HotSpell is event television! It's a 10 half-hour, rollercoaster ride of a program. Tune in as thousands of young people from across Australia try their luck and battle it out to make the cut on HotSpell. Only 20 will be selected. Only one can win. Contestants from different backgrounds - and with vastly different personalities - perform like elite athletes in an exciting test of their talents. Their talent is words, and spelling them properly. And watching these kids trying to spell on the spot has all the drama, tension, and triumph of a great sporting event. Over 10 episodes, viewers will get to know and love the characters, cheer for their favourites, and watch the pressure build, not only on the contestants but also on their families and friends. When we meet this week's contestants it's not a sketchy, one-line summary - we really meet them. Background packages show us who these kids are, what they hope for, what they're good at, what their parents want from them, and why we're going to like them (or not!). As a contest, HotSpell is simple. No puzzling gimmicks, no difficult-to-explain scoring system. Australia's 20 hottest spellers compete until only one is left. HotSpell's simplicity allows it to focus on building great characters, and encourages viewers to play along at home, to understand instantly what's happening, and to be gripped by the drama unfolding around it. Over three rounds of competition, the kids score points for correctly spelt words. Battling their way through Round 1 (Ready, Set, Spell), Round 2 (Speed Spell) and Round 3 (Buzz Off) the contestants may eventually be forced into a Sudden Death Spell-Off where if you mis-spell a word you are out! The last speller left standing wins!