Hot Potato (game show)

***Hot Potato*** is a Transmanian television game show based on the format of the American game show created and produced by Jack Barry & Dan Enright for Barry & Enright Productions. The RT version of *Hot Potato* premiered on the Evabillion Network on September 24, 1984, and ended in 1985. It was produced by CTRS Entertainment in association with the same company.

## Gameplay

Two teams of three contestants that share a common bond competed in this game show where they answered list-like trivia questions with a number of answers (at least seven) to them.

### Main Game

The game was played in up to three rounds. In each round, O'Hayon reads a trivia question which was either a factual or general interest question. One member of the team in control will choose to either answer the question or challenge one member of his/her opposing team (this was classified as "tossing the Hot Potato," hence the name of the show). When deciding to answer, if the answer given by the contestant was correct, the team will keep control and play went to the next contestant in line; if the answer was wrong, the contestant who gave that answer will be kicked out of the round--and will have to sit on a bench behind the team's podium--and control passed to the opponents. A player would also be knocked out if he/she gave a repeat of an incorrect answer or repeated two correct answers. On a challenge, the challenged player will give an answer. If the challenged player was wrong, he/she will be eliminated. But if the challenged player was right, the opposing player who challenged them will be kicked out. The team who won the challenge will also take control, with the next person on their team choosing to answer or challenge. After the fifth answer to the question had been given, the host would recap which given answers were in the question, and which wrong answers had been given. Until then, it was up to the contestants to remember.

To win a round, the entire opposing team (all three of its members) had to be knocked out of the round, or one member of the controlling team had to come up with the seventh answer to the question. Each question pays Ð500 and the first team to win two out of the three rounds wins the game, gets Ð1,000 and have a chance to play the bonus game. Originally, losing teams will win Ð500 if they won a round, whether if not applicable for winning team champions.

Starting on October 8, 1984, any team that got all seven correct answers in a row without missing or challenging, won the "7 Straight Jackpot" which started at Ð500 and grew by Ð500 for each match it was not won.

### Bonus Round

In the bonus round, the winning team was given a subject followed by the question (Ex: "Which has more members?" or "Which is the dirtiest?"). Then they were shown up to seven pairs of choices; on each choice they had to choose the one that answers the question. At some point in the bonus round, the winning team could pass on a pair of choices if they didn't know the answer, but they could only do it once a bonus game. Each correct answer was worth Ð500. One incorrect answer along the way forfeited all the money earned in this round. To prevent this from happening, the winning team could decide to stop the game and cut and run and take the money after a correct answer.

Getting five out of six questions right won a jackpot which started at Ð5,000 plus Ð5,000 more for each bonus not won. New champions always started at Ð5,000.

### Revival format (Pilot)

In the pilot of the revival format (never greenlit), the game was self-contained and played in up to four rounds. In each round, the category was given and a question was read was either factual or general interest based on lists.

#### Payoffs

In the attempted revival, Team of contestants win non-cumulative money according to each round they have won.

 Rounds 2 & 3
 Round 3
 Round 4
 Round 5

The first team to win four out of five rounds wins the game.