KO -- The It's a Knockout Web (2024)

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KO -- The It's a Knockout Web (1)
andrew.gray@
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Kostas' Jeux sans Frontières website, JSFnet.

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KO -- The It's a Knockout Web (2)

The It's a Knockout Web went on-line 1st February 1998.

Last Updated 2nd January 2006

Latest Website Updates & News
KO -- The It's a Knockout Web (3) Update for 2/1/06: Happy New Year! I've finished uni, meaning THE IT'S A KNOCKOUT WEB IS BACK!!! Updates: View the petition to Channel 10 (entertaining reading!). Plus, the Shandell Tribute Page has been updated! E-mail me if you would be interested in attending an IAK convention. I'm thinking of holding one in Melbourne first, and then perhaps more in other Australian capital cities if the first one is successful. 2005-7 are 20 year anniversaries for It's a Knockout!

Repeats of It's a Knockout are currently being broadcast in Argentina, on the Telefé network. Broadcast under the name 'Supermatch', it has been adapted for Spanish-speaking audiences, and Ricky May has a new name -- 'Antonio Sinatra'! If you want IAK videos, perhaps it's time to make some friends in South America! The show is hugely successful and rating well over there. This website is receiving many hits from Argentina, second only to Australia. I'm looking for donations of translation services for the website in all languages!

The It's a Knockout Web has outgrown its current host, Geocities. In particular, web storage space is desperately short. I have purchased a top-level domain name to aid in the site's expansion, and I am inviting offers for the donation of web hosting services and expertise in activating the new domain name. In return, I can offer advertising space on the site. I don't make any money from this site.

Forthcoming developments to the site include behind-the-scenes photos, media articles, video (hopefully) and exciting design improvements. Welcome back!

Older website updates below.


It's a Knockout
It's a Knockout was an Australian television show that aired in the mid-late 1980's. It was based on the French "Jeux sans frontières". The competitors represented their state of origin, one of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria or South Australia. In each show the four states competed against each other in events that were quite wacky to say the least. Although the competitors were generally ordinary members of the public, some amazingly heroic and athletic feats were often seen. Competing teams were formed from local Apex clubs and other groups, e.g. surf-lifesavers and comprised about eight men and women each. We have prepared this web page as "It's a Knockout" was one of our favourite TV shows and, despite its popularity, it maintains a non-existent web presence -- this is the first IAK web page. This page contains a description of "It's a Knockout", the teams, the events and results.

More than 100 episodes of the show were hosted by Billy J. Smith and Fiona MacDonald. Their assistants included the dog Combat and Ellen and Shandell. The big question is.... where are they now? Does anybody out there know????? IAK had several celebrity referees, including Ricky May (RIP), Jon English, Lisa Curry, Edith Bliss, Grant Kenny, Melinda Rutter, Tiffany Lamb, Warren Blondell, Vince Sorrenti, Tracy Wickham, Jason Donovan, Mark "wandering hands" Warren, Daryl Cotton, Kerrie-Anne Kennerly, Kerrie Friend, Wayne Pierce, Jackie Love, Cameron Daddo etc... The show was filmed at Dural, near Castle Hill in New South Wales (Englefield Soccer Stadium, New Line Rd). We believe that IAK ended when its land was bought for use for soccer training. The show was screened on Channel 10 and produced by Grundy Television (of Neighbours fame) between 1985 and 1988.

For each event six points were awarded, normally four for the winner and two for the second-place getter. If two teams drew for first spot, then each of the teams was awarded three points. The third and fourth place-getters were awarded zero points. A team's "Joker" could be used once per show on any event chosen by the team. The Joker doubles the points awarded to the team for that event, i.e. a winning team receives eight points and a second placed team wins four. The "wasting" of the Joker occurs when the team finishes third or fourth -- the team receives zero. There was no joker in the first series of IAK. There were six events per show, so the maximum possible score was 28. The highest attained score known to us, however, was by Stirling (SA), with 25. In three-way ties for second in an event, the winner is awarded four and the other teams get one point each. After six events, the winning team is awarded six points towards its team total, the second place-getter four, third two and fourth zero. The team with the highest team total in their state division entered the semi-finals with other division winners. The successful semi-final teams enter the Grand Final.

Previous Website Updates
KO -- The It's a Knockout Web (4) Update for 16/8/05: The It's a Knockout Web is not dead! Things have been really busy with uni for me for the past few... years [gulp]. Luckily, that ordeal is almost over (just a few weeks to go now), so I'll be able to update the site and respond to e-mails more often. I've got a big pile of IAK press clippings just ready and waiting to be scanned in and uploaded. There are also over 500 received petition signings to be compiled and placed on the site. Stay tuned for The It's a Knockout Web's exciting return!
KO -- The It's a Knockout Web (5) Update for 15/5/02: Sign the petition to bring back IAK!, Competitor of the week: Bob Sellars
KO -- The It's a Knockout Web (6) Updates for 28/1/02: Competitor of the Week: Rankin twins (this page) Videos: Slide Basketball, Seesaw, Telephone Call!!!
KO -- The It's a Knockout Web (7) Updates for 18/10/01: Videos: Frogs, Sailmakers, 100th Episode, Icebergs, Bet Your Loaf (please be patient as Geocities has recently limited website activity to 4 megs per hour), Web design revamp, Shirley Strachan Tribute, Competitor of the Week: John Harbourne, Visitors' Area.Updates for 19/8/01: In the Media easier to navigate!, Events and State sections cross-referenced with gallery images, Gallery 33 -- Shandell Tribute, Visitors' section -- The Ultimate IAK Episode, new banner, IAK art Updates for 16/6/01: IAK in the Media -- Andrew's article in 'Farrago', Melbourne Uni's student magazine, Visitors' Area, , Gallery Index Updates for 28/4/01: Combat In The Media, Galleries 22 to 30 added Updates for 26/3/01: VIDEO AT LAST!!!, Pilgrimage -- I made it -- See Ricky May Road Updates for 24/2/01: Brad Cooper Archive (In The Media), Pilgrimage, Results Revamped, Events, About Us Updates for 28/1/01 -- It's a Flop-Up, IAK In The Media (Catalyst article) Updates for 17/12/00: Eltham's Secret Weapon, IAK In The Media, plus others -- Gallery Updated 26/10/00 -- New Sound Clips added 10/9/00 -- IAK In The Media Updated 25/7/00 -- The Board Game added 25/7/00 -- Site Map -- It's a Flop-Up added 17/6/00 -- Sign the Guestbook
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Competitor of the Week
KO -- The It's a Knockout Web (8)
Bob Sellars
Riverland (Captain), South Australia

The words 'Bob' and 'Sellars' when arranged sequentially are synonymous with IAK excellence. In addition to being a virtuoso of IAK strategy, the athletic Sellars never shirked the call to put his body on the line in some of the more difficult or dangerous events. A practising physiotherapist, he doubtlessly employed these skills to himself and his team in their struggle for glory. Glory they experienced often: Riverland achieved two show wins and one second placing in Heat 1 of the 1986 series, to win the SA division. They unluckily finished last in their Semi-final appearance, even considering the formidable competition: Vermont, Newcastle and Childers. The motivation of the motley crew that was the Riverland team (everyone's favourite back-hoe operator Andrew Sloan, Vicky Pudney and Kay Harding) is a credit to Sellars. A very exciting player to watch.KO -- The It's a Knockout Web (9)Previous Competitors of the Week

David & Phillip Rankin (Newcastle NSW)

John Harbourne (Childers Qld.)

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