Wipeout | |
---|---|
Also known as | Winter Wipeout Spring Wipeout Summer Wipeout Total Wipeout USA |
Genre |
Sports Entertainment Comedy |
Created by | Matt Kunitz and Scott Larsen |
Directed by | J. Rupert Thompson |
Presented by |
John Anderson John Henson Jill Wagner Vanessa Lachey |
Composer(s) | Vanacore Music (Theme Song & Underscore) |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 7 |
No. of episodes | 149 |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Matt Kunitz and Scott Larsen |
Producer(s) | Heather Finnegan Sean Jennings Eric Timm |
Running time | 60 minutes |
Production company(s) |
Endemol USA Lock and Key Productions Pulse Creative |
Distributor | Endemol USA |
Release | |
Original network | ABC |
Picture format |
480i (4:3 SDTV) (2008) 720p (16:9 HDTV) (2009–2014) |
Original release | June 24, 2008 | – September 7, 2014
Wipeout was a game show series in which contestants competed in what was billed as the "World's Largest" obstacle course. Wipeout was hosted and commentated by John Henson and John Anderson, while Jill Wagner acted as the "on-location" presenter. The show aired on ABC from June 24, 2008 until the show aired its final episode on September 7, 2014. The interim presenter for one season was Vanessa Lachey. The creators and executive producers are Matt Kunitz and Scott Larsen. Distribution of the show was handled by Endemol USA. The show was taped at Sable Ranch in Canyon Country, Santa Clarita, California, about 40 miles north of Los Angeles.
The series premiered on June 24, 2008, on ABC. After his pilot was shot, co-host Elon Gold was replaced. Producers called in Michael Glazer to find a "comic host replacement" that eventually went to John Henson. The first season's success spawned a series of international versions of Wipeout, debuting in countries including the United Kingdom and Argentina in January 2009.
On December 8, 2008, ABC announced plans to counter-program NBC's Super Bowl game-day telecasts with a sports-star-studded episode of Wipeout, entitled "Wipeout Bowl". The episode was broadcast immediately following the game. The episode featured female cheerleaders competing against male "couch potato" sports fans. During the hour-long special, Monica Kauffman became the show's first female competitor to win. Following the episode, an announcement was made that a second season had been commissioned, and a promo for the season was subsequently broadcast.