Todd Woodbridge set to host TIPPING POINT AUSTRALIA

TV Blackbox has learned who will be hosting the replacement show for Millionaire Hot Seat.

After the announcement that Hot Seat Millionaire would be finishing up this year, the industry has been left wondering who would be hosting the replacement show.

Many assumed it would be Eddie McGuire but TV Blackbox can confirm the trusted host will not be front and centre of the new 5pm gameshow.

Instead, it looks like Channel 9 has made the decision to appoint former tennis star Todd Woodbridge as host of Tipping Point.

Sources have confirmed Woodbridge will be the host but entertainment reporter Peter Ford says at this stage he is the odds-on favourite, but possibly not locked in.

My mail suggests he is the host Nine want to front the gameshow.

While there has never been any doubt an Australian version of Tipping Point is going into production, Channel 9 has decided not to confirm the obvious.

Instead, the network seems to be waiting to make the announcement of the show and host at its annual Upfront event to be held on 6 September.

When Woodbridge fronts the Australian edition of the gameshow next year, there will be immense pressure to deliver ratings to the nightly 6pm news.

Recently, Hot Seat had been losing to Channel 7’s The Chase Australia and, as we reported back in April, it was only a matter of time before Nine would have to make the call to replace the show.

Just like The Chase, the UK edition of Tipping Point has been performing strongly in the afternoon. It was the strong ratings for The Chase UK that ultimately convinced Seven to make a local edition, which has been a ratings winner ever since.

Nine will be hoping the addictive nature of Tipping Point will do the same.

And they’ll be hoping Todd Woodbridge will be the perfect fit.

*Channel 9 has been approached for comment