New Gameshow: Claire Hooper‘s House of Games is hitting ABC each weeknight at 6.30pm

You can’t beat a good old game show on the ABC. In recent years, they’ve been a tad thin on the ground — we’ve had to fill the void with constant reruns of Spicks And Specs, with the odd new episode of the perennial fave sprinkled in for good measure.

Thankfully, this week sees a new locally produced format hit the channel — and it’s a ripper.

Based on the UK version, which stars comedian, author and writer Richard Osman in the hosting hotseat, Claire Hooper’s House Of Games is coming to ABC from Monday to Friday with her at the helm — and it’s shaping up to be a great addition to the weeknight line-up.

“It’s a quiz show for celebrities to play for your enjoyment, and it’s a mix of trivia and actual puzzle games,” says Hooper, host of the Aussie version of the show.

Each week, House of Games sees four celebrities sit alongside her to play a mix of head-scratching games, all designed to test the players’ “competitiveness and mental prowess”.

It’s a simple premise, yet trickier than it may at first seem.

“You don’t just have to know the name of a sportsperson who won a gold medal in such and such a year, you also have to be able to rustle up, say for example, a city in the world that rhymes with their name — all at the same time!” Hooper says.

“Then you’ve got to put it together, answer the question, and all under time pressure — so these celebrities are really having to put their brains through quite a few acrobatic moves.

“I think one of the joys of watching the show for people at home is not just that they’ll be able to play along, but that they’ll be able to discover how many celebrities they’re smarter than!”

That, in particular, is heaps of fun — in one episode in the first week, ex-Bulldogs captain and one-time Fremantle assistant coach Bob Murphy bombs out spectacularly.

“I had high expectations for him, because he is so wise,” Hooper says.

“I thought he’d be good, because he does live radio (Murphy is now co-host of the breakfast program for ABC radio in Melbourne) — but he was just terrible at the game.

“He does get better (through the week) but yeah, he did NOT start strong.”

It’s easy for Hooper to cast judgement from her hosting chair.

She readily admits if she were sitting alongside herself, so to speak, she may not fare so well.

“I just get to sit in the chair explaining the games and having lots of laughs as I watch people play,” she says. “And from my chair, I feel so good at it!

“I will be sitting there getting (the answers), but I don’t know whether that is because there is no pressure on me.

“Like, I’m probably only thinking I’m good at it, because I’m not actually playing for points.”

It’s all a lot of fun, and well worth a return to television for Hooper, who since stepping away from her hosting duties of The Great Australian Bake Off in 2022, has been focusing on her stand-up career.

When we speak to her she’s full-tilt in a run of shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Needless to say, it’s been a busy time for the seasoned comedian.

“That has been 22 shows, with three nights off,” she says. “But actually, I’m directing two shows, so I haven’t actually got those nights off.

“But it’s not too bad. My days are busy, and I’m working at night and really leaning on my husband, but he’s a legend and he cooks all the dinners and packs all the school lunches, so it’s manageable.”

The day after her show ends, House Of Games starts airing on the TV, “so I may end up feeling a bit dizzy all over again,” she concedes.

“But you know, you just keep running, then you never fall in a heap, right?”

Hooper has indeed been running, ever since she burst on to the comedy scene back in 2004 after winning the West Aussie finals of triple j’s Raw Comedy competition.

Her career has taken her from suburban Perth all the way to the east coast, and a career in television, becoming one of the country’s best-known — and most loved — comedians.

But there’s something about this latest hosting role that seems particularly apt.

“We’re a big board game household,” she says.

“Like, we have a whole cupboard of card games, a lot of jigsaw puzzles, and we like doing all the Connections, and the Wordles.

“My mum and I also do cryptic crosswords together, so we’re basically our very own House Of Games.

“I was like, ‘This could not be more in my pocket!’.”

What Hooper likes about the show, is it is not a traditional game show competition. For a start there is no studio audience, and the prizes are basic — the first week, contestants, including Peter Helliar, Zan Rowe, Murphy, and comedian Geraldine Hickey, are playing for . . . a fondue set.

And yes, you just read that right — fondue.

“But of course, it’s all great. And nobody is losing $100,000,” Hooper says.

“(The contestants) are just playing for a fondue set, or also just to impress their fellow celebrities.

“So the stakes aren’t too high. And as expected — it’s a delight.”

And if early episodes we’ve seen are anything to go by, this could well become an ABC staple.

“I really hope so,” Hooper says.

“I’m not saying we are better than Spicks — nothing is better than Spicks And Specs — what I think we’ve got over them is that it’s a little more ageless; and you don’t necessarily have to have a solid amount of trivia, just the ability to think fast. “

Hooper hopes it’s the start of many more seasons.

“I would love more than anything to be able to play a whole lot of those games again,” she says.

“So let’s cross our fingers we get to do some more.”

Claire Hooper’s House Of Games starts Monday April 21 at 6.30pm on ABC.