chambers-Grundy, the award is designed to honour Reg’s entrepreneurial spirit, while also fostering a new generation of ideas.

Grundy’s legacy includes the local production of formats such as Sale of the Century, Blankety Blanks, Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud, The Price Is Right and Perfect Match, as well as the creation of drama series Sons & Daughters, Prisoner and Neighbours.

The prize is open to anyone of any level of experience, who can demonstrate they have an idea that is original, viable and entertaining. Pitches can include genres such as quiz, variety, reality, competition, lifestyle, panel, and interview.

The judging panel will include Eureka Productions CEO Chris Culvenor, ex-Fremantle chief Ian Hogg, producer and consultant Marion Farrelly and producer and ex-Grundy staffer Sharon Sussman-Wheeler.

The winner, to be determined over a series of pitch rounds, receives a $20,000 cash prize, $30,000 in development funds, a mentoring session with the entire judging panel, and the ongoing mentorship of one judge.

Chambers-Grundy said: “I am delighted to partner with AACTA to launch a legacy to my extraordinary husband Reg Grundy that speaks to his remarkable success. Reg’s philosophy, ‘be local to be global’, amassed for him international success producing local versions of television shows for each country and saw him pursue his life-long passion of entertaining people,”

“The AACTA Reg Grundy Award has been created to help discover budding entrepreneurs of Australian entertainment in Reg Grundy’s name. We hope like-minded Australians are able to emulate the spirit of Reg and create formats for new shows.”

AFI | AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella said: “We’re thrilled to honour Reg’s incredible impact on the global television industry with the launch of the AACTA Reg Grundy Award. Reg was a trailblazer who paved the way for entertainment television to develop it into what it is today.

“With this Award we hope to uncover some incredible new show concepts and grow the Australian entertainment format footprint in the international television landscape. This is an incredible prize – with the opportunity to further develop your concept with invaluable exposure to some of Australia’s key content commissioners and producers alongside the $50,000 prize money and development funds.”

Round One entries will close October 4. More info here.