Nine’s Today Backpedals On Refusal To Give Retiree $40,000 Cash Prize

Nine’s Today Backpedals On Refusal To Give Retiree $40,000 Cash Prize

A courteous “hello” this morning almost caused a retired fisherman to lose $40,000 on Nine’s Today Show.

The viewer, Steve Donohue from Mollymook on the NSW south coast, groggily answered a call from Today hosts, but instead of answering it with the prize-winning phrase, “I wake up with Today” Donohue said: “Hello, I wake up with Today“.

That fateful “hello” initially made the poor bloke ineligible for the cash booty.

However, B&T has now learnt Donohue was, in fact, a winner.

Releasing a statement on the fiasco, Nine posted to the Today Show Facebook page:

“We have an update for you on our Cash Call this morning. We’ve reviewed the call and listened very carefully to the recording, and have determined that Steve did answer correctly with “I wake up with TODAY”. Congratulations, you’ll be receiving $40,000 from us!”

While streamers and confetti initially fell from the studio roof, the show’s producers quickly informed the hosts via earpieces that Donohue had contravened the game’s rules.

Today host Ben Fordham awkwardly told viewers that it was unable to pay the money due to legal reasons and that other players of the game had missed out on doing something similar.

Viewer backlash was swift with some even calling for a boycott of the stalwart breakfast show.

Many viewers described the decision as “harsh” while another tweeted: “Boycott Today Show 9 and stop wasting your money and time to get on list to be called. Shame on You Today.”

For his part, Donohue was far more conciliatory and accepted the blunder was his fault.

The 65-year-old retired fisherman telling the Daily Mail: “I was extremely disappointed when they refused me but I accepted the result. I blew it – it was my fault.”

Thankfully, an hour later Donohue received a call from Channel Nine saying that on review, the network would happily reward him the $40,000.




Please login with linkedin to comment

Channel Nine Today Show

Latest News

GroupM Hires Former Amazon Ads Global Head Of Performance 
  • Advertising

GroupM Hires Former Amazon Ads Global Head Of Performance 

Marc Lomas will lead GroupM’s retail media arm as ad spend in the sector soars. GroupM has appointed one of the industry’s top retail media executives to lead its commerce and retail media business in Australia and New Zealand. Marc Lomas, who joins as managing director of commerce, spent seven years at Amazon Ads, most […]

DV Uncovers New Large-Scale Audio Ad Fraud Scheme That Spoofed Over 500,000 Devices In March 2024 
  • Media

DV Uncovers New Large-Scale Audio Ad Fraud Scheme That Spoofed Over 500,000 Devices In March 2024 

DoubleVerify ‘Fraud Lab’ discovered that, for the first time, smart audio speakers were spoofed by fraudsters. DoubleVerify (DV) announced the discovery of “FM Scam”, the latest audio fraud scheme to date that was identified and mitigated by DV’s ‘Fraud Lab’ using a proprietary combination of AI-powered technology and human review. “FM Scam” represents the second […]

Introducing BrandComms.AI, Forethought Revolutionises How Brands Do Effective Creative
  • Advertising

Introducing BrandComms.AI, Forethought Revolutionises How Brands Do Effective Creative

Marketing advisory, strategy and analytics company Forethought announced the launch of BrandComms.AI, a Gen AI platform that generates on-demand creative ideas built on consumer behaviour and tested with real consumers for efficacy. Lead image: top left to right, Ken Roberts, Isobell Roberts, bottom left to right, Jaimee Lincoln, Daniel Lord. The BrandComms.AI models are customised […]

Independent Media Agencies Of Australia (IMAA) Announces Record 44 New Group Deals For 2024
  • Advertising

Independent Media Agencies Of Australia (IMAA) Announces Record 44 New Group Deals For 2024

The Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA) announced a record number of new group deals for its members, offering additional savings on everything from workplace cultural health checks to research and data insights.Lead image: Sam Buchanan, IMAA CEO. The new deals provide members with savings on insurance, along with industry reporting tools, HR, management, data, out-of-home verification, […]

After Google Search Spike, Reddit Shares Jump 14% In First Quarterly Results Since IPO
  • Technology

After Google Search Spike, Reddit Shares Jump 14% In First Quarterly Results Since IPO

Reddit shares are on the up after the website released its first quarterly results since its IPO in March. Reddit’s revenue beat expectations coming in at $243 million vs the $212.8 million expected by LSEG. The site’s ad revenue increase put it firmly ahead of its competitors: Reddit reported $222.7 million in ad revenue for […]

Gippsland Dairy Celebrates The Deliciousness Of Patience With ‘Slow Good’ Platform Via Special
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns

Gippsland Dairy Celebrates The Deliciousness Of Patience With ‘Slow Good’ Platform Via Special

Gippsland Dairy Yogurt is launching a new brand platform this week celebrating the unique, time-consuming process by which it is crafted. “In a category and industry focused on quick production and lowest cost, Gippsland Dairy has been able to retain its award-winning texture and taste by keeping true to its unique production method. We’re thrilled […]

Let Them Eat Cake: Cashed-Up Professionals Are Back In CBDs And Airports And They Want Their Audis
  • Media

Let Them Eat Cake: Cashed-Up Professionals Are Back In CBDs And Airports And They Want Their Audis

Offices and airports have become key hubs for social connectivity and brand engagement for today’s affluent business professionals, exclusive new research from oOh!media has found. In the post pandemic era, the study ‘A Professional Perspective’ by strategic consumer insights consultancy Nature, revealed 83 per cent of business professionals say while hybrid work is the new […]

Mariah Carey Lends Her Inimitable Voice to ‘Portrait of a Portrait’, Audible’s Latest ‘Words + Music’ Installment
  • Advertising

Mariah Carey Lends Her Inimitable Voice to ‘Portrait of a Portrait’, Audible’s Latest ‘Words + Music’ Installment

Audible announced that Mariah Carey’s ‘Words+Music‘ installment, ‘Portrait of a Portrait’, will debut on Thursday, May 23, exclusively from Audible. In the 40th volume of Audible’s franchise, the best-selling, award-winning visionary will immerse listeners in an enchanting Butterfly Lounge session that is not only an unparalleled auditory experience, but a masterclass in the art of […]

AiMCO Announces New Member Webinar To Deep-dive Into The Intricacies Of Influencer Agreements
  • Advertising
  • Marketing

AiMCO Announces New Member Webinar To Deep-dive Into The Intricacies Of Influencer Agreements

The Australian influencer marketing council (AiMCO) announced its new ‘Influencer Agreements 101’ webinar – a deep-dive into influencer agreements between brands and influencers, or their agencies. Lead image: Tegan Boorman, guiding council chair, AIMCO. The webinar, to be held on May 14, will explore the intricacies of legal and contractual agreements between brands, agencies and […]

TikTok’s Head Of People AUNZ Laura Chuck Leaves After Nearly 4 Years
  • Technology

TikTok’s Head Of People AUNZ Laura Chuck Leaves After Nearly 4 Years

TikTok’s head of people for Australia and New Zealand Laura Chuck has left after nearly four years in the role. In an emotional LinkedIn post, Chuck said “It’s with mixed emotions that I bid farewell to my incredible journey at TikTok, where I’ve spent nearly four incredible years”. Chuck joined TikTok in June 2020 and was […]

News Corp Australia Gets Ready For D_Coded 2024
  • Media

News Corp Australia Gets Ready For D_Coded 2024

News Corp Australia will be unveiling transformative solutions to navigating today’s rapidly changing digital landscape at the company’s annual D_Coded event next week. Over two days in Sydney and Melbourne, a series of live presentations and product announcements will outline how brands can gain a strategic advantage, build stronger customer relationships and achieve long-term growth. […]

Ideally Continues high growth trajectory, appoints senior marketing lead
  • Marketing

Ideally Continues high growth trajectory, appoints senior marketing lead

Ideally has appointed international brand marketer Maura Halpin to the newly created role of marketing lead, effective immediately. The appointment comes at a pivotal time in the brand’s ambitious growth strategy following its launch in August 2023. Since launch Ideally has announced a $2.15m seed investment has grown to nearly 20 staff across Australia and […]

Feel-Good Gin! The Oasis Committee And Spirit of Little Things Collab On Charity Gin
  • Campaigns

Feel-Good Gin! The Oasis Committee And Spirit of Little Things Collab On Charity Gin

The Oasis Committee in partnership with Spirit of Little Things has created the perfect bottle of gin for every media office bar cart with all proceeds from the signature gin to go towards Oasis Project and Western Australia’s disadvantaged youth. The Oasis Committee is focused on leveraging the power of the WA advertising and communications […]

Shot of a young programmer working at his computer with an overlay of computer graphics
  • Media

Media-Wize Wins AUSCERT PR Account

Media-Wize calls itself "a media training and technology and cyber security PR agency". Think nerds with better hair.