The second season of The Great Australian Spelling Bee premiered on 17 July 2016 on Network Ten. The season sees Grant Denyer and Chrissie Swan return as hosts.
Poor ratings for the four initial episodes of the season resulted in the series being moved from Sundays to the lesser viewed Saturday from its fifth episode. From its seventh episode, the show was moved to Network Ten's sister channel, Eleven.
Format This is the structure of the series for season two:
Laser Letters
In Laser Letters, a new challenge for 2016, each team stand behind a buzzer podium facing the big screen. The pronouncer will read out four words that appear via a laser projection on the big screen, visible for a short amount of time. To keep the spellers on their toes, one word will be spelt incorrectly. Once a speller thinks they have identified the mistake they must buzz in and spell the word correctly. When they identify and spell the word correctly they win a point for their team. The first two teams to get three points are safe and the other teams will go into the Spelling Bee.
Letter by Letter Knock-Out
Each speller takes a turn to give one letter at a time to spell a given word. When a speller gives the last letter of the word, the next speller states that word to signal that it is finished. The pronouncer then gives the next word, and the next speller spells out the first letter of that new word. The challenge continues until a speller makes a mistake. That speller is then out of the round and the challenge continues until there is one speller standing. Three rounds of Letter by Letter Knock Out are played to determine the three spellers to compete in the Ultimate Spelling Bee. The winner of the Ultimate Spelling Bee is the Spelling Bee champion. Tristan won the Great Australian Spelling Bee Champion for 2016.
Show and Spell
Each team member must line up behind a buzzer. Clues and letters are revealed until a speller buzzes to identify the word that the clues point to. If a speller spells a correctly identified word accurately, they gain a point for their team. The first two teams to reach a score of three are safe. The third and final team must face an individual Spelling Bee, where two members will be sent home.
Speed Spell Duo
With rules similar to Speed Spell Relay, this Speed Spell involves two spellers from the same team stepping into the Spell Gate together. The duo is given 60 seconds to spell as many words correctly as possible. The spellers will each spell one word at the time taking turns. When a speller makes a mistake that speller will step out of the Spell Gate and the other speller continues spelling. The challenge ends when 60 seconds have passed or both team members have made a mistake. Once all teams have had a turn, the bottom two teams will go into Spelling Bee.
Speed Spell Relay
This Speed Spell is a team relay challenge. One team at a time steps into the super-sized Spell Gate and is given 60 seconds to correctly spell as many words as possible. When a speller makes a mistake that speller will step out of the Spell Gate and the other team members continue. The challenge ends when 60 seconds have passed or all team members have made a mistake. The team with the fewest words spelt at the end of the round will go into Spelling Bee.
Speed Spell Showdown
Each speller steps into the Spell Gate, which lights up during a 60-second countdown. Spellers must spell as many words correctly as possible. If a mistake is made, the speller's time stops. The top speller who completes the most number of correct words in the least amount of time is safe from elimination, while the rest move on to play Spelling Bee.
Spelling Bee (Individual Spelling)
Spellers are divided into groups, with four spellers in each group. Members of each group compete in a traditional spelling bee, where they spell until there are only two spellers left. If all four spellers spell correctly or incorrectly in the same round, they will all spell again until two remain.
Superword
In Superword, duos have to find words in a grid of nine letters revealed on the big screen. Words must contain five letters or more and include the centre letter. Spellers can use a letter only once and cannot name a word already given by another team. Whenever a speller of a team thinks that they have identified a word, they buzz in. Once identified correctly they must spell the word correctly to win a point for their team. The first five teams to get three points are safe. If a duo identifies the Superword which uses all nine letters, they immediately receive safe passage to the next show. The two bottom teams will play in Spelling Bee.
Superword (Individual Spelling)
In Superword, spellers have to find words in a grid of nine letters revealed on the big screen. Words must contain five letters or more and include the centre letter. Spellers can use a letter only once and cannot name a word already given by another speller. Whenever a speller thinks they have identified a word they buzz in. Once identified correctly they must spell the word correctly to win a point. The first two spellers to get five points are safe. If a speller identifies the Superword using all nine letters, they immediately receive safe passage to the next show. The rest move on to play the Spelling Bee.
Season Details
Contestants
Name Age State Competition Status Tristan 11 VIC Winner (Episode 10) Zachary 8 NSW Runner-up (Episode 10) Annie 10 NSW 3rd (Episode 10) Ava 10 SA 4th (Episode 10) Zeke 10 VIC 5th (Episode 9) Zoe 10 QLD 6th (Episode 8) Jessica 12 NSW 7th (Episode 7) Hanna 11 VIC 8th (Episode 7) Max 11 QLD 9th (Episode 6) Luca 9 SA 10th (Episode 6) Josie 11 WA 11th (Episode 5) Rory 8 QLD 12th (Episode 5) William 10 NSW 13th (Episode 4) Beau 12 WA 14th (Episode 4) Alistair 9 QLD 15th (Episode 3) James 12 QLD 16th (Episode 3) Arya 10 NSW 17th (Episode 2) Faiza 12 QLD 18th (Episode 2) Alexia 12 VIC =19th (Episode 1) Marc 10 NSW =19th (Episode 1) Max B 9 VIC =19th (Episode 1) Quinn B 8 NSW =19th (Episode 1) Sophie J 10 WA =19th (Episode 1)
Elimination Chart
Contestant Top 18 Top 16 Top 14 Tristan Safe (S&S) Safe (SSR) Safe (SW) Safe (S&S) Safe (SB) Safe (SB) Safe (SB) Safe (SB) Progressed (LLKO) Winner Zachary Safe (S&S)Safe (SSR) Safe (SW) Safe (S&S) Safe (SSD) Safe (LL)Safe (SW) Safe (SB)Progressed (LLKO) Annie Safe (S&S) Safe (SSR)Safe (SW)Safe (S&S)Safe (SSD) Safe (LL) Safe (SW) Safe (SB) 3rd Ava Safe (SB) Safe (SSR) Safe (SW)Safe (S&S) Safe (SSD)Safe (LL) Safe (SB)Safe (SS) 4th ZekeSafe (S&S) Safe (SSR) Safe (SB) Safe (S&S) Safe (SSD) Safe (SB) Safe (SB) Eliminated Zoe Safe (SB) Safe (SSR) Safe (SW)Safe (S&S)Safe (SSD)Safe (LL) Eliminated JessicaSafe (S&S)Safe (SSR) Safe (SB)Safe (S&S) Safe (SSD) Eliminated Hanna Safe (SB)Safe (SSR)Safe (SW) Safe (SB) Safe (SB) Eliminated MaxSafe (S&S) Safe (SB) Safe (SW) Safe (SB) Eliminated Luca Safe (SB) Safe (SSR) Safe (SW) Safe (S&S) Eliminated JosieSafe (S&S) Safe (SB) Safe (SW) Eliminated Rory Safe (S&S)Safe (SSR) Safe (SW) Eliminated Beau Safe (S&S) Safe (SSR) Eliminated William Safe (S&S) Safe (SSR) Eliminated AlistairSafe (S&S) Eliminated JamesSafe (S&S) Eliminated Arya Eliminated Faiza EliminatedKey S&S: Show and SpellSW: SuperwordSSR: Speed Spell RelaySSD: Speed Spell DuoLL: Laser LettersSB: Spelling BeeLLKO: Letter by Letter Knock-Out Eliminated Safe (Spelling Bee) Won Challenge Third Place Runner-Up Winner
Episodes
Episode 1 (17 July)
Each of the 36 spellers were put into a group containing four spellers (according to age), with only two from each team making it through to the Top 18. Luca & Alistair, Annie & Zeke, Hanna & Josie, Max & Tristan, Zoe & Ava, Faiza & Jessica, Beau & James, William & Arya, and Zachary & Rory made it to the Top 18.
Episode 2 (24 July)
The spellers had their first Team challenge of Show & Spell, based on words to do with Space. The spellers were put into 3 different teams of 6 (red, blue yellow ) based on the badge they chose. Each team received a post for each word the team members spelled correctly. Incorrect answers resulted in the team being locked out. The first two teams who got to 3 points first were safe. The remaining team members competed in a Spelling Bee. The first two spellers who spelled their word incorrectly was eliminated. Team Spellers Results Show and Spell Spelling Bee Blue Zeke 3 points(Safe 1st) rowspan="12" Jessica Max Alistair Josie James Red Rory 3 points(Safe 2nd) William Tristan Zachary Annie Beau Yellow Arya 2 points(last place) Failed Ava Passed Faiza Failed Hanna Passed Luca Passed Zoe Passed
Notes
The spellers of the spelling bee spelt in this order: Zoe, Hanna, Faiza, Ava, Arya, Luca. The spelling bee lasted 3 rounds. Faiza was the only speller who had spelt her word incorrectly in the second round, and so she was eliminated first. Arya was the only speller who had spelt her word incorrectly in the third round, so she was eliminated. Team Blue: James Jessica Josie Alistair Max & Zeke Team Red: Rory William Annie Zachary Tristan & Beau Team Yellow: Luca Arya Hanna Ava Zoe & Faiza
Episode 3 (31 July)
Team Spellers Results Speed Spell Relay Spelling Bee Blue Jessica 11 points(Safe 1st) rowspan="12" Zachary Rory Hanna Green Zoe 11 points(Safe 2nd) Ava William Annie Yellow Beau 10 points(Safe 3rd) Zeke Luca Tristan Red Alistair 9 points(last place) Failed James Failed Josie Passed Max Passed
Notes
Teams went up to spell in this order: Green, Yellow, Blue, Red. All spellers in the Green and Blue teams had correctly spelt their words, but Max in the Red team and Luca in the Yellow team had spelt their word incorrectly, at the 7th and 11th words respectively. Both spellers who spelt their words incorrectly were the third member of the team to spell. Luca stepped out of the gate while time was up, but they had already surpassed the word count of the Red team. The spellers of the spelling bee spelt in this order: James, Max, Alistair, Josie. The spelling bee lasted two rounds. The second round James spelling his word incorrectly, Max correctly, Alistair incorrectly confirming Max to be safe, and Josie correctly, eliminating James and Alistair. Team Blue: Jessica Zachary Rory Hanna, got 11 Points Team Green: Zoe Ava William Annie, got 11 Points Team Yellow: Beau Zeke Luca Tristan, got 10 Points Team Red: Alistair James Max Josie, got 9 Points
Episode 4 (7 August)
The spellers compete in a new challenge Superword.
Team Spellers Results Superword Spelling Bee Green Annie 3 points(Safe 1st) rowspan="10" Hanna Orange Ava 3 points(Safe 2nd) Zoe Purple Josie 3 points(Safe 3rd) Tristan Pink Max 3 points(Safe 4th) Rory Yellow Luca 3 points(Safe 5th) Zachary Blue Beau 2 points(last place) Failed Jessica Passed Red William 2 points(last place) Failed Zeke Passed
Notes
No speller had correctly identified the Superword, being "Periscope". The spellers of the spelling bee spelt in this order: Beau, Jessica, Zeke, and William. The spelling bee of this episode only lasted one round, as Beau and William had spelt their first words wrong.
Episode 5 (13 August)
Team Spellers Results Speed Spell Relay Spelling Bee Red Zoe 3 points(Safe 1st) rowspan="9" Ava Annie Jessica Blue Luca 3 points(Safe 2nd) Zachary Zeke Tristan Yellow Max 1 point(last place) Passed Josie Failed Rory Failed Hanna Passed
Episode 6 (20 August)
The spellers take on the spell gate again to compete in Speed Spell Duo.
Team Spellers Results Speed Spell Duo Spelling Bee Blue Annie 11 points(Safe 1st) rowspan="7" Zoe Red Ava 11 points(Safe 2nd) Zachary Yellow Jessica 10 points(Safe 3rd) Zeke Green Hanna 10 points(4th Place) Passed Luca Failed Pink Max 8 points(Last Place) Failed Tristan Passed
Episode 7 (27 August)