It’s time once again for Canada to play the feud – and the hit game show is looking for families from Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley.
Family Feud Canada is getting set to film its third season and is seeking families of all types to audition and potentially earn a spot to compete in a taping of the program in Toronto later this year.
The show will be accepting online auditions until Aug. 31 and both the first and second auditions will be done via Zoom. Family members must all be 18 years old as of May 1, 2021 and be a Canadian citizen.
Due to the pandemic, all of the recent auditions for the show have been conducted virtually. Families must complete an application and submit photos, answer a number of questions and upload a short video introducing themselves. The video should be about three to five minutes in length.
If the application stands out, a producer will then host a first audition with the family on Zoom. The first audition allows producers to get to know the family better to determine if they would be a good fit for the show. Following that, a second audition occurs where the family squares off in a mock game against another family. Producers then make their choices of who appears on the show after that second audition.
Supervising casting producer Donia Aly said they are looking for all kinds of families to feature and encouraged Abbotsford and Fraser Valley families to apply.
“We’re looking for all types and a variety of personalities,” she said. “If you have a big personality, lots of energy and a competitive spirit then you are more likely to stand out in the audition process. But we want families who want to have fun and people who are big fans of the show and often play along as they watch. Regional representation is also really important to us, we want to make sure our show is representative of the entire landscape of the country.”
Two seasons and over 100 episodes of the show, hosted by comedian Gerry Dee, have aired but season two did not feature a studio audience. Aly said it’s unclear if a crowd will be present for season three, which will begin filming at the CBC building in Toronto in September.
“We do miss the audience,” Aly said. “There is nothing really that can replace that energy, but I think the show has done really well without a studio audience. Families are now applauding and cheering more to keep the energy up and it can be just as fun.”
Several hundred people would comprise the audience if fans are allowed back.
The rules and gameplay of Family Feud Canada are identical to its American counterpart, except for the amount of money one family can win. One individual family can only win three times, as opposed to five times in the U.S. There is also a maximum prize win amount of $30,000 in Canada. The most a family can win from one show is $10,000 if they win the Fast Money portion of the game.
Very few families have participated from the Fraser Valley area, which is why Family Feud Canada wanted to get the word out about the new set of tapings. The top B.C. family performance came in season one when the Lui family from Vancouver took home $20,680.
Aly said she hopes Abbotsford and Fraser Valley families decide to go for it.
“In addition to regional representation we’re looking for families from all ethnicities, culture and backgrounds,” she said. “We want you to be part of the show. Sometimes the idea of being on television seems so far-fetched, but we really try to audition and give chances to as many families as we can. If you spend some time on your application, chances are you may get a call. We will be more than thrilled to meet your family.”
Family Feud Canada airs Monday to Thursday on CBC at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit cbc.ca/television/familyfeud.
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