AACTA Reg Grundy Award to back new TV entertainment ideas
The widow of Australian television mogul Reg Grundy is looking to continue his legacy by helping to bankroll budding entrepreneurs.
The widow of Australian television mogul Reg Grundy is looking to continue his legacy by helping to bankroll a budding entrepreneur with a new idea for a TV entertainment show.
Joy Chambers-Grundy has partnered with Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts to create the AACTA Reg Grundy Award, consisting of an annual $50,000 prize, for the most original idea for a new entertainment program.
Ms Chambers-Grundy said the award had been created to “help discover budding entrepreneurs of Australian entertainment” in her late husband’s name.
“We hope like-minded Australians are able to emulate the spirit of Reg and create formats for new shows,” Ms Chambers-Grundy said.
“Reg’s philosophy, ‘be local to be global’, amassed for him international success producing local versions of television shows for each country and saw him pursue his lifelong passion of entertaining people.”
The award comes six months after Ms Chambers-Grundy reached a confidential settlement with her stepdaughter over Grundy’s $900m fortune following a protracted legal battle.
The revered TV boss, who made his fortune by creating TV shows, died at the age of 92 in 2016.
AACTA chief executive Damian Trewhella says Grundy was one of the first to produce an Australian TV show by turning his radio game show Wheel of Fortune into a TV format for the Nine Network in 1959.
Grundy became an Australian household name in the 1970s and 80s, producing game and drama shows, including Sale of the Century, The Price Is Right, Perfect Match, Prisoner, Sons and Daughters and Neighbours.
Mr Trewhella said there was more opportunity now for a show to get picked up by a broadcaster or streaming service.
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