Spicks and Specks (TV series)

This article is about the Australian television series. For the 2014 version of this show, see Spicks and Specks (2014 TV series). For other uses, see Spicks and Specks (disambiguation).

Spicks and Specks
Presented by	Adam Hills
Starring	Alan Brough Myf Warhurst
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
No. of seasons	10
No. of episodes	317
Production
Running time	27 minutes (original run) 58 minutes (new specials) 50 minutes (2021 and later)
Original release
Network	ABC Television
Release	2 February 2005 (2005-02-02) – 23 November 2011 (2011-11-23) 4 November 2018 – present

Spicks and Specks is an Australian music-themed comedic television quiz show in which the host, Adam Hills, asks two teams, of three people each, varying music-themed questions in different games. Team leaders are Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough. Members of each team vary from episode to episode; one per team generally comes from the world of music and the other from comedy. Scores are kept, but the prize for the winners is simply personal satisfaction. Many games are named after, or otherwise reference, well known song titles.

The series originally aired on what was then ABC1 at 8:30pm on Wednesday nights, with the show repeated on Thursdays on what was then ABC2 at 8pm. The previous year's season was repeated every Friday at 2:30pm on ABC1.

After the show's end in 2011, and an unsuccessful 2014 relaunch featuring new hosts, several themed specials aired beginning in 2018 with the original hosts.

Format

The show's general style, employing a mix of music and comedy, is similar to the British show Never Mind the Buzzcocks and fellow Australian TV show RocKwiz , but the question formats and program style (Satirical vs. Family vs. Pub Quiz) are different.

Although there are no prizes for the winners, on rare occasions Hills decides to award some convenient prop for comedic effect – a "Fools' Gold" sandwich very similar (they used strawberry jam as opposed to grape jam) to that eaten by Elvis, for example.

The show takes both its name and theme music from the Bee Gees' 1966 song, Spicks and Specks. The theme music was performed and produced by The Dissociatives, a duo consisting of Silverchair singer Daniel Johns and dance musician Paul Mac, and replaced all the lyrics bar the title refrain with scat singing. In addition, Mac once appeared on the show as a panellist.

The show is hosted by stand-up comedian Adam Hills who poses questions to two three-person teams each headed by a permanent team captain, actor/comedian/author Alan Brough and radio announcer Myf Warhurst. ^[1]

Games in the show include: Substitute, in which one member from each team sings three well-known tunes, substituting unrelated words from a text provided by Hills, while the other team members have to name the song; Cover Versions in which one team's member is chosen to draw pictures (in silence), initially representing an album cover and, in later episodes, song titles, while the other members attempt to name the album/song; Musician or Serial Killer, in which each team member is shown a photograph of a person and is asked to identify whether that person is a musician or a serial killer; and The Final Countdown, always the final game of each program, in which members of both teams compete to be first to attempt to answer general questions on music.

History

Original series (2005–2011)

Guest team members, who varied from week to week, included some regulars: Hamish Blake, Jason Byrne, Frank Woodley, Colin Lane, Ross Noble, James Morrison, Renée Geyer, Ella Hooper, Meshel Laurie, Denise Scott, Antoinette Halloran and Dave O'Neil. With the exception of Dave O'Neil, Blake appeared more often than any other guest panellist, and his comparative lack of musical knowledge was a running gag.

In 2007 during a game called Kid's Music Special, the question "What children's song is contained in the song Down Under?" led to music publisher, Larrikin Music, taking legal action against Men at Work songwriters Colin Hay and Ron Strykert over the main flute riff. After three years of litigation, the lawsuit was settled in favour of Larrikin Music after Down Under was deemed to have used key elements of the Australian children's nursery rhyme Kookaburra. ^[2]

The show returned for its seventh season on 4 May 2011. On 25 May 2011, the ABC announced the seventh season would be last, with the last program on 23 November 2011. ^[3]

2014 relaunch (2014)

Main article: Spicks and Specks (2014 TV series)

The ABC announced on 28 November 2012, during its 2013 program launch, that Spicks and Specks would be returning in the new year but without Hills, Warhurst, or Brough. ^{[4] [5]} The re-launch of the series was delayed by the broadcaster until 2014, with the first episode airing on 5 February. The new host was comedian Josh Earl with Adam Richard and Ella Hooper as team captains. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

The revival was axed after 20 episodes due to low ratings, with the final six recorded episodes airing over the summer non-ratings period.

Themed Specials (2018-2020)

In August 2018, it was announced that the show would be brought back with Hills, Brough, and Warhurst for a reunion episode later that year. ^{[9] [10]} After the episode's success, four more specials, each with a different theme, were commissioned through the end of 2020. ^[11]

2021 relaunch (2021-2022)

In 2021, the ABC announced a new 10-episode series, hosted by Adam Hills and the original team leaders. ^{[12] [13]} Much like those specials and the 2014 series, it featured new games along with classic games, with Know Your Product, Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma, Substitute, and The Final Countdown all appearing in every episode.

The series was filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic while "stage four lockdown" was occurring, leading to some minor changes to the show's set, which was redesigned to have a curved outline, and solo buzzers instead of a single team buzzer. Physical comedy was frequently used in the rebooted series, which mostly came from Dave O'Neil, who appeared as a guitarist, a banana, a lost luggage collector, an ice cream van owner, a mobile DJ, the sole owner of Kurt Cobain's MTV Unplugged guitar, a Zoom comedian who has a puppet bat, a bootleg merchandise seller, and a "Dave-A-Roo" deliveryman.

The ABC renewed the series for a second season in 2022, ^[14] this time with a live audience. The second season premiered on 7 August 2022. ^[15] Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the season's sixth episode was pushed back by a week. ^[16]

Games

In the majority of games, each team gets its own questions to answer – although the other team members may answer the question if the first team doesn't know it. In the remaining games, both teams can answer the questions.

Original series (2005–2011)

Games begun in the original series included:

• Know Your Product , in which each team captain chooses one of four given topics. There are three questions from the topic that either team can answer. The questions are usually ordered by points allocated and the number of answers needed (i.e., the first question is worth one point and requires one answer, the second question is worth two points and requires two answers, and the final question is worth three points and requires three answers). This game is played first in every episode. In special episodes the topic is the show's theme which has five questions of which the fourth and fifth questions have four and five answers respectively. The game is named after the song by The Saints.
• Substitute , in which one member from each team sings three well-known tunes, substituting words from a text provided by Hills. This is usually a technical manual or some kind of text that is humorous given the context (texts used have included Datsun 180B Service Manual, 2004 Australian Government Tax Pack,A Guide to Yabbie Farming and Be Bold with Bananas). The other members of that team then guess the songs. This game is loosely based on One Song to the Tune of Another from the BBC Radio 4 panel game I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue and Adam Hills's own minor hit with Working Class Anthem, in which he sang the lyrics of the Australian National Anthem to the tune of Jimmy Barnes's "Working Class Man". The game is named after the song by The Who.
• Cover Versions in which one team member is chosen to draw pictures (in silence), in initial episodes representing album covers and in later episodes representing song titles. The other team members attempt to name the album/song. The drawings are not allowed to contain words or numbers. Music used during this game is Axel F.
• Samplemania/Videomania, in which five or six songs/music video clips are edited into one 30-second clip. Players must identify the different songs/videos in the clip after they have all been played, and are not allowed to take notes.
• Turning Japanese in which the lyrics of well-known song are translated into Japanese using an online web translator and then translated back into English using the same translator. Contestants must name the title of the original song. The game is named after the song by The Vapors
• Please Please Tell Me Now Hills presents part of a music video clip, and the teams must answer questions about the video. The game is named after a line in Is There Something I Should Know? by Duran Duran
• Musician or Serial Killer, in which each team is shown a photograph of a person and is asked to say whether that person is a musician or a serial killer. Early episodes tasked individual panelists with identification, resulting in six rounds of this game.
• Sir Mix'n'Matchalot , in which each team has to match three famous people with three obscure facts about them. The game title is a play on rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot.
• Bottom 100 in which Hills provides each team with a choice of two awful songs and asks the team members to say which was rated worse by a given group or list. The title of this game is a play on the Triple J Hottest 100.
• You Can Buy Me Love (titled Can Buy Me Love in the 2021 reboot) in which Adam reads out three celebrity-themed items that have been found on eBay (e.g., a tour jacket, keychain with artist/band name). Some of these items are the usual merchandise, whereas others are down-right weird. The teams are then asked to place each item in order from cheapest to the most expensive. The game is named after the song Can't Buy Me Love by The Beatles.
• Common People in which the teams identify the commonality between three musicians/musical personalities or songs/albums. The game is named after the song Love of the Common People by Paul Young.
• Malvern Stars on 45 in which a single team member rides a bicycle which powers a record player. The rotation speed of each record is governed by the team member's pedalling speed. The pedaller must continue until the other team members name as many songs as possible in the time limit. The game is named after the bicycle manufacturer Malvern Star and the band Stars on 45. In the 2021 reboot, a mobile DJ manages the record player.
• Mondegreens , in which teams are given a short piece of text that vaguely sounds like real lyrics or a set of lyrics. Teams must then identify the real lyrics.
• Looking for Clues , in which teams have to name a band from a cryptic clue given by Hills. The game is named after the song by Robert Palmer.
• Look What They've Done... (to my song, ma) (occasionally called Name That Tune) in which song clips have been changed and the players must identify the tracks. Most commonly, a guest artist or group is used to play the tracks in a different style from the original, however the songs have also been played backwards, which later became its own game (Step Back In Time), through headphones played to maximum volume, through ringtones, over the top of each other, or on a malfunctioning radio. The game is named after the song What Have They Done to My Song Ma by Melanie Safka.
• Something's Missing , in which the teams are shown album covers with an item or word blanked out, and must identify the missing item. The game is named after the song Something's Missing (In My Life) by Paul Jabara and Donna Summer.
• One out of Three Ain't Bad , in which teams are given a relatively obscure musical story and are presented with three possible endings. Teams must select the true ending to the story. The game is named after the song Two Out of Three Ain't Bad by Meat Loaf.
• Word Up , in which teams must identify the lyrics of a song from five random words. The game is named after the song by Cameo.
• You're The Voices , in which a member of each team must stand next to the opposite team and sing a song from a book (by singing only la la la). The first team to get its member's song correct wins a point. The game is named after the song by John Farnham.
• All Shook Up , in which each team is shown a series of anagrams of musicians' names (e.g. "Bomb Early" – "Bob Marley"), and team members have to unscramble them. If nobody guesses an anagram immediately, Hills gives a clue. The game is named after the song by Elvis Presley.
• Two Little Words , in which one member of each team is blind-folded by wearing "Spicks Specs" and the others are given the name of a musician or band. The blind-folded member must name the musician or band from one-word clues given by the other two team members. The game is named after the song Three Little Words by The Rhythm Boys. Music used during this game is Green Onions.
• Counting the Beat , in which one member of each team plays songs on a keyboard while the others try to name the song. Keyboardists are given a list of numbers corresponding to the order in which they should play the notes, but are given no indication of the rhythm. The game was introduced in 2008 and is named after the song by The Swingers. In the 2021 reboot, the game is played on a giant keyboard played by feet.
• I'll Jumble For Ya , in which one team member is given thirty seconds to correctly match nine song titles divided in half and mixed up on a magnetic board. The game is named after the song I'll Tumble 4 Ya by Culture Club.
• Step Back in Time , in which songs are played backwards and must be identified by the teams. The game is named after the song by Kylie Minogue.
• What's The Story? , in which a team receives three stories about an opposing team member. Team members must decide whether each story is either true, half true, or untrue. The game is named after the album (What's the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis.
• Turn Turn Turn, in which each team is presented with a sliding block puzzle of a famous album cover, and members have to work together to solve it. Both teams battle it out, and points are given to the team completing its puzzle first. The game is named after the song made famous by The Byrds.
• Reelin' in the Years , in which each team is given 10 songs and 10 years, and have to match the songs to the years of first performance. The game is named after the song by Steely Dan.
• F.A.C.T. In The U.S.A., in which team members are given musical facts based on towns they select on a map of the USA, and have to say whether the fact is true of false. The game is named after the song R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. by John Cougar Mellencamp
• Toss the Telly, in which a member from each team tries to throw TVs out of a hotel window. Points are scored based on how many TVs are successfully thrown.
• Spickety Blanks, in which each team is presented with a quotation from a famous musician in which one of the words is blanked out; team members have give the missing word. This game is a satirical take on the show Blankety Blanks.
• Disco v Punk, in which each team has to knock over punks (bowling pins) with a disco ball (bowling ball.) Points are scored based on how many punks a team is able to knock down.
• Dancing Substitute, in which one member from each team is chosen to perform well-known dance moves for the other members to name. This is a variation of the game Substitute.
• Apprentices Masters, in which teams have to guess album covers that are painted in the style of European masters.
• Sixties Jumble, in which teams are given a set of songs and events, and have to match them to the year they happened/were released.
• Across the Ditch, Bro, in which each team is presented with a list of songs from either Australia or New Zealand, and has to match the songs to their country of origin.
• Mistletoss, in which teams deliver Christmas presents by throwing them into a goal within a given time limit. Points are scored based on how many presents a team successfully delivers. Different variations of this game exist, such as the teams throwing fruit at singers who are keeping baby Jesus awake at the inn, throwing CDs into the chimney of a model house, presents into windows of a rehab clinic or simply into pairs of stockings.
• Who? Who? Who?, in which teams have to identify a music-industry personality dressed in a Christmas outfit.
• The Final Countdown , in which players beat the buzzer to answer generic musical quiz question. This is the only game in which points are deducted for incorrect responses. The game is the final game of each program and is named after the song by Europe.

Many of these games have proven more popular than others. Substitute was used consistently throughout the early history of the show, appearing in almost every episode (although later was occasionally excluded in favour of Cover Versions). Other games were used only every now and then and others were used even less frequently. Some other games which proved to be popular early in the show's history have been used less or even abandoned later including Musician or Serial Killer and Bottom 100. Both were commonly used early in 2005, but rarely later. Some games were also introduced later in the series, and occasionally a game will be temporarily changed in some way (e.g. Musician Or Serial Killer was changed once to ARIA winner or Audience Member on the ARIA special episode), or only ever used in one episode (e.g. Disco v Punk.)

Games introduced in the 2021 series

• Cover Cover Cover Cover Chameleon, in which each team is presented with a person dressed up like someone from a famous album cover, who then reveals a recreation of it using real life objects and a soundstage. The team must identify what album the person is trying to recreate. The game is named after Karma Chameleon by Culture Club.
• Art For Art's Sake, in which the teams are presented with crudely-drawn fan art of famous musicians and must identify the musicians. The game is named after a song by 10cc.
• Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?, where each team is presented with a mysterious musician through a Skype call (with the musician's face and voice replaced), whose identity is revealed after ten "yes or no" questions are asked. The game is named after a song by The Angels. The game itself is based on "Who am I?" games.
• Never Tell Us Apart, in which the teams are presented with clips of two songs with rhyming names (e.g., "Fast Car" / "All Star") played at the same time, and teams must identify each song. The game is named after Never Tear Us Apart by INXS.
• Papa's Left His Brand New Bag, in which each team is presented with an item of baggage left at the airport by famous musicians, and must guess the musician by looking through its contents. Every member is given some unique item, resulting in six rounds of the game. The game is named after Papa's Got a Brand New Bag by James Brown.
• On My List, in which each team is presented a question with multiple possible answers, and the team must write the correct answer.
• Picture This, in which each team is provided a set of "cryptic" images that refer to a song title, and must identify the song title from the images.
• Tuberstylin', in which each team must guess a song based on YouTube comments left on its music video. If a team member does not guess it within a single comment, another comment providing a clearer hint is given. The game is named after Superstylin' by Groove Armada.
• Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fashion, in which each team is presented with five images of a famous musician from different career stages and must sort them from oldest to newest. A song by the artist will play in the background while they sort. The game is named after Fashion by David Bowie.
• Adam and The Antonyms, in which each team must give a song's title from its opposite (e.g., "Wintertime Happiness" / "Summertime Sadness"). The game's name is a play on the name of the English rock band Adam and the Ants.
• Listomania, in which each team is presented with a list of an artist's top five favourite songs, and must give the correct order using a magnetic board. Then a pre-recorded video of the artist explaining the correct order is played. The game's name is a pun on the fan frenzy known as Lisztomania.

Games introduced in the 2022 series

• Secret Song: in which clues to a song are hidden throughout each episode, and teams must identify the song, which is asked as the final question in The Final Countdown. Teams that are correct are awarded five points.
• Stand & Delivery, in which each team must identify a musician from that person's home deliveries. Similar to Papa's Left His Brand New Bag, but teams are given only a single container. The game is named after Stand and Deliver by Adam and the Ants.
• In Da Club , in which all team members must stand in a faux nightclub queue and ask the manager clues about what act is performing. The game is named after the song by 50 Cent.
• The Kids Are Alright , in which teams are shown clips of kids describing music videos, and have to guess which song they are talking about. The game is named after the song by The Who.
• Another Brick in the Wall, in which teams have to guess iconic outfits worn by various musicians. Each outfit is modeled behind a giant wall, with bricks able to be taken out to reveal a part of the outfit. Points decrease as bricks are removed. The game is named after the song by Pink Floyd.

Production

Spicks and Specks was first filmed in Gordon Street, Elsternwick, at Studio 31, before being moved to ABC Melbourne's new studios in Southbank. ^{[17] [18]}

Episodes

Series 1 (2005)

Episode	First broadcast	Alan's team	Myf's team
1	2 February 2005	Cal Wilson & Kram	Dinah Lee & Ross Noble
2	9 February 2005	Eddie Perfect & Ross Wilson	Angie Hart & Hamish Blake
3	16 February 2005	Katie Underwood & Scott Edgar	Jim Keays & Hamish Blake
4	23 February 2005	Beccy Cole & Greedy Smith	Simon Tedeschi & Scott Edgar
5	2 March 2005	Toni Lamond & Andy Lee	Murray Cook & Terri Psiakis
6	9 March 2005	Emma Pask & Jeff Green	Barry Crocker & Cal Wilson
7	16 March 2005	Geraldine Turner & Frank Woodley	Lucky Oceans & Bill Bailey
8	23 March 2005	Terri Psiakis & David Hirschfelder	Loene Carmen & Ross Noble
9	30 March 2005	Ella Hooper & Scott Edgar	James Morrison & Colin Lane
10	6 April 2005	Brian Cadd & Scott Edgar	Slava Grigoryan & Ross Noble
11	13 April 2005	David Hobson & Rich Hall	Angry Anderson & Kitty Flanagan
12	20 April 2005	Toni Lamond & David McCormack	Brian Mannix & Hamish Blake
13	27 April 2005	Deni Hines & Pete Smith	Mick Thomas & Hamish Blake
14	4 May 2005	Beccy Cole & Earl Okin	Frankie J. Holden & Andy Lee
15	11 May 2005	Richard Clapton & Wendy Harmer	Guy Sebastian & David O'Doherty
16	18 May 2005	Diana Doherty & Paul Capsis	Renée Geyer & Colin Lane
17	25 May 2005	Alice McNamara & Rusty Berther	John Paul Young & Wendy Harmer
18	1 June 2005	Todd McKenney & Hamish Blake	Greedy Smith & Denise Scott
19	8 June 2005	Ali McGregor & Scott Brennan	Paul Mac & Greg Fleet
20	15 June 2005	Ella Hooper & Andy Lee	Jud Arthur & Frank Woodley
21	22 June 2005	Emily Taheny & Reg Mombassa	Rob Guest & Colin Lane
22	29 June 2005	Guy Noble & Cal Wilson	Chris Cheney & Dave O'Neil
23	6 July 2005	Maya Jupiter & Shane Bourne	Jimmy Barnes & Scott Edgar
24	13 July 2005	Renée Geyer & Rusty Berther	Normie Rowe & Hamish Blake
25	20 July 2005	Brooke Fraser & Adam Rozenbachs	James Morrison & Frank Woodley
26	27 July 2005	Richard Gill & Cal Wilson	Liam Finn & Greg Fleet
27	3 August 2005	Ali McGregor & Carlotta	Courtney Murphy & Hamish Blake
28	10 August 2005	Katie Melua & Scott Edgar	Marty Rhone & Frank Woodley
29	17 August 2005	Simon Tedeschi & Andy Lee	Murray Cook & Denise Scott
30	24 August 2005	Terri Psiakis & Kram	Rhonda Burchmore & Shane Bourne
31	31 August 2005	Clare Bowditch & Ross Noble	Jane Scali & Tim Ross
32	7 September 2005	Ella Hooper & Gavin Wood	Richard Frankland & Colin Lane
33	14 September 2005	Aaron Choulai & Wilbur Wilde	Venetta Fields & Ross Noble
34	21 September 2005	Jade MacRae & Jonathan Biggins	Johnny Young & Colin Lane
35	28 September 2005	Harry James Angus & Fiona O'Loughlin	Daryl Braithwaite & Dave O'Neil
36	5 October 2005	Geraldine Turner & Pete Smith	Stuart MacLeod & Dave O'Neil
37	12 October 2005	Jenny Morris & Murray Cook	Simon Tedeschi & Hamish Blake
38	19 October 2005	Debra Byrne & Andy Lee	David Hirschfelder & Frank Woodley
39	26 October 2005	Clare Bowditch & Adam Rozenbachs	Glenn Shorrock & Hamish Blake
40	2 November 2005	Russell Morris & Scott Edgar	Todd McKenney & Meshel Laurie
41	9 November 2005	Robert Forster & Dave O'Neil	Sharon O'Neill & Colin Lane
A Very Specky Christmas 2005	18 December 2005	Belinda Emmett & Hamish Blake	James Morrison & Rove McManus

Series 2 (2006)

Episode	First broadcast	Alan's team	Myf's team
1	15 February 2006	Kate DeAraugo & Adam Richard	Peter Brocklehurst & Dave O'Neil
2	22 February 2006	Kate Miller-Heidke & Hamish Blake	Tony Sheldon & Ross Noble
3	1 March 2006	Richard Gill & Eddie Perfect	Toby Allen & Fiona O'Loughlin
4	8 March 2006	Ali McGregor & Danny Bhoy	Alex Lloyd & Ross Noble
5	15 March 2006	Christine Anu & Adam Richard	Billy Field & Denise Scott
6	22 March 2006	Toni Lamond & Adam Rozenbachs	Pete Murray & Colin Lane
7	29 March 2006	Ella Hooper & Grahame Bond	Les Gock & Meshel Laurie
8	5 April 2006	Kate Ceberano & Michael Chamberlin	Murray Cook & Arj Barker
9	12 April 2006	Ella Hooper & Rich Hall	Darryl Cotton & Dave O'Neil
10	19 April 2006	Beccy Cole & Stephen K. Amos	Rosario La Spina & Denise Scott
11	26 April 2006	Chloe Dallimore & Glenn Wool	David Page & Jason Byrne
12	3 May 2006	Ali McGregor & Francis Rossi	Rick Parfitt & Meshel Laurie
13	10 May 2006	Lenka & Earl Okin	Joe Camilleri & Ross Noble
14	17 May 2006	Ngaiire & Lulu McClatchy	Tom Burlinson & Hamish Blake
15	24 May 2006	Yumi Stynes & Wilbur Wilde	Jeff Duff & Dave O'Neil
16	31 May 2006	Jon English & Fiona O'Loughlin	Jon Toogood & Frank Woodley
17	7 June 2006	Tiffany Speight & Colin Lane	Stephen Cummings & Denise Scott
18	14 June 2006	Sarah Lee Guthrie & Gary Eck	Colin Hay & Hamish Blake
19	21 June 2006	Lisa McCune & Colin Lane	Toby Martin & Meshel Laurie
20	28 June 2006	Melinda Schneider & Cal Wilson	Leo Sayer & Dave O'Neil
21	5 July 2006	Renée Geyer & Wilbur Wilde	Molly Meldrum & Mikey Robins
22	12 July 2006	Colleen Hewett & Adam Richard	Justin Burford & Frank Woodley
23	19 July 2006	Simon Tedeschi & Julia Morris	Lee Simon & Dave O'Neil
24	26 July 2006	Denise Drysdale & Steven Gates	Lior & Denise Scott
25	2 August 2006	Diana Doherty & John Chaplin-Fleming	John-Michael Howson & Hamish Blake
26	9 August 2006	Sharon Jones & Meshel Laurie	Martin Plaza & Dave O'Neil
27	16 August 2006	Angie Hart & Amanda Keller	Al Clark & Frank Woodley
28	23 August 2006	Stephanie Ashworth & Andy Lee	John Schumann & Mikey Robins
29	30 August 2006	Mary Schneider & Rusty Berther	Carl Cox & Meshel Laurie
30	6 September 2006	Kirsty McCahon & Hamish Blake	Suffa & Frank Woodley
31	13 September 2006	Debra Byrne & Jesse Griffin	Andy Anderson & Dave O'Neil
32	20 September 2006	Martha Wainwright & Ross Noble	Rob Mills & Hamish Blake
33	27 September 2006	Patience Hodgson & Jonathan Biggins	Val Jellay & Frank Woodley
34	4 October 2006	Antoinette Halloran & Denise Scott	Stephen Mallinder & Anthony Morgan
35	11 October 2006	Ella Hooper & Akmal Saleh	Robin Lumley & Hamish Blake
36	18 October 2006	Rebecca Barnard & Tim Minchin	Mike Brady & Frank Woodley
37	25 October 2006	Grace Knight & Adam Rozenbachs	Dan Kelly & Fiona O'Loughlin
38	1 November 2006	Ian Turpie & Cal Wilson	Dave Graney & Dave O'Neil
39	8 November 2006	Kate Neal & Scott Edgar	Harry James Angus & Denise Scott
40	15 November 2006	Ali McGregor & HG Nelson	Katie Noonan & Hamish Blake
Best of 2006	22 November 2006	Compilation episode – A selection of the best scenes from 2006.
Another Very Specky Christmas	17 December 2006	Debra Byrne & Frank Woodley	Dame Edna Everage & Ross Noble

Series 3 (2007)

Episode	First broadcast	Alan's team	Myf's team
1	14 February 2007	Nancye Hayes & Jonathan Biggins	Dann Hume & Dave O'Neil
2	21 February 2007	Sarah Blasko & Frank Woodley	Brian Ritchie & Hamish Blake
3	28 February 2007	Damien Leith & Andrew McClelland	Fernando Saunders & Meshel Laurie
4	7 March 2007	Lisa Kekaula & Terri Psiakis	Guy Noble & Hamish Blake
5	14 March 2007	Ari Up & Peter Helliar	"Weird Al" Yankovic & Dave O'Neil
6	21 March 2007	Genevieve Lemon & Josh Lawson	Gerry Beckley & Frank Woodley
7	28 March 2007	Rhonda Burchmore & Adam Rozenbachs	Jeff Lang & Dave O'Neil
8	4 April 2007	Taasha Coates & Danny Bhoy	Stuart Maunder & Frank Woodley
9	11 April 2007	Darren Hayes & Tim Minchin	Jonathon Welch & Meshel Laurie
10	18 April 2007	Holly Throsby & Mark Watson	Richard Gill & Jason Byrne
11	25 April 2007	Vika Bull & David O'Doherty	Anthony Callea & Stephen K. Amos
12	2 May 2007	David Hobson & Cal Wilson	Carl Cox & Colin Lane
13 (Mother's Day Special)	9 May 2007	Rebecca Barnard & George McEncroe	Julie Anthony & Denise Scott
14	16 May 2007	Juanita Stein & Anh Do	Gina Jeffreys & Frank Woodley
15	23 May 2007	Niki Vasilakis & Dave O'Neil	Brian Mannix & Denise Scott
16 (100th Episode Special)	30 May 2007	Antoinette Halloran & Hamish Blake	Wilbur Wilde & Amanda Keller
17	6 June 2007	Katy Steele & Shane Jacobson	John Reid & Mikey Robins
18	13 June 2007	Casey Bennetto & Andy Lee	Max Merritt & Julia Morris
19	20 June 2007	Richard Gill & George McEncroe	Laurie Cadevida & Jonathan Coleman
20	27 June 2007	Lyndsay Hammond & Adam Richard	Dave Williams & Hamish Blake
21	4 July 2007	Lin Buckfield & Adam Rozenbachs	Mike Chapman & Peter Helliar
22	11 July 2007	Suzanne Dowling & Scott Edgar	Gotye & Denise Scott
23 (ARIA Hall Of Fame Special)	18 July 2007	Frank Ifield & Cal Wilson	Brian Cadd & Mikey Robins
24	25 July 2007	Ali McGregor & Shane Jacobson	Richard Gottehrer & Russell Howard
25	1 August 2007	Lara Goodridge & Wilbur Wilde	Brian Canham & Hamish Blake
26	8 August 2007	Ella Hooper & Brendon Burns	Jamie Redfern & Fiona O'Loughlin
27	15 August 2007	Tal Wilkenfeld & Justin Hamilton	Geoff Cox & Meshel Laurie
28	22 August 2007	Margret RoadKnight & Hamish Blake	Josh Pyke & Casey Bennetto
29 (Music from the Movies special)	29 August 2007	Emily Browning & Shane Jacobson	Bill Hunter & Dave O'Neil
30	5 September 2007	Antoinette Halloran & Matthew Hardy	Glenn Tilbrook & Denise Scott
31	12 September 2007	Claire Edwardes & Stephen K. Amos	Keith Potger & Frank Woodley
32	19 September 2007	Ali McGregor & Hamish Blake	Paul Grabowsky & Denise Scott
33 (Children's Music Special)	26 September 2007	Charli Robinson & Jay Laga'aia	Justine Clarke & Murray Cook
34	2 October 2007	Emily Browning & Sammy J	Lloyd Cole & Dave O'Neil
35	10 October 2007	Katie Noonan & Gary Adams	Brian Mannix & Andrew Denton
36	17 October 2007	Diana Doherty & Corinne Grant	James Lynch & Frank Woodley
37	24 October 2007	Anne Kirkpatrick & Hamish Blake	Ohad Rein & Fiona O'Loughlin
38 (Halloween Special)	31 October 2007	Deborah Conway & Adam Rozenbachs	Guy Noble & Dave Hughes
39	7 November 2007	Elenoa Rokobaro & Dave O'Neil	Ignatius Jones & Anthony Morgan
40	14 November 2007	Emma Jane Murphy & Santo Cilauro	James Reyne & Hamish Blake
Best of 2007	21 November 2007	Compilation episode – A selection of the best scenes from 2007.
A Very Specky Christmas 2007	16 December 2007	Missy Higgins & Hamish Blake	Rhonda Burchmore & Andrew Denton

Series 4 (2008)

Episode	First broadcast	Alan's team	Myf's team
1	6 February 2008	Guy Sebastian & Cal Wilson	Guy Pratt & Dave O'Neil
2	13 February 2008	Jade MacRae & Hamish Blake	David McAllister & Denise Scott
3	20 February 2008	Caroline O'Connor & Frank Woodley	Julien Temple & Dave O'Neil
4	27 February 2008	Richard O'Brien & Meshel Laurie	Richard Gill & David O'Doherty
5	5 March 2008	Sally Seltmann & Colin Lane	Jacki Weaver & Peter Helliar
6	12 March 2008	Ali Campbell & Felicity Ward	Barry McGuire & Dave O'Neil
7	19 March 2008	Eddi Reader & Adam Rozenbachs	Idan Raichel & Ross Noble
8	26 March 2008	Matthew Murphy & Ryan Shelton	Steve Lukather & Meshel Laurie
9	2 April 2008	Mark Seymour & Fiona O'Loughlin	Newton Faulkner & Jason Byrne
10	9 April 2008	Brian McFadden & Stephen K. Amos	Casey Bennetto & Meshel Laurie
11	16 April 2008	Nicolette Fraillon & Hamish Blake	Mike McLeish & Peter Rowsthorn
12	23 April 2008	Clare Bowditch & Frank Woodley	Stephen Schwartz & Fiona O'Loughlin
13	30 April 2008	Rachael Beck & Hamish Blake	Kurt Elling & Meshel Laurie
14	7 May 2008	Lorna Luft & Jonathan Biggins	Wilbur Wilde & Felicity Ward
15	14 May 2008	Lisa Miller & Greedy Smith	Dylan Lewis & Judith Lucy
16	21 May 2008	Marina Prior & Dave Hughes	Denise Scott & John Amis
17	28 May 2008	Amanda Pelman & Ryan Shelton	James Ash & Mikey Robins
18	4 June 2008	Clare Moore & Shane Jacobson	Ray Burgess & Meshel Laurie
19	11 June 2008	Dan Sultan & Denise Scott	Geoffrey Rush & Hamish Blake
20	18 June 2008	Natalie Pa'apa'a & Dave O'Neil	Damien Leith & Cal Wilson
21	25 June 2008	Taryn Fiebig & Tommy Dean	Mike Rudd & Hamish Blake
22	2 July 2008	Sipokazi Luzipo & Adam Rozenbachs	Kaz James & Shaun Micallef
23	9 July 2008	Tom Zutat & Jason Byrne	Brian McFadden & Felicity Ward
24	16 July 2008	Nell Campbell & Frank Woodley	Muscles & Hamish Blake
25	23 July 2008	Vanessa Amorosi & Mark Watson	Steve Weltman & Amanda Keller
26 (Australia vs. NZ Special)	30 July 2008	Jenny Morris & Tony Martin	Pete Murray & Meshel Laurie
27	6 August 2008	Ali McGregor & Peter Helliar	Carl Cox & Denise Scott
28	13 August 2008	Faustina "Fuzzy" Agolley & Hamish Blake	Kim Salmon & Dave O'Neil
29	20 August 2008	Kate Ceberano & Maeve Higgins	Paul Dyer & Reginald D. Hunter
30	27 August 2008	Nell Campbell & Ross Noble	Troy Cassar-Daley & Felicity Ward
31	3 September 2008	Ali McGregor & Sammy J	John O'Connell & Hamish Blake
32	10 September 2008	Brett Weymark & Al Pitcher	Jae Laffer & Denise Scott
33	17 September 2008	Judy Stone & Arj Barker	Rob Mills & Reginald D. Hunter
34	24 September 2008	Antoinette Halloran & Hamish Blake	Ron Sexsmith & Dave O'Neil
35	1 October 2008	Rhonda Burchmore & Mark Watson	John Butler & Kristen Schaal
36 (Behind The Scenes Special)	8 October 2008	This behind the scenes special hosted by Hamish Blake took a tour through the studios and dressing rooms of the ABC studios in Elsternwick and conducted interviews with show personnel.
37	15 October 2008	Kate Miller-Heidke & Frankie J. Holden	Anne McCue & Amanda Keller
38	22 October 2008	Kaki King & Adam Rozenbachs	Richard Gill & Dave O'Neil
39	29 October 2008	Mia Dyson & Heath Franklin	Ian "Dicko" Dickson & Des Bishop
40	5 November 2008	Leo Sayer & Eddie Perfect	William Barton & Denise Scott
41	12 November 2008	Christine Anu & Hamish Blake	Geoffrey Rush & Felicity Ward
Best of 2008	19 November 2008	Compilation episode – A selection of the best scenes from 2008.
A Very Specky Christmas 2008	21 December 2008	Ella Hooper & Frank Woodley	Carl Cox & Meshel Laurie

Series 5 (2009)

Episode	First broadcast	Alan's team	Myf's team
1	4 February 2009	Rebecca Barnard & Dave O'Neil	Guy Pearce & Felicity Ward
2	11 February 2009	Antoinette Halloran & Heath Franklin	Bruce Woodley & Meshel Laurie
3	18 February 2009	Georgie Parker & Hamish Blake	Allan Zavod & Stephen Curry
4	25 February 2009	Sharon Jones & Tommy Dean	David Bridie & Amanda Keller
5	4 March 2009	John Wood & Denise Scott	Max Sharam & Danny Bhoy
6	11 March 2009	Renée Geyer & Jesse Griffin	Chris Cheney & Meshel Laurie
7	18 March 2009	Kim Walker & Celia Pacquola	Pete Murray & Rhys Darby
8	25 March 2009	Tina Arena & Tim Minchin	Bob Evans & Dave Hughes
9	1 April 2009	Katarina Kroslakova & Adam Rozenbachs	Luka Bloom & Peter Helliar
10	8 April 2009	Guy Garvey & John Moloney	Seasick Steve & Nina Conti
11	15 April 2009	Jade MacRae & Steve Coogan	Suggs & Stephen K. Amos
12	22 April 2009	Pete Smith & Gina Riley	Kram & Rusty Berther
13	29 April 2009	Taryn Fiebig & Dave Hughes	Guy Pratt & Meshel Laurie
14	6 May 2009	Kate Miller-Heidke & Mike Keat	Bart Willoughby & Hamish Blake
15	13 May 2009	Katarina Kroslakova & Scott Edgar	Speech & Judith Lucy
16	20 May 2009	Silvie Paladino & Shane Jacobson	Chris Bailey & Dave O'Neil
17	27 May 2009	Sophie Koh & Mark Trevorrow	Ross Wilson & Cal Wilson
18	3 June 2009	Kaki King & Frank Woodley	Michael Smallwood & Amanda Keller
19 (1950's Special)	10 June 2009	Toni Lamond & Pete Smith	Frankie J. Holden & Hamish Blake
20	17 June 2009	Shelley Harland & Mike Wilmot	Iain Hewitson & Janeane Garofalo
21	24 June 2009	Brett Kelly & Denise Scott	Paris Wells & Dave Hughes
22	1 July 2009	Antoinette Halloran & Trevor Marmalade	David Campbell & Meshel Laurie
23	8 July 2009	Jim Keays & Geraldine Quinn	Wes Carr & Hamish Blake
24	15 July 2009	Ella Hooper & Adam Rozenbachs	Murray Cook & Dave O'Neil
25 (1960's Special)	22 July 2009	Denise Drysdale & Adam Richard	Brian Cadd & Ian Turpie
26	29 July 2009	Donna Simpson & Scott Edgar	Denis Walter & Colin Lane
27	5 August 2009	Jane Rutter & Rusty Berther	Matt Taylor & Denise Scott
28	12 August 2009	Natalie Bassingthwaighte & Meshel Laurie	Al Clark & Reginald D. Hunter
29	19 August 2009	Tim Finn & Jackie Loeb	Lucy Durack & Dave O'Neil
30	26 August 2009	Glenn Hughes & Sarah Millican	Jason Mraz & Jason Byrne
31	2 September 2009	Charlie Thorpe & Dave Hughes	Paul Gray & George McEncroe
32 (200th Episode Special)	9 September 2009	Ella Hooper & Hamish Blake	Paul Grabowsky & Meshel Laurie
33	16 September 2009	Peter Combe & Celia Pacquola	Tony Mott & Stephen K. Amos
34	23 September 2009	Nick Seymour & Eddie Perfect	John Swan & Denise Scott
35 (1970's Special)	30 September 2009	Molly Meldrum & Noeline Brown	Michael Gudinski & Tommy Dean
36	7 October 2009	Sophia Brous & Rusty Berther	Robert McComb & Dave O'Neil
37	14 October 2009	Suze DeMarchi & Russell Kane	Chip Monck & Rich Hall
38	21 October 2009	Megan Washington & Adam Rozenbachs	Jon Farriss & Scott Edgar
39	28 October 2009	C. W. Stoneking & Hamish Blake	Jordie Lane & Denise Scott
40 (1980's Special)	4 November 2009	Ally Fowler & Dave O'Neil	Brian Mannix & George McEncroe
Best of 2009	11 November 2009	Compilation episode – A selection of the best scenes from 2009.
Deleted Scenes 2009	18 November 2009	Compilation episode – A selection of the Deleted scenes from 2009. This special was hosted by Alan Brough & Myf Warhurst.
A Very Specky Christmas 2009	20 December 2009	Jarvis Cocker & Dave O'Neil	Peter Garrett & Denise Drysdale

Series 6 (2010)

Episode	First broadcast	Alan's team	Myf's team
1	3 February 2010	Sarah Blasko & Hamish Blake	Dave Faulkner & Cal Wilson
2	10 February 2010	Mihirangi & Denise Scott	Richard Gill & Kitty Flanagan
3	17 February 2010	Missy Higgins & Magda Szubanski	Dan Sultan & Ernie Dingo
4	24 February 2010	Florence Welch & Dave Callan	Scott Carne & Meshel Laurie
5	3 March 2010	Neko Case & Rusty Berther	Carl Cox & Dave O'Neil
6	10 March 2010	Antoinette Halloran & Jason Cook	J. Mascis & Colin Lane
7	17 March 2010	Patti Newton & Eddie Ifft	Chris Durling & Fiona O'Loughlin
8	24 March 2010	Colette Mann & Cal Wilson	Paul Dempsey & Tony Martin
9	31 March 2010	Mama Kin & Tommy Dean	Ian Moss & Denise Scott
10	7 April 2010	Amanda Palmer & Scott Edgar	Joe Chindamo & Phil Nichol
11	14 April 2010	Lara Mulcahy & Rich Fulcher	Doc Neeson & Meshel Laurie
12	21 April 2010	Darlene Love & Steve Hughes	Darren Cordeux & Reginald D. Hunter
13	28 April 2010	Amandah Wilkinson & Hamish Blake	Mark Holden & Felicity Ward
14	5 May 2010	Adalita & Jimeoin	Meat Loaf & Magda Szubanski
15	12 May 2010	Sarah McLeod & Frank Woodley	Matisyahu & Tony Martin
16 (Britannia Special)	19 May 2010	Ritchie Yorke & Hamish Blake	Jamie Cullum & Sarah Millican
17	26 May 2010	Bob Brozman & Denise Scott	Beth Nielsen Chapman & Craig Hill
18	2 June 2010	Mary Gauthier & Tommy Dean	John Foreman & Kitty Flanagan
19	9 June 2010	Felix Buxton & Damian Callinan	Mark Opitz & Meshel Laurie
20	16 June 2010	Lisa Lambert & Jimeoin	Amber Lawrence & Tony Martin
21	23 June 2010	Rohan Brooks & Andrew O'Neill	Christa Hughes & Hamish Blake
22 (Americana Special)	30 June 2010	Diana Trask & Denise Scott	Barbara Morrison & Tommy Dean
23	7 July 2010	Jacqueline Porter & Des Bishop	Ron Peno & Meshel Laurie
24	14 July 2010	Sam Moran & Dave O'Neil	Gemma Ray & Tom Binns
25	21 July 2010	Felicity Urquhart & Hannah Gadsby	Phil Jamieson & Ross Noble
26	28 July 2010	Megan Washington & Damian Callinan	Brian McFadden & Gina Yashere
27	4 August 2010	Henry Wagons & Celia Pacquola	Chrissy Amphlett & Denise Scott
28 (Europa Special)	11 August 2010	Richard Gill & Joe Avati	Jens Lekman & Meshel Laurie
29	18 August 2010	Ann Vriend & Jon Richardson	Steve Kilbey & Dave O'Neil
30	25 August 2010	Gil Askey & Frank Woodley	Ella Hooper & Dom Irrera
31	1 September 2010	Benjamin Northey & Denise Scott	Katrina Noorbergen & Greg Behrendt
32	8 September 2010	Casey Bennetto & Tim Vine	Kamahl & Meshel Laurie
33	15 September 2010	Little Pattie & Ross Noble	Paul Stewart & Francesca Martinez
34 (Australiana Special)	22 September 2010	Gabriella Cilmi & Dave O'Neil	Troy Cassar-Daley & Frank Woodley
Best of 2010	29 September 2010	Compilation episode – A selection of the best scenes from 2010.
Deleted Scenes 2010	5 October 2010	Compilation episode – A selection of the Deleted scenes from 2010.
A Very Specky Christmas 2010	24 December 2010	Sia & Jimeoin	Jimmy Barnes & Denise Scott

Series 7 (2011)

Episode	First broadcast	Alan's team	Myf's team
1 (Comedy Special)	4 May 2011	Doc Brown & Kitty Flanagan	David O'Doherty & Stephen K. Amos
2	11 May 2011	Anthony Warlow & Colin Lane	Grace Woodroofe & Hamish Blake
3	18 May 2011	Marcia Hines & Justin Heazlewood	Shaun Diviney & Peter Helliar
4	25 May 2011	Vince Jones & Scott Edgar	Matt Lee & Meshel Laurie
5	1 June 2011	Christie Whelan Browne & Tommy Dean	Brian Mannix & Dave O'Neil
6	8 June 2011	Jane Badler & Adam Richard	Ben Folds & Denise Scott
7	22 June 2011	Azmarino & Tommy Dean	Glenn Wheatley & Peter Helliar
8	29 June 2011	Finbar Furey & Scott Edgar	Shane Nicholson & Dave O'Neil
9	13 July 2011	Diesel & Judith Lucy	Chris Botti & Damian Callinan
10	20 July 2011	Geraldine Quinn & Scott Edgar	Courtney Taylor-Taylor & Peter Helliar
11	27 July 2011	Kellie Dickerson & Tommy Dean	Quan Yeomans & Cal Wilson
12	3 August 2011	Paris Wells & Jimeoin	Iain Grandage & Frank Woodley
13	10 August 2011	Sharon Millerchip & Dave O'Neil	Justin Burford & Meshel Laurie
14	17 August 2011	Marina Prior & Lawrence Mooney	Mic Conway & Denise Scott
15	24 August 2011	Antoinette Halloran & Tom Ballard	Wendy Stapleton & Damian Callinan
16	31 August 2011	Leah Flanagan & Jimeoin	John Williamson & Dave O'Neil
17	7 September 2011	Elana Stone & Dave Thornton	Iva Davies & Frank Woodley
18	14 September 2011	Richard Gill & Meshel Laurie	Ella Hooper & Hamish Blake
19	21 September 2011	Jane Clifton & Lawrence Mooney	Winston McCall & Peter Helliar
20	28 September 2011	Sharon Jones & Felicity Ward	Michael Chugg & Tommy Dean
21	5 October 2011	Pigeon John & Damian Callinan	Patrizio Buanne & Meshel Laurie
22	12 October 2011	Bernadette Robinson & Peter Helliar	Ross Wilson & Denise Scott
23	19 October 2011	Fiona Campbell & Greg Fleet	Lee Kernaghan & Rusty Berther
24	26 October 2011	Hugh Halliday & Dave O'Neil	Kram & Josh Earl
25	2 November 2011	Takesha Meshé Kizart & Scott Edgar	Red Symons & Denise Scott
Best of Spicks & Specks (Part 1)	9 November 2011	Compilation episode – A selection of the best scenes from 2005-2011.
Best of Spicks & Specks (Part 2)	16 November 2011	Compilation episode – A selection of the best scenes from 2005-2011.
28 (The Finale)	23 November 2011	Ella Hooper, Scott Edgar, Rhonda Burchmore, Adam Richard, Brian Cadd, Amanda Keller, Antoinette Halloran, Tommy Dean, Megan Washington & Peter Helliar	Geoffrey Rush, Dave O'Neil, Darren Hayes, Felicity Ward, Brian Mannix, Jimeoin, Richard Gill, Shane Bourne, Dan Sultan & Denise Scott

Series 8 (2014)

Episode	First Broadcast	Ella's Team	Adam's Team
1	5 February 2014	Jay Watson & Meshel Laurie	Jacqueline Dark & Des Bishop
2	12 February 2014	Suzi Quatro & Lewis Hobba	Helen Croome & Lawrence Mooney
3	19 February 2014	Simon Tedeschi & Tom Gleeson	Clairy Browne & Luke McGregor
4	26 February 2014	Sean Kelly & Dave O'Neil	Nadia Salemme & Urzila Carlson
5	5 March 2014	DJ Shadow & Tegan Higginbotham	Ricki-Lee Coulter & Tom Gleeson
6	12 March 2014	Joseph Tawadros & Celia Pacquola	Kate Miller-Heidke & Tony Martin
7	19 March 2014	Peter Oxley & Dave O'Neil	Ashleigh Dallas & Tom Ballard
8	26 March 2014	Dan Sultan & Genevieve Fricker	Ben Mingay & Denise Drysdale
9	2 April 2014	Damien Demsey & Jason Byrne	Antoinette Halloran & Joe Lycett
10	9 April 2014	Jake Stone & Kevin Bridges	Wilma Smith & David O'Doherty
11	16 April 2014	Richard Gill & Shaparak Khorsandi	Ade Edmondson & Felicity Ward
12	23 April 2014	Teddy Tahu Rhodes & Luke McGregor	Martha Davis & Frank Woodley
13	30 April 2014	Reece Mastin & Claire Hooper	Emma Matthews & Kyle Kinane
14	7 May 2014	Meshel Laurie & Ashley Evans	Lucy Durack & Luke McGregor
15	14 May 2014	Seth Sentry & Stephen K. Amos	Adalita & James Acaster
16	21 May 2014	John Paul Young & Dave Hughes	Jasmine Rae & Michael Winslow
17	28 May 2014	Grandmaster Flash & Lewis Hobba	Lisa McCune & Meshel Laurie
18	4 June 2014	Michael Franti & Claire Hooper	Deborah Cheetham & Tom Gleeson
19	11 June 2014	Vance Joy & Denise Scott	Lara Mulcahy & Dave O'Neil
20	18 June 2014	Brian Mannix & Claire Hooper	Kasey Chambers & Rusty Berther
21	14 November 2014	Paul Dempsey & Seán Cullen	Kerri Simpson & Tom Gleeson
22	21 November 2014	Russell Morris & Dave O'Neil	Will Pickvance & Tegan Higginbotham
23	28 November 2014	Pete Thomas & Meshel Laurie	Claire Bowditch & Milton Jones
24	5 December 2014	Nai Palm & Paul Foot	Bobby Fox & Tom Gleeson
25	12 December 2014	Bob Sedergreen & Frank Woodley	Beth Hart & Cal Wilson
26	19 December 2014	Darren Middleton & Sammy J	Kate Ceberano & Randy Feltface

Specials (2018-2020)

Episode	First broadcast	Alan's team	Myf's team
Reunion Special	4 November 2018	Ricki-Lee Coulter & Frank Woodley	Briggs & Denise Scott
AusMusic Special	24 November 2019	Missy Higgins & Rove McManus	Brian Mannix & Nina Oyama
90s Special	23 February 2020	Tina Arena & Tom Gleeson	Kram & Anne Edmonds
00s Special	19 April 2020	Ella Hooper & Joel Creasey	Nic Cester & Sarah Kendall
2010s Special	20 December 2020	Kate Miller-Heidke & Luke McGregor	Vance Joy & Claire Hooper

Series 9 (2021)

Episode	First Broadcast	Alan's team	Myf's Team
1	18 April 2021	G-Flip & Frank Woodley	Linda Bull & Dilruk Jayasinha
2	25 April 2021	Christie Whelan & Nath Valvo	Scott Darlow & Danielle Walker
3	2 May 2021	Amy Taylor & Denise Scott	Stephanie Kabanyana Kanyandekwe & Tom Ballard
4	9 May 2021	Alice Skye & Rhys Nicholson	Josh Teskey & Zoë Coombs Marr
5	16 May 2021	Mo'Ju & Michala Banas	Eddie Perfect & Nazeem Hussain
6	23 May 2021	Alex Lahey & Claire Hooper	Quan Yeomans & Anne Edmonds
7	30 May 2021	Kyla Matsuura-Miller & Kate McCartney	Isaiah Firebrace & Peter Helliar
8	6 June 2021	Kate Ceberano & Luke McGregor	Mitch Tambo & Kate McLennan
9	13 June 2021	Gordi & Jess Harris	Sensible J & Lloyd Langford
10	20 June 2021	Missy Higgins & Dave O'Neil	Yeo & Judith Lucy

Series 10 (2022)

Episode	First Broadcast	Alan's team	Myf's team
1	7 August 2022	Casey Donovan & Rhys Nicholson	David Novak & Bec Charlwood
2	14 August 2022	Emma Watkins & Michael Hing	Georgia Maq & Joel Creasey
3	21 August 2022	Jemma Rix & Nazeem Hussain	Tom Cardy & Danielle Walker
4	28 August 2022	Montaigne & Steph Tisdell	Zan Rowe & Luke McGregor
5	4 September 2022	Aaron Wyatt & Courtney Act	Guest team captain: Michala Banas Vanessa Amorosi & Hamish Blake
6	18 September 2022	Kayven Temperley & Alex Lee	Odette & Dave O'Neil
7	25 September 2022	Andrea Kellar & Reuben Kaye	Briggs & Zoë Coombs Marr
8	2 October 2022	Reuben Styles & Cal Wilson	Thando & Nath Valvo
9	9 October 2022	Dylan Alcott & Gabbi Bolt	Mama Alto & Peter Helliar
10	16 October 2022	Brooke McClymont & Sam Taunton	Timomatic & Denise Scott

Specials

A Very Specky Christmas

Since 2005, an annual hour-long Christmas episode, entitled "A Very Specky Christmas" on the Sunday night before Christmas. All questions are either about Christmas songs, or music from the previous year. While these episodes remain true to the standard format with three members on each team, adaptions are made to allow more guest stars to appear. Additional or notably different games have included:

• Mistletoss, a physical challenge in which the teams are required to throw Christmas presents into a goal in a given time limit. In 2005, the teams threw CDs into the chimney of a model house; in 2006, wrapped gifts were thrown into celebrities' Christmas stockings of different sizes; in 2007, wrapped gifts were thrown through the windows of a "rehab clinic" with a guard out the front, Frank Woodley.
• Sir Mix'n'Matchalot is adapted so that three additional celebrities appear and are arbitrarily given Christmas presents by the show. The panel then asks questions and attempts to allocate the presents.
• Substitute is adapted so that trained choirs sing the tunes of Christmas songs with the words from famous quotes and works from the past year, such as controversial pieces of legislation, political speeches, or pop culture.

Best Of

As the last episode of each year, Spicks and Specks reflects back on all the highlights, lowlights and memorable guests throughout the year.

100th episode

On 30 May 2007, Spicks and Specks celebrated its 100th episode. Instead of the show being divided into games, teams were asked 100 questions – one from each of the previous 99 episodes, and one new question, "What is the last question on our 100th episode?" which was correctly answered by Antoinette Halloran. Alan Brough's team was victorious although it did come down to the very last question.

Behind the scenes

This was the first episode of Spicks and Specks in which the games are not played at all. Instead, this behind-the-scenes special hosted by regular contestant Hamish Blake took a tour through the studios and dressing rooms of the ABC studios in Elsternwick and conducted interviews with show personnel.

Production studio

The show was filmed at ABC Studios in Elsternwick, Victoria, which are rented by ABV-2

With ABC Studios in Ripponlea getting ready to shut down, the program's new home is now at ABC Melbourne studios in Southbank, Victoria. With the move from Ripponlea also comes a move from the ABC as the broadcast provider. It is recorded in front of a live audience of 500 people.

200th episode

On 9 September 2009, Spicks and Specks celebrated its 200th episode. The show had a number of members from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra behind the hosts, who performed the show's many musical questions including the theme song Spicks and Specks by the Bee Gees. The episode also included returning guests Ella Hooper, Hamish Blake, Paul Grabowsky and Meshel Laurie. The questions covered 200 years of music from 1809 to 2009.

Final episode of original series

A one-hour special, called "The Finale", was the final episode of the original series of Spicks and Specks and went to air on 23 November 2011. There was a change to the list of guests: various guests rotated during different rounds of the show. All of the credited guest appearances on the show were Ella Hooper, Geoffrey Rush, Scott Edgar, Dave O'Neil, Rhonda Burchmore, Adam Richard, Darren Hayes, Brian Cadd, Brian Mannix, Felicity Ward, Amanda Keller, Jimeoin, Tommy Dean, Shane Bourne, Dan Sultan, Richard Gill, Antoinette Halloran, Denise Scott, Peter Helliar, Barry Morgan, Megan Washington, Damian Callinan, Hamish Blake and Andy Lee (who were in New York at the time of filming for their Hamish and Andy's Gap Year ).

Other specials

Special episodes have been compiled for various seasonal or arbitrary themes, including:

• Halloween (dubbed Spicks and Spooks)
• ARIA Hall of Fame inductees
• Children's music
• Music from films (dubbed Spicks and Flicks)
• Mother's Day
• Australia vs New Zealand
• 50s
• 60s
• 70s
• 80s
• Countdown Special
• Britannia Special
• Australiana Special
• Americana Special
• Europa Special
• Comedy Special
• AusMusic Special
• 1990s Special
• 2000s Special
• 2010s Special

In each case, questions are written, and some games are changed slightly or new games invented, to suit the theme.

2018 one-off reunion special

On 27 August 2018, it was announced that the show would return for a one-off hour-long special as part of the ABC's "Ausmusic" month. Confirmed as panellists were award-winning rapper Adam Briggs, singer/songwriter Ricki-Lee Coulter and comedians Frank Woodley and Denise Scott, plus a line-up of famous guests to lend their musical talents and knowledge. ^[19]

The one-hour special aired on 4 November, with a repeat airing on ABC Comedy on 10 November. Guests included Adalita, Vika and Linda Bull, Troy Cassar-Daley, Kate Ceberano, Murray Cook, Paul Dempsey, Antoinette Halloran, Guido Hatzis, Kram, Angie Hart, Kate Miller-Heidke, Lindsay McDougall, Luke McGregor, Russell Morris, Montaigne, Pseudo Echo, Josh Pyke, Ruel, Eskimo Joe's Kav Temperley, Tripod, Cal Wilson, Ross Wilson. The show was dedicated to long time regular guest Richard Gill, who had died a week before the special went to air. ^[20] It ranked #1 nationally with 1.36 million viewers. ^[21]

2019–2020 specials

In August 2019, it was announced that the show with the original lineup would return for a one-off special in November 2019, followed by a short three-episode reboot airing in 2020. The episodes featured original host Adam Hills and team captains Alan Brough and Myf Warhurst, with each episode focusing on a specific generation of music. ^[22]

Four specials were broadcast; the Ausmusic special, the 90s special, the 2000s special and the 2010s special. Because music from the 2010s was not included in the original Spicks and Specks show, Adam Hills said it was his favourite to film. ^[23]

DVD releases

• In 2007, the first Spicks and Specks product was launched, the Spicks and Specks Interactive Quiz DVD.
• A Very Specky Christmas was released on 4 December 2008; ^[24] it contains the 2007 and 2006 Christmas Specials.
• In 2009, the DVD Up to our Eras was released. It contained the 50s special, the 60s special, the 70s special and the 80s special.
• Spicks and Specks: The Remixes was released on 5 August 2010 containing 4 episodes that were uncut and uncensored.
• Spicks & Specks: World Tour was released on 4 November 2010, containing the Australiana, Britannia, Americana and Europa specials, and is said to have unseen footage. ^[25]
• Spick & Specks: The Finale was released on 1 December 2011, containing the final episode and The Best of Spicks & Specks. ^[26]
• Spicks & Specks: The Pick of Spicks was released on 5 April 2012, containing extended versions of four classic episodes chosen by the hosts. ^[27]
• The Spicks and Specks Boxset was released on 1 April 2015, the 4-DVD set contains: The Remixes, World Tour, The Finale and the Pick of Spicks. ^[28]

Awards

Year	Awards	Award title	Result
2012	Logie Awards	Logie Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Program	Won
2012	Logie Awards	Logie Most Popular Light Entertainment Program	Nominated
2012	Logie Awards	Silver Logie Most Popular Presenter Adam Hills	Won
2011	Logie Awards	Logie Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Program	Won
2011	Logie Awards	Silver Logie Most Popular Presenter Adam Hills	Nominated
2010	Logie Awards	Logie Most Popular Light Entertainment Program	Nominated
2010	Logie Awards	Silver Logie Most Popular Presenter Adam Hills	Nominated
2009	Logie Awards	Logie Most Popular Light Entertainment Program	Nominated
2009	Logie Awards	Silver Logie Most Popular Presenter Adam Hills	Nominated
2008	Logie Awards	Logie Most Popular Light Entertainment Program	Nominated
2008	Logie Awards	Silver Logie Most Popular Presenter Adam Hills	Nominated
2007	Logie Awards	Logie Most Outstanding Comedy Program	Nominated
2007	AACTA Awards	Best Light Entertainment Television Series	Nominated
2006	Logie Awards	Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent Adam Hills	Nominated
2006	AACTA Awards	Best Light Entertainment Television Series	Nominated
2006	Logie Awards	Logie Most Popular Light Entertainment/Comedy Program	Nominated
2005	AACTA Awards	Best Light Entertainment Series	Nominated

Related games

In 2008, the Spicks and Specks Board Game was released by Imagination Games. ^[29] It was followed by "Up To Our Eras" in 2010, and an "Ausmusic Edition" in 2019.

In 2011 Spicks and Specks Quiz, an app for iPhones, was released. Users are given two play options, Quick Play or Quiz Challenge, with various games taken from the show. There are a number of top-up Quiz Packs to extend the game. On its initial release, the name of the app was automatically censored by Apple to 'S****s and Specks' because of the derogatory use of the word 'spick' in the US to describe a person of Hispanic heritage. ^[30]

See also

• RockWiz, a similar SBS/Fox8 music quiz show.

References

1. Le Marquand, Sarrah (23 August 2006). "Wednesday Night Fever – Adam Hills on the enduring appeal of Spicks and Specks". The Daily Telegraph . Sydney. p. 7. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
2. "Down Under and Kookaburra in copyright battle". The Sunday Telegraph . 12 October 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
3. "The red velvet curtain closes on Spicks and Specks". ABC TV Blog. 25 May 2011. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
4. "ABC TV in 2013… Amazing!". About the ABC. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 29 November 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
5. Byrnes, Holly (29 November 2012). "ABC's Spicks and Specks returns minus Adam Hills and Myf Warhurst". News.com.au . Archived from the original on 2 December 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
6. "Spicks and Specks". ABC TV. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
7. Ellis, Scott (11 November 2013). "Spicks and Specks is back". The Age . Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
8. Knox, David (10 November 2013). "New Spicks and Specks team tipped". TV Tonight . Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
9. Brookfield, Joanne (1 September 2018). "Music quiz show Spicks and Specks coming back for reunion special on ABC". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
10. Wilson, Zanda (19 August 2019). "'Spicks and Specks' gets another run after high-rating 2018 reunion". The Music Network. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
11. Wilson, Zanda (19 August 2019). "'Spicks and Specks' gets another run after high-rating 2018 reunion". The Music Network. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
12. Condon, Dan (16 March 2021). "Spicks and Specks will return with new episodes this April". Double J . Archived from the original on 20 March 2021.
13. Ward, Sarah (29 November 2020). "The ABC Is Bringing Back 'Spicks and Specks' in 2021 for a Full New Season". Concrete Playground. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
14. "There are 10 new episodes of Spicks and Specks coming to ABC TV in 2022". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 26 May 2022.
15. "New episodes of Spicks and Specks will be on our TVS from next month". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 11 July 2022.
16. "Update: ABC, ABC TV programming: Sept 10 – 11". TV Tonight . 10 September 2022.
17. "Stars say goodbye to The Dream Factory, where TV history was made". ABC News. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
18. Tan, Steffanie (19 August 2019). "Forget The Reruns, New 'Spicks And Specks' Is Headed To Our Screens This November". PEDESTRIAN.TV. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
19. Jepsen, Belinda (27 August 2018). "It's true! Spicks and Specks is making a special return to TV". Mamamia .
20. Williams, Tom (5 November 2018). "You Need To Watch The Huge 'Spicks And Specks' Reunion Special". Music Feeds. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
21. Manning, James (5 November 2018). "TV Ratings November 4: Spicks and Specks Reunion special #1". Mediaweek . Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
22. Condon, Dan (16 April 2020). "The Spicks and Specks 2000s special is on this Sunday night". Double J . Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
23. "📺 Adam Hills Reveals Some Insider Knowledge About 'Spicks And Specks'!". JAM Nation with Jonesy & Amanda (Podcast). Podbean. 21 April 2021. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
24. "Spicks and Specks – A Very Specky Christmas". ABC Shop. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
25. "Spicks and Specks – World Tour". ABC Shop. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
26. Spicks and Specks – The Finale (DVD). Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021– via Booktopia.
27. Spicks and Specks – Picks of Spicks (DVD). Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021– via Booktopia.
28. "Spicks & Specks Collection". JB Hi-Fi . Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
29. "Spicks and Specks: The Board Game". BoardGameGeek . Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
30. "Apple censors 'racist' Spicks and Specks app". Nine News . 14 September 2011. Archived from the original on 15 January 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.

External links

• Official website
• Spicks and Specks at IMDb