The Amazing Race Australia

Sticky and Sam (TAS)

Geoff, or “Sticky” to his mates, and Sam met at school in Launceston 12 years ago and have been best friends ever since.

These flatmates also compete together in the same cricket and football clubs – no mean feat given Sticky was born without a left forearm.

“Sticky’s just an inspirational bloke. He’s better than me at just about anything, including with the ladies!” says Sam.

And the boys are determined that nothing will hold them back on the race. Continue reading »

Shane and Andrew (VIC)

These police officers from Melbourne may have very serious jobs as crime scene officers, but they love nothing more than having a laugh.

“We entered the race because we think we’ve got the perfect blend,” says Shane. “We’ve got the skills and the fitness. But mainly we want to have fun, because if you’re having fun the big one will take care of itself – the big two fiddy!”
“I think as crime scene officers we do have more attention to detail,” says Andrew. “I’ll have the best chance of winning with Shane, no doubt about it.”

Shane and Andrew have worked together at the same police station for the last six years. Continue reading »

Ross and Tarryn (VIC)

This father and daughter duo from Melbourne have experienced their share of sporting triumph, but will their competitive instincts be enough to help them win The Amazing Race Australia?

Ross is a former Fitzroy footballer turned successful businessman. His daughter Tarryn was a Victorian representative basketball player who now works as a dietician and personal trainer.

“When I played footy it was all about winning. Second best was not good enough,” says Ross.

Ross was Fitzroy’s Vice-Captain for three years and named the club’s Best and Fairest Player in 1984. Continue reading »

Paul and Steve (VIC)

These workmates from Victoria spend their days together and share a ruthless competitive edge, but that’s where the similarities end.

“We work for a road building company, but he’s the accountant and I get my hands dirty,” explains Steve, who works with the company’s construction contractors.

Even though the furthest they’ve travelled together is “down the road to get lunch”, these unlikely teammates are in the race to win.

“I used to be an overweight kid,” explains Paul. “I grew up being bullied, then I got into bodybuilding. So I will be testing my results in a competitive environment.” Continue reading »

Michelle and Jo (NSW)

They may be bubbly, blonde cheerleaders, but these identical twins from Sydney are out to prove there’s more to them than meets the eye.

Michelle and Jo not only look alike, they also drive the same type of car, work in the same job as ground staff for an airline and more often than not finish each other’s sentences.

“We’ve got the travel side of things sorted through our knowledge from work,” says Michelle.

Jo adds, “Plus we’re fit from the dancing. We’re competitive. We’ve competed in surf lifesaving championships.” Continue reading »

Lucy and Emilia (NSW)

Lucy & Emilia (NSW)

Larger-than-life Sydney sisters with a strong Italian heritage, Lucy and Emilia do everything together.
They live together at home with their mum, work together as teachers at the same school, and have recently taken up training together at the gym.

“It’s more for the perve factor than anything else. We go together as much as we can,” says older sister Lucy, 36.

It was she who gave younger sister Emilia, 30, the nickname “Wog Barbie” when they were growing up. “You know, big hair. Loves dressing up. And we’re wogs, obviously,” Lucy laughs.

Emilia adds, “I guess we do have quite a few of those classic Italian traits. We’re passionate, we talk with our hands, we talk a lot, we cry a lot, we laugh a lot!” Continue reading »

Kym and Donna (QLD)

Describing themselves as “a couple of old knuckleheads in love”, recently-engaged Kym and Donna have only been together for just over a year and are still finding it hard to keep their hands off each other.

“She was the receptionist at my office and I thought she was cute,” says Kym, 46, of how they met.

However it hasn’t all been plain sailing for this quirky, loved-up couple from Brisbane, who almost lost everything in the Queensland floods.

“We both lost our jobs,” explains 42 year old Donna. “I couldn’t find anywhere to live. I had no job which has never happened to me before. We were in a mess.” Continue reading »

Joseph and Grace (NSW)

Sydney siblings Joseph and Grace still live together under the same roof, but these days they rarely spend much time together.

“She has her friends and I have my friends,” says 22-year-old Joseph.

“Joey is embarrassed by me,” insists Grace, 21. “He doesn’t want me to talk to his friends because he thinks I might say something to embarrass him.”

Joseph adds, “With Grace it’s like throwing a tennis ball at a wall – you’re never sure exactly which way it’s going to bounce off. She’s pretty erratic.” Continue reading »

James and Sarah (VIC)

The 9 year age difference between James, 23, and Sarah, 32, is something their friends and family sometimes find hard to overlook.

“A lot of people see it as a kind of cougar and toy boy type of thing,” says divorcee Sarah. “But let them think what they want to think.”

This volatile Melbourne couple started as friends and freely admit their romantic relationship is often on-again/off-again, or as Sarah says “a bit of a car crash”.
“It’s kind of like we can’t live with each other – we tried that and it didn’t work. But we can’t live without each other either,” says bar manager James. Continue reading »

Reality Highlights: 5-9 March 2012 & The Week To Come

Another week of eliminations bestowed us and it was a bigger week than previously thought. Let’s go back, see what you missed, and what you have to look forward to.

Excess Baggage first, and this week was a short week of sorts. The contestants headed to Sydney for Sports Week, which saw the contestants partake in both a football-style spirit challenge, and a pentathlon in the form of an endurance challenge.

The spirit challenge had them marking balls and playing chasey with them afterwards. The low-intensity challenge still proved too much for Kevin, and he was sent to hospital for a second time, albeit getting the all clear later on.

Dipper and Lana easily won the challenge, and wasn’t that obvious? The surprising thing was, Renae, whose partner Kevin was taken away half way through the challenge, still scored third place, with another unlikely team, the green team, coming second.

In the endurance challenge, the contestants competed in a pentathlon. The events were the high and long jumps, javelin, shot put and a steeple chase. The contestants could only compete in the latter event if they won one of the former four challenges. Dipper, Kate, Lisa and Nathan won the long jump, high jump, shot put and javelin competitions respectively, with Dipper winning the steeple chase.

This led us to the check in. Dipper & Lana, having won both challenges, also won the check in, placing them first for the week. The red team, who I am most interested in at these events, did well as well, avoiding the bottom two for a second time.

It wasn’t such good news for the purple team and the green team. They both fell into the bottom two, and after heartfelt pleas, the green team were sent packing. Gabby couldn’t really take this news at first, but for now, only six teams remain in the competition.

The Biggest Loser also featured a heartfelt elimination. Hamish, the final member of the blue team and love interest for Michelle, was sent home surprisingly, again alongside the undefeatable Graham. It sent Shannan into a headspin before he too left the competition.

Then, the contestants were split into two teams- the old dogs and young pups. The older red and black teams were merged, with the exception of Margie, who evened out the groups a little bit by moving to the young white team.

In the contest, the old dogs were undefeatable, sending Simon on the walk. He was able to give someone, including himself, ‘the secret’. Somewhat controversially, after putting his hand up to go, Lydia eventually also said she wanted to go, and actually took the chance off of Simon.

Lydia was shown the bunker; and now has the power to spy on her fellow contestants.

In a temptation, contestants had to speed ‘date’ 24 visitors. It was an interesting affair that showed how much confidence each contestant has built over the last seven weeks. The young pups were deemed the most charming, winning a dinner date out on the town. For Michelle, the most charming, she won individual immunity.

On the date, Michelle met up with a surprise visit from Hamish- which intensified the imbalance between how much the show shows of Hamish & Michelle and Lisa & Simon. Did you know the latter was even a couple?

To the challenge, and contestants had to cross a narrow beam, over a pool, to the other side, and collect items to bring back to the team. Margie sabotaged the young pups hope of winning by purposely extending her go across the planks before ‘falling’ into the pool, rendering her shot pointless.

The old dogs won the challenge and the right to send someone into an early weigh in without the comfort of last chance training.

We’ll find out their choice on Monday.

My Kitchen Rules eliminated two teams. On Monday, Sam & Jillian lost against Carla & Thomas. The contestants were then made to create some street food for hungry Melbournians. Here, Peter & Gary didn’t impress, and were sent to elimination early.

They were able to face off against enemies Carla & Emily after they lost the double challenge. But, in elimination, the Melbournian sisters were too much of a match for the Queensland couple, and Peter & Gary were eliminated.

So with so much going on last week, what could next week possibly give?

Well, a shock elimination twist is set to shake up the game in Biggest Loser, and it doesn’t look like it will be good news for Margie. After sabotaging the task, could it be that team members of the same team have to vote off a fellow team member?

To Excess Baggage, and the contestants head to Tasmania. I’m fairly sure that they were here when they found out the news that they were moving to GO! Anyway, six teams are left, and by the end of the week, that will be taken down to five.

My Kitchen Rules is also hurtling towards a finale, and it will be going at a quicker pace this week, moving to five nights a week- Sunday- Thursday.

So that’s all the news of the week you have to catch up on! Make sure you’re sticking with us over the next week with all the need-to-know information from all your favourite reality television shows.

LIBRARY

Monday

The Biggest Loser Australia: Singles Season Seven – Weigh In & Elimination #6

Excess Baggage Season One – Sports Week Begins (Spirit Challenge #6)

My Kitchen Rules. Season Three – Episode Twenty One: Sudden Death Elimination

Tuesday

The Biggest Loser Australia: Singles Season Seven – Battle of the Ages Week Begins (Contest #4)

My Kitchen Rules. Season Three – Episode Twenty Two: Food Stall Challenge

Wednesday

The Biggest Loser Australia: Singles Season Seven – The Walk #4 & Temptation #7

Excess Baggage Season One – Endurance Challenge #6

My Kitchen Rules. Season Three – Episode Twenty Three: Second Sudden Death