Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

The Great Australian Spelling Bee (season 2)

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No. of episodes
  
10

Number of episodes
  
10

Winner
  
Tristan

Original network
  
Network Ten Eleven

Country of origin
  
Australia

Original release
  
17 July (2016-07-17) – 17 September 2016 (2016-09-17)

The second season of The Great Australian Spelling Bee premiered on Network Ten on 17 July 2016. The season sees Grant Denyer and Chrissie Swan return as hosts.

Contents

Poor ratings for the initial episodes of the season saw the series moved from Sundays to the lower viewed Saturday from its fifth episode. From its 7th episode, the show was moved to Network Ten's sister channel, Eleven.

Format

This is the structure of the series for season two:

Spelling Bee (Individual Spelling)

Each speller is divided into different groups, which includes four people in each group. Each of these groups compete in a traditional spelling bee where they spell until there are only two spellers left. If all four spell correctly or incorrectly in the same round, they will all spell again until two remain.

Show and Spell

Each team member must line up behind a buzzer. Clues and letters are revealed until a speller buzzes to identify the word that the clues point to. If a speller spells a correctly identified word accurately, they gain a point for their team. The first two teams to reach a score of three are safe. The third and final team must face an individual Spelling Bee, where two members will be sent home.

Speed Spell Relay

This Speed Spell is a team relay challenge. One team at a time steps into the super-sized Spell Gate and are given 60 seconds to correctly spell as many words correctly. When a speller makes a mistake that speller will step out of the Spell Gate and the other team members continue. The challenge ends when 60 seconds have passed or all team members have made a mistake. The team with the least amount of words spelt at the end of the round will go into Spelling Bee.

Superword

In Superword, duos have to find words in a grid of nine letters revealed on the big screen. Words must contain five letters or more and include the centre letter. Spellers can use a letter only once and cannot name a word already given by another team. Whenever a speller of a team thinks they have identified a word they buzz in. Once identified correctly they must spell the word correctly to win a point for their team. The first five teams to get three points are safe. If a duo identifies the Superword, word using all nine letters, they immediately receive safe passage to the next show. The two bottom teams will play in Spelling Bee.

Speed Spell Duo

With the rules similar to Speed Spell Relay, this Speed Spell is a team of two challenge with the two spellers stepping into the Spell Gate together. The team is given 60 seconds to spell as many words correctly as possible. The spellers will each spell one word at the time taking turns. When a speller makes a mistake that speller will step out of the Spell Gate and the other speller continues spelling. The challenge ends when 60 seconds have passed or both team members have made a mistake. Once all teams have had a turn, the bottom two teams will go into Spelling Bee.

Laser Letters

In Laser Letters, a new challenge for 2016, each team stand behind a buzzer podium facing the big screen. The pronouncer will read out four words that appear via a laser projection on the big screen, visible for a short amount of time. To keep the spellers on their toes, one word will be spelt incorrectly. Once a speller thinks they have identified the mistake they must buzz in and spell the word correctly. When they identify and spell the word correctly they win a point for their team. The first two teams to three points are safe, the other two teams will go into Spelling Bee.

Superword

In Superword, spellers have to find words in a grid of nine letters revealed on the big screen. Words must contain five letters or more and include the centre letter. Spellers can use a letter only once and cannot name a word already given by another speller. Whenever a speller thinks they have identified a word they buzz in. Once identified correctly they must spell the word correctly to win a point. The first two spellers to get five points are safe. If a speller identifies the Superword, word using all nine letters, they immediately receive safe passage to the next show. The rest move on to play the Spelling Bee. Zachary Annie Zeke Tristan & Ava is in the Top 5 Zoe Spell her Word Right & Wrong

Speed Spell

Each speller steps into the Spell Gate, which lights up during a 60-second countdown. Spellers must spell as many words correctly as possible. If a mistake is made, the speller's time stops. The top speller who completes the most number of correct words in the least amount of time is safe from eliminated, while the rest move on to play Spelling Bee. Zeke is eliminated Zachary Tristan Annie & Ava will Go Straght the Grand Final.

Letter by Letter Knock-Out

Each speller take a turn to give one letter at a time to the spelling of a given word. When a speller gives the last letter of the spelling, the next speller repeats that word to get the next word from the pronouncer and spells out the first letter of that new word. The challenge continues until a speller makes a mistake. That speller is out of the round and the challenge continues until there is one speller standing. Playing three rounds will deliver the three spellers to compete in the final Spelling Bee to determine who the Spelling Bee champion is for 2016. Tristan Won the Great Australian Spelling Bee Champion for 2016. 3 Spellers will be Safe and Go to the Ultimate Spelling Bee is Annie Zachary Tristan

Elimination Chart

Key
S&S: Show and Spell
SW: Superword
SSR: Speed Spell Relay
SSD: Speed Spell Duo
LL: Laser Letters
SB: Spelling Bee
LLKO: Letter by Letter Knock-Out

     Eliminated      Safe (Spelling Bee)      Won Challenge      Third Place      Runner-Up      Winner

Episode 1 (17 July)

Each of the 36 spellers were put into a group containing four spellers (according to age), with only two from each team making it through to the Top 18. Luca & Alistair, Annie & Zeke, Hanna & Josie, Max & Tristan, Zoe & Ava, Faiza & Jessica, Beau & James, William & Arya, and Zachary & Rory made it to the Top 18

Top 18

Episode 2 (24 July)

The spellers had their first Team challenge of Show & Spell, based on words to do with Space. The spellers were put into 3 different teams of 6 (red, blue yellow ) based on the badge they chose . For each word they got right, they received a point for their team, if they got it wrong, their team was locked out. The first two teams who got to 3 points first were safe; they didn't go to spell again, but the spellers in the teams that lost would have to compete in a Spelling Bee, the 2 Teams who got their word wrong first they will be eliminated

Notes

  • The spellers of the spelling bee spelt in this order: Zoe, Hanna, Faiza, Ava, Arya, Luca.
  • The spelling bee lasted 3 rounds.
  • Faiza was the only speller who had spelt her word incorrectly in the second round, and so she was eliminated first.
  • Arya was the only speller who had spelt her word incorrectly in the third round, so she was eliminated.
  • Team Blue James Jessica Josie Alistair Max & Zeke Team Red Rory William Annie Zachary Tristan & Beau Team Yellow Luca Arya Hanna Ava Zoe & Faiza
  • Notes

  • Teams went up to spell in this order: Green, Yellow, Blue, Red.
  • All spellers in the Green and Yellow teams had correctly spelt their words, but Max in the blue team and Luca in the yellow team had spelt their word incorrectly, at the 7th and 11th words respectively.
  • Both spellers who spelt their words incorrectly were the third member of the team to spell.
  • Luca stepped out of the gate while time was up, but they had already surpassed the word count of the Blue team.
  • The spellers of the spelling bee spelt in this order: James, Max, Alistair, Josie.
  • The spelling bee lasted two rounds.
  • The second round saw James spelling his word incorrectly, Max correctly, Alistair incorrectly confirming Max to be safe, and Josie correctly, eliminating James and Alistair.
  • Team Blue Jessica Zachary Rory Hanna got 11 Points Team Green Zoe Ava William Annie got 11 Points Team Yellow Beau Zeke Luca Tristan got 10 Points Team Red Alistair James Max Josie got 9 Points
  • Episode 4 (7 August)

    The spellers compete in a new challenge Superword.

    Notes

  • No speller had correctly identified the Superword, being "Periscope".
  • The spellers of the spelling bee spelt in this order: Beau, Jessica, Zeke, and William.
  • The spelling bee of this episode only lasted one round, as Beau and William had spelt their first words wrong.
  • Team Green Annie & Hanna
  • Team Orange Ava & Zoe
  • Team Purple Josie & Tristan
  • Team Pink Max & Rory
  • Team Yellow Luca & Zachary
  • Team Blue Beau & Jessica
  • Team Red Willam & Zeke
  • Episode 5 (13 August)

    The spellers take on their second Show and Spell, the theme being Snowy Weather. Team Spellers Spelling Bee

    Red Zoe Ava Annie Jessica 3 Points (Safe 1st) Blue Luca Zachary Zeke Tristan 3 Points (Safe 2nd)

    Yellow Max Josie Rory Hanna 1 Point
    (Last Place)

    Episode 6 (20 August)

    The spellers take on the spell gate again to compete in Speed Spell Duo.

    Episode 7 (27 August)

    The spellers compete in a new challenge Laser Letters. This involves the identification of a spelling mistake and spelling it correctly in order to get a point. The first two teams to get 3 points will be safe. The 2 teams that didn't achieve 3 points will go to the Spelling Bee, where 2 contestants will be eliminated.

    Episode 8 (3 September)

    The spellers compete for a second time in Superword.

    Episode 9 (10 September)

    The spellers take on the spell gate again to compete in Speed Spell.

    Episode 10 (17 September)

    The Spellers compete in Letter by Letter Knock-Out.

    Ratings

    Colour key:
         Highest rating episode during the series      Lowest rating episode during the series

    References

    The Great Australian Spelling Bee (season 2) Wikipedia