After thousands of applications and hundreds of in-person auditions across 16 cities from coast-to-coast-to-coast, CBC is ready to introduce Canadians to the first round of families who will compete on FAMILY FEUD CANADA (60×30), hosted by actor and comedian Gerry Dee. FAMILY FEUD CANADA will broadcast four nights a week (Monday through Thursday) on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service beginning December 16 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), before moving to its regular time slot of 7:30 p.m. (8 NT) on Monday, December 23.
“It has been an incredible experience meeting the families, hearing their stories and of course, actually playing Family Feud Canada,” said host Gerry Dee. “The level of energy and outpouring of positivity from the contestants has been amazing to witness. I’ve had a number of families tell me they are organizing viewing parties in their communities with their loved ones and hometowns rallying behind them, which is something that I think Canadians do so well.”
“Family Feud Canada offers a unique opportunity for audiences to connect and celebrate with families from all across Canada,” said Sally Catto, General Manager, Programming, CBC. “We are looking forward to reflecting our country’s diverse range of experiences and perspectives with this fun glimpse into the lives of Canadians four nights a week.”
The special premiere week episodes will feature eight different families from across Canada going head-to-head, with the winning family playing ‘Fast Money’ for a chance to take home $10,000 each night. Starting the week of December 30, Family Feud Canada will begin the regular game format, where winning families can return to play three nights in a row, for the opportunity to win up to $30,000 in prizing per family. Families who win their games during premiere week will have a chance to return later in the season to compete for their shot at $30,000.
A sample of families who are set to appear on FAMILY FEUD CANADA include:
*Not listed in order of broadcast, families subject to change.
- THE BEVILACQUA FAMILY (Montreal, QC)– A high-energy, Italian-Canadian family made up of team captain Giuliana; dad, Giovanni, who grows his own hot peppers; mom Tanya; aunt Pauline, who they affectionately call ‘doctor’ since she has a remedy for everything, and uncle Danny, who is obsessed with game shows and cleaning cars.
- THE DICKSON FAMILY (Whitehorse, YT)– A proud family of fifth-generation Yukoners from the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation. Consisting of cousins Tosh, Jenny, Angie, Kaylea and Eric, the team boasts a strong family history in Whitehorse, where their grandmother was a famous dog sled musher and their great aunt and uncle started the largest North American gold mine.
- THE DUBOIS FAMILY (Lorette, MB)– A French-Canadian family consisting of father Gerry, his twin daughters Stephanie and Dominique, and his grandkids Eve and Kain. The twins’ mother had them watch Family Feud every day growing up, and they say they are ready to take on anyone in their path.
- THE FLEET FAMILY (Fredericton, NB)– A proud military family led by retired Army officer Rob and his brother Dave who currently serves in the armed forces. The Fleet family team includes Rob’s wife “Messy Jessy,” mother-in-law Wendy who’s a “deck curler” and teacher/coach Uncle Tyler.
- THE FREEMAN FAMILY (Champney’s West, NL)– From a small fishing village with a population of less than 60 people, some family members will be travelling by plane for the first time ever to appear on Family Feud Canada. Wanda, Beverly, Darrell, Krystal and Maggie have said the opportunity for their family to come to Family Feud is “huge” for their struggling community.
- THE HERNANDEZ FAMILY (Yellowknife, NWT)– Led by family captain, rapper and car salesman Aaron “Godson” Hernandez, a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his music and work with youth in the North. Godson is joined by his wife Melissa, his brother Noel, his sister Anneluzelia (Anna) and his cousin Jessy-Ann.
- THE LAWSON FAMILY (Toronto, ON)– Led by YouTube sensation/Vlogger Femi Lawson, the Nigerian-Canadian family are all dynamic performers and fierce competitors. Alongside Femi, the tight knit sibling team includes his sisters Lola and Kim, and his brothers Toyin and Ayodele.
- THE LUI FAMILY (Vancouver, BC)– A family of adrenaline junkies who love to travel together, the sibling/cousin Lui team consists of Megan, Allison, Jaclyn, Andrea, and Karen, who all grew up watching Family Feud together at their grandmother’s house.
- THE MCCALLA FAMILY (Brampton, ON)– A fierce team of siblings, whose nickname is “MAWDCalla,” an expression of the energy they bring out of each other and share with others. The team consists of four sisters including captain Sharon, Aleesha, Marissa, Keshera and their brother Basil. This family has many braggable talents such as singing, breakdancing, an early childhood educator, a doula and one sister who can do cartoon voice impressions.
- THE MOLE FAMILY (Winnipeg, MB)– A family of quirky and outgoing characters including three sisters Nonita (captain), Joan and Anne and two of their partners Chris and Johnathan. The Mole Sisters have a family blog and grew up in a small town in the Philippines, where their family owned a farm that produced rice, fruits and vegetables, before migrating to Canada.
- THE OKTUBU FAMILY (Edmonton, AB)– A family who love to sing and dance together, the Oktubus are made up of: team captain Kunle, who plays the drums and piano at his local church; his wife Pamela, who is a nurse and small business owner; his brothers Kihara, a former professional soccer player in Nigeria; and Ngigi who works as a property manager in Edmonton; and Kihara’s fiancée, Skye.
- THE PECCIA FAMILY (Woodbridge, ON)– The Peccias won the hearts and stomachs of the producers by bringing homemade jars of Italian-style tomato sauce to their audition. The team consists of: captain Andrew; his wife Simran; his cousin Melaine, his brother Phillip, who still proudly lives at home; and Phillip’s boyfriend, Dario.
- THE WHEELER FAMILY (Bienfait, SK)– The Wheelers recently became a family of five siblings, after team captain Pam took an online DNA test and discovered long-lost twin brothers who had been put up for adoption at birth. Twin brothers Todd and Scott join siblings Kelly, Pam and Teresa to play the game as a newly unified family.
FAMILY FEUD CANADA is now taping at the CBC Broadcast Centre in Toronto. Free tickets to be a part of the live studio audience are available at cbc.ca/familyfeud.
Family Feud is one of television’s longest-running and top-rated game shows watched by audiences around the world. First introduced in the U.S. in 1976, the much-loved game show has been picked up in 72 international markets to date including the United Kingdom, Australia, France, India, Indonesia, and the United States.
