TALES OF TV’S WILDEST GAME SHOW KINGS!
When this awesome foursome reunited, the laughs didn’t stop
It was a reunion of legends when TV pioneer Reg Grundy’s galaxy of stars came together earlier this month for a rare get-together to swap stories and secrets from the most glamorous era of television ever seen in Australia.
“Channel Nine was probably the greatest dispenser of alcoholic beverages in the history of the world in the 1980s,” laughs Tony, 82, who happily admits he shared in an endless river of French champagne when Sale Of The Century was Australia’s favourite show.
It was just one of the astounding revelations Tony shared when he caught up with Glenn Ridge, 66, who replaced him on
Sale when he retired in 1991, Perfect Match
host Greg Evans, 69, and Wheel Of Fortune
frontman-turned-board game tycoon Rob Elliott, 57.
The game show kings were also joined by Sale Of The Century’s glamorous co-hosts Nicky Buckley and Jo Silvagni, and the iconic show’s gift shop hostesses Charlie Irwin and Marianne Van Dorslar, as well as Ann-maree Cooksley, Celeste Billing and Suzie Cole from The Price Is Right.
Tony, who admits he had a “huge weekend” catching up with the stars of yesteryear and also hosting his daughter Kelly’s 50th birthday, remains forever cheeky, even if he wouldn’t be drawn on who was the biggest party animal of all those TV icons.
“I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that it may incriminate me,” giggles Tony, who these days leads a much quieter life with his second wife, Kristine “Kisty” Glen, in a “sleepy hollow” on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
He jokingly compares the extravagant and decadent era of excess at Nine in the 1980s to the debauched days of the fall of the Roman empire. “There were constant parties – too many parties!” says Tony.
“The interesting thing is that Alan Bond kept that going when he bought the network... so there were always full fridges
and plenty of Bolly. Then Kerry Packer bought the network back, and the first thing that happened – and I mean within 24 to 48 hours – was that all the fridges were cleared out. There were blokes with trucks wheeling out crates of champagne and wine on trolleys. I think there was even a memo from Kerry at some stage saying, ‘Fellas, the party’s over.’ Nine in the ’80s was really like the last days of the Roman empire!”
Sale Of The Century remains one of the most successful TV shows ever, with Tony pointing out that for several years almost half of the Australian population tuned in each weeknight to answer the questions and check out the glamorous hostesses in the gift shop.
‘Nine in the ’80s was like the last days of the Roman empire!’
“We were the kings,” he says. “If you delivered for the company – for the network – all things were possible: money, cars, everything. That did change quite dramatically after the ’80s. Everybody talks about the ’90s as the naughties but I think the eighties were the naughties for us!”
The reunion at the Elwood Yacht Club in Melbourne brought together a host of stars from various Grundy shows, including many stars from Neighbours, which was the biggest threat to Sale’s extraordinary ratings success when it launched in 1985.
“We were, of course, archenemies back in the day,” he says.
These days, Tony and Kisty, 79, prefer watching series like Danish crime drama Borgen and Netflix hit The Crown to game shows, although he still catches the occasional episode of Jeopardy, which he still thinks is the best quiz show on TV.
“What I am realising is that my partying days are behind me,” he says, adding that he and Kisty often host their five children and 19 grandchildren at their home.
“I reckon we will have greatgrandchildren in a minute!” Tony laughs.