Fans have spotted an odd detail in Channel 10’s online casting applications for the quiz show.

Millionaire Hot Seat's new host Rebecca Gibney.

Millionaire Hot Seat is set to return in 2026 with Rebecca Gibney as the new host. Photos: Channel 9

Two years after being cancelled by Channel 9, Millionaire Hot Seat is set to return to TV in 2026 on rival network Channel 10. The Australian quiz show, which first launched in 2009 as a spin-off of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, will see Logie Award-winning actress Rebecca Gibney stepping into Eddie McGuire’s shoes as the new host.

“Cat’s out of the bag! I am honoured to be stepping onto the set of a show I have been a fan of for many years,” the Packed To The Rafters star posted on Instagram. “Millionaire Hot Seat has changed the lives of so many people around the world, and to [be] asked to be the first female host is an absolute privilege.”

Fans spot bizarre detail in casting application

Alongside the announcement of the show’s return on social media, Channel 10 revealed that “casting is now underway” and shared a link to the online applications.

However, viewers quickly noticed upon clicking the link that the deadline for applications was September 15th 2025, days before the reboot was officially announced.

Despite the confusion, Channel 10 has since confirmed to Yahoo Lifestyle that applications will stay open all the way through to the beginning of next year. The series will film in Melbourne from September 24th to January 21st, with audience tickets now available.

Is Millionaire Hot Seat replacing Deal or No Deal?

Following the announcement, there has been plenty of speculation that Millionaire Hot Seat will replace Deal or No Deal, which is hosted by Grant Denyer and currently airs at 7pm on Channel 10.

No new episodes of the game show have been commissioned, according to TV Blackbox, and only three new episodes currently air each week, with repeat episodes on Thursdays and Fridays.

While it’s unclear what time slot Millionaire Hot Seat will air next year, a Channel 10 spokesperson has told Yahoo Lifestyle, “there are no changes to Deal or No Deal”.

How does Millionaire Hot Seat work?

Millionaire Hot Seat is designed to be a fast-paced quiz show, combining elements of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? with roulette and musical chairs.

Each episode will see six everyday Aussies hoping to take their place in the hot seat, facing a series of 15 challenging questions for the chance to walk away with up to $1,000,000.

Fans have since taken to social media to express their surprise over the show’s return and Rebecca Gibney’s casting, with one person writing: “Definitely not on my bingo card for sure.”

“What a refreshing choice of host!” another added, while a third said, “It won’t be the same as Eddie, but could be better! I love Rebecca”.

“Lock it in, Becky,” someone else joked.