Local Family Feud Canada fans can expect plenty of Waterdown content on Thursday evening’s show.
The Philchuk family – Steve and Karla and kids Jessica, Hannah and Jordan – will be vying to answer survey questions served up by host Gerry Dee. The show airs Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. on CBC.
The family’s TV debut came about after Jessica decided to find out how to apply to get on the show as a Father’s Day gift last year, said Steve.
“She said, “I decided to see what was involved in a tryout for Family Feud. And I submitted an application, and they want us to do a video,’” said Steve.
With everyone already at the house for dinner, the family spent Father’s Day recording their audition in the backyard.
“It’s a one-take, 20-minute audition video, just introducing us and talking to the camera, that we shot ourselves,” says Steve, noting that even if it didn’t go anywhere, they still had a good time. “We figured if we get on, that’s a good Father’s Day gift. And if we don’t, we don’t. We still had a good Father’s Day, we still had fun together.”
As it turned out, the producers liked what they saw and, after two more interviews, the Philchuks were headed to the CBC studios in Toronto for a taping in September. “It’s really quite extensive,” Steve says of the process.
The family enjoyed the experience, including meeting Dee.
“There's not a lot of rehearsed pieces; he's pretty fast,” noted Steve. “He's really a really nice person, makes you kind of feel at home.”
When it came to the taping there were a few nerves, he admitted.
“Our mouths were dry, and we couldn't wait for that commercial break,” said. “There were a lot of nerves, for sure, but it was great fun doing it as well."
The Philchuks also enjoyed meeting families from across the country who were there for the show. They met folks from Abbotsford, B.C., and from Down East. None had heard of Waterdown, but Steve, a business professor at Mohawk College, was quick to fill them in. The Philchuks also give a shout-out to their hometown on the show.
“It was nice that we got a chance to go and do that stuff,” said Steve. “It was just nice to kind of represent Waterdown and get down there for the day and participate. And you know, going coast to coast on national TV is kind of fun.”
To add to the experience, Hannah made a record of the day, noted Steve. “My daughter has a TikTok video of the the whole day and what was involved in getting ready for it.”
Steve says the family will be together again, this time by the TV, on Thursday evening.
“We’re having a little watch party at our house,” he said.
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