When beloved Australian television personality Grant Denyer was offered the hosting role for the revamped version of the iconic game show, Deal or No Deal, he admits that he “was nervous to say yes to it”.
However, after several months at the helm of the beloved programme, Denyer feels “blessed” to be part of what he describes as an “unbelievable” experience.
Recently, Denyer sat down with Starts at 60 to discuss how things have been since he jumped on board as the host of Deal or No Deal, sharing insights into his incredible journey with the show and the special moments he has experienced during filming.
“It feels amazing, one of the best feelings in the world. I’ve been totally blown away,” he reveals.
“I didn’t expect it to have the heart, humour, and humanity that it had. I kind of thought it was nice bright lights and a fun, high-vibe television show where people would be winning money to fix their fence, or buy a new car, or upgrade their wardrobe.
“I didn’t expect to be changing lives like it is. I thought it was just a fun game show but it’s so much more than that and that’s a complete surprise to me and that’s the most beautiful part about the show.
“We have the ability to give someone the best moment of their life and we hear that a lot, I didn’t think a game show was capable of that but when hear back from people who have won a reasonable amount of money to know that you had a significant impact in improving their lives feels really good.”
The show has not only been an incredible experience for the contestants who walk away with significant cash prizes, Denyer himself has been enjoying every moment of the journey.
“I love making television, I haven’t known anything else since I was 16 years of age so it’s something that is pretty close to my heart,” he says.
“When you say yes to a show you never really know how well it’s going to turn out and not every show is a hit so you’ve got to celebrate when you’ve got one.
“I love turning up to work, I’m a pretty high-vibe guy and on this one the drama is all real and the stakes are high so it’s really easy to have a good time.
“There are moments of riotous laughter, I’ve had lots of cheeky cries and almost laughed until I’ve spewed.”
It’s not just the contestants and Denyer who stand to get something out of the Deal or No Deal experience, those watching and playing at home can also enjoy a “great experience”.
“It’s a fun game that everyone can watch and play along as well and see whether you would win the $100,000,” Denyer explains.
“It has this wonderful playability where it’s not just passive viewing where you’re watching someone else have a great experience you can also test yourself and see if you would have won big.”
Catch Grant on Deal or No Deal weeknights at 6.00 pm on 10 and 10 Play.
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