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Grant Denyer to host Ten’s Ellen DeGeneres’ Game of Games spinoff

Four weeks after his Family Feud show was axed by Ten, Grant Denyer has been revealed as the host of the network’s upcoming Game of Games show.

Ten announced a local version of the Ellen Degeneres’ US game of games spin off last month with an Australian reworking of UK quiz Pointless being slated for the 6pm slot left vacant by Family Feud.

A Ten spokesperson was unable to confirm to Mumbrella when the show would go to air or in which time slot.

“Ellen is an idol of mine, so to land this opportunity makes me so excited I’m dizzy! Game Of Games is a smash hit in America. It’s wildly fun and something completely brand new and different for Australia. I can’t wait to step on set and run amuck with this,” Denyer said in Ten’s announcement.

DeGeneres’ family friendly show is a combination of quiz and activity games which sees contestants manoeuvre obstacles, answer questions under time pressure and face mystery challenges.

In his statement Denyer added: “Of course Ellen is famous for causing havoc with her crazy studio games, and Game Of Games is the mother of them all. A next level stadium spectacular, with the ridiculousness cranked up to eleven. Think, the game ‘Mousetrap’ but with real humans. That level of crazy! It’s super fun & Aussies are gonna love it.”

The hour-long show has been commissioned from Warner Horizon Unscripted & Alternative Television in association with Telepictures and A Very Good Production, which is owned by DeGeneres.

Ten has struggled in the 6pm Family Feud spot for some years. In 2014, its first year, the show’s averaged an audience of 581,177. At the time of axing this year, Family Feud’s average audience, based on OzTAM data, sat at 281,483.

Along with Game of Games, Denyer also hosts Sydney’s 2Day FM Breakfast show with Em Rusciano and Ed Kavalee. Kavalee and Denyer are the 10th and 11th hosts or Sydney breakfast since the departure of Kyle and Jackie O at the end of 2013.

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