Christian chats with Australian icon Rebecca Gibney as she steps into a bold new chapter, taking over as host of Millionaire Hot Seat on Channel 10. Rebecca opens up about saying yes to the role at 60, admitting it was well outside her comfort zone and inspired by her 91-year-old mum, who encouraged her to give back to the audiences who’ve supported her for decades.
The pair bond over second acts, embracing risk, and the pressure of performing under studio lights. Rebecca reveals the intense reality of filming nearly 200 episodes in just four months, and how emotionally invested she became in contestants, describing the adrenaline, exhaustion, and responsibility that comes with delivering life-changing wins.
They swap stories about quiz-show panic, and laugh over Christian’s infamous “four-legged duck” answer on a UK game show, which he claims still follows him around internationally.
Warm, self-deprecating, and full of laughs, this is a candid conversation about reinvention, pressure, and why it’s never too late to try something that scares you.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode Transcript
iHeart Podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
You can hear more Gold one I four point three podcasts,
playlist and listen live on the free iHeart app.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Got anything good?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (00:20):
This is the Christian O'Connell Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Christian O'Connell's show All Right.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Joining me now is the host of Millionaire Hot Seat.
It is back, It's got a new home, It's got
a new host. It's on Channel ten at seven pm
with the one and only Rebecca Gibney.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Rebecca, Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Oh thanks for having me, Christian.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Now listen.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
You've done so many big shows over the years, you know,
and a lot of Australians around different generations have grown
up with you. This is something completely different. Tell us
about why you're doing it.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I have no idea. Ask myself that question all the time,
you know what. I turned sixty and I went, I'm
going to do things that I wouldn't normally say yes to,
only because I think at my age I'm not afraid
to sail space calcularly at whatever I put my mind into.
So I didn't really think about it. My initial reaction
was no, because it's so out of my wheelhouse. And
(01:18):
then it was actually my mum that said, Darling, this
is an opportunity for you to actually give back to
all those people that have supported you over the years,
and I went, sure, I'll give it a go.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
So it's kind of like a bucket list thing of
doing things completely different.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Absolutely, I think there is something. When you get to
my age, you're a wee way off it. But when
you get to my age you realize that, you know,
I may have twenty thirty, potentially forty years left. I
don't want to have regrets. I don't want to keep
saying no because I'm afraid of something. It's just not
an option.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
So I said yes, and being honest, right, how do
you think you would get on?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Did you go all the way bike your money?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
No? I don't think I could do it at all.
You know. The thing is, I've learned so much. There
is some general knowledge. By the end of the day,
I've had so many questions and I've forgotten all of them.
I'm hoping we get to do a celebrity one where
we can invite people like yourself on and just see
how you go.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I was on like the UK's biggest game show. They
did a quiz show and midway through it, the lady
fired a question at me, how many legs does a
duck have?
Speaker 1 (02:15):
I got it wrong. I just panicked under the lights.
I said four. It still gets played.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Someone said they were in America and they were doing
dumbest answers on quiz shows around the world and in
the top five was me of the world.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
That's right, Rebecca.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
That's why I really fled to Australia to escape the
four legged duck.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
So Channel ten don't need to why that I'm taking
down the house. I win nothing.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Maybe I get my parking validated by Channel ten.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
That's it. You may not know this, but you've actually
taken my job.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I have not you have.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
I was in the running for this, right I did.
I did.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I You've cost me my swimming pool. We're not getting
that swim but I've told the kids Bloody Gibney's.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Got that pool.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Oh I'm so sorry.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
There's that.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Whenever I see you on TV now I start singing
that song.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
It should have been me.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
But Rebecca, they made they made the right choice. I'm
so glad your mum's still giving you advice as well.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Absolutely, She's like, darling. All these people have followed your
career a lot of them since you know you started
off and in your teens, and she said, NAT's chance
for you to give back to them for an all bliss.
So yeah, and it's true.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
You and your mom need to do a TV show,
maybe some sort of run.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
I've thought about it.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
No, you need to go around properly thank the Australians
that have made you giveney. You need to go around
knocking their doors with your mum and say thank you.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Givney gives back tonight on ten.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
That's not a bad idea.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
You can have it. You took my job. Why don't
you take another one, Rebecca.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
We could do it together. Christian, you need to forget it.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Forget it, forget if they brushed me out TV history
in this country. Just a young kid trying to get
a break. Hey, listen, you don't need good luck with it.
I think it's a great it's a great quiz show
and you're going to make it an even bigger success.
Thank you very much about I can love you to
meet you and chat to you. Take care and you
took my job.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
You took my job. I've got no swimming pool.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
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