Winning Streak (Irish game show)

''Winning Streak'' is an Irish television game show. The show was broadcast weekly in Ireland between 1990 and 2020 on RTÉ One. Typical episodes of the show would see contestants take part in a number of games to win cars, holidays, and cash prizes up to €500,000.

Broadcast as RTÉ's flagship Saturday night show between early September and late May (however from 1990 until 1993 it was aired on Friday nights), the show brought consistently high ratings for the channel, often ranking among the top five in the ratings and at one point held the feat of being Europe's second longest-running game show (behind only Channel 4's ''Countdown''). However, there was a significant drop in viewership during the 2008/2009 series.

The show was normally produced in RTE's Studio 1 at their Television Centre in Dublin.

The show first aired on 21 September 1990 with host Mike Murphy (1990–2001) and Derek Mooney (2001–2008). Prize money for the show is funded by the National Lottery, with entry to the game based on National Lottery scratchcards.

Mooney stepped down as the show's host at the end of the 2007–08 season. The 2008–09 season was rebranded ''Winning Streak: Dream Ticket'' and was co-hosted by Kathryn Thomas and Aidan Power. They were the first duo to host the programme and Thomas was the show's first permanent female presenter. Aidan Power stood down, after the 2008/09 season ended on 6 June 2009, because of his commitments to the RTÉ's youth-orientated programme, ''The Cafe'', as well as presenting on ''The All Ireland Talent Show'' in early 2010. Marty Whelan stepped into Aidan's shoes, co-hosting the 2009/10 series with Kathryn, which aired from 12 September 2009 (reverting to its original name ''Winning Streak'') until 29 May 2010. Kathryn was later replaced with Geri Maye, who presented alongside Whelan until 2013, when Sinéad Kennedy assumed the role of co-host.

''Winning Streak'' was cancelled in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland. In February 2023, it was confirmed that the show had finished, although RTÉ remained open to a potential reboot in the future, with an updated format for a modern audience. Provided by Wikipedia