RTÉ One
RTÉ AND THE NATIONAL LOTTERY ANNOUNCE THE MILLION EURO CHALLENGE,
A NEW TV GAMESHOW PRESENTED BY NICKY BYRNE
RTÉ and The National Lottery have teamed up again to bring the nation’s viewers and Lottery players an all-new broadcasting treat, The Million Euro Challenge. RTE’s Nicky Byrne will present the new National Lottery gameshow which will go out on Saturday nights from 10 January 2015, and which promises to be a fun and entertaining show for all the family.
Players who wish to appear on The Million Euro Challenge TV gameshow can enter via scratchcards. Million Euro Challenge scratchcards are now available in National Lottery agent stores around the country, and players can win up to €50,000 instantly on a Million Euro Challenge scratchcard. Total prizes available to be won instantly on the scratchcards amounts to almost €10 million.
The Million Euro Challenge TV gameshow involves three players, each joined in-studio by a family member or friend. Each of the players will play original and exciting Lottery games, culminating in one lucky player getting the chance to play for the coveted prize of €1,000,000.
Nicky Byrne said: “I’m thrilled to present the new National Lottery TV gameshow The Million Euro Challenge and I’m really excited about the show airing in the New Year. I’ve been working with The Million Euro Challenge team learning all about the new games and I think the format of the show is brilliant. I love the buzz of working on a TV and the best thing is I get to be part of a show that brings a lot of happiness to peoples lives.”
Dermot Griffin, Chief Executive of the National Lottery, said: “We are delighted to launch, in association with RTÉ, The Million Euro Challenge, the National Lottery’s newest TV Gameshow, and to welcome RTE’s Nicky Byrne to present this exciting show. The Million Euro Challenge has suspense, tension, excitement and, above all, fantastic cash prizes, including a top prize of €1,000,000, there to be won by one lucky player each week. We’re sure that the combination of Nicky’s enthusiasm, great prizes, and a visually colourful and exciting show, will make The Million Euro Challenge a must see TV show on Saturday nights from January 2015.”
John McHugh, Head of Entertainment for RTÉ Television said: “I’m very pleased to welcome Nicky Byrne as the presenter of our new National Lottery TV gameshow, The Million Euro Challenge. Lottery gameshows have a special place in the hearts of Irish audiences. I think we enjoy watching contestants’ good fortune on these shows. The new show will give contestants the opportunity to win up to a million euro every week. I have no doubt that Nicky’s energy and enthusiasm will really enhance the appeal of The Million Euro Challenge.”
The Million Euro Challenge TV gameshow has a number of thrilling new games, with twists along the way. ‘Crack the Code’ (where cracking a 4-digit code means the safe gets opened and the player wins cash); ‘Risky Business’ (where the players compete against each other to win as much money as possible) and the finale game, ‘The Million Euro Challenge’, will excite and entertain players and viewers alike.
Each of the show’s three players, assisted by their special guest, will win cash prizes as they work through these games. The lucky player who wins through each week gets to play the final game, The Million Euro Challenge. This game involves only six steps for the player to work their way up the Million Euro Challenge Pyramid to win the top prize of a fantastic €1,000,000. Will a player win through and walk away with €1,000,000? Tune in to RTÉ One each Saturday night to see!
In studio each week, three additional players will also compete for €10,000 (those who don’t win that prize win €2,000 each).
The Million Euro Challenge TV gameshow will broadcast on RTÉ One each Saturday from 10th January 2015. Million Euro Challenge Scratchcards are now available in National Lottery agents countrywide, priced at €3.
Nicky Byrne:
Nicky Byrne was born in Dublin. He is best known for his time spent as a member of the hugely successful Irish boyband, Westlife. Music was a big part of Nicky’s upbringing. His father Nikki Snr, was also in a band, and this is where Nicky’s love of music originated.
His love of music then led him to a career in the music industry. He joined Westlife in 1998 after successfully auditioning for Louis Walsh. The band retired in 2012 after 15 hugely successful years as one of the biggest boybands in the world. Westlife have sold over 50 million records worldwide, have had 14 number ones singles, and seven number one albums.
In the latter years of his time with Westlife, Nicky realised his passion for TV and radio. He has an excellent array of hosting and presenting experience. He has hosted the Cheerios ChildLine Concert an impressive seven times, in front of a packed crowd at Dublin’s O2 Arena. Nicky also hosted the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics in 2003 to a crowd of 80,000 live from Dublin’s Croke Park Stadium.
He has also presented various well known TV programmes such as RTÉ’s Football’s Next Star in 2012, as well as several radio programmes including standing in for Ryan Tubridy on RTÉ 2fm.
Nicky also took part in BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and successfully made it to the ninth week of the show. Nicky also appeared on screens in July 2013 on RTÉ’s new songwriting talent show, The Hit. Recently, RTÉ 2fm has welcomed Nicky as the host of a brand new programme, The Nicky Byrne Show. The show, which airs 11am – 2pm weekdays, is co-hosted by Jenny Greene.