UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – August 16, 2010 – NBC’s popular “Minute To Win It†will broadcast special “Girls of Summerâ€-themed episodes three nights in a row from Monday, August 23, to Wednesday, August 25 (8-9 p.m. ET). The first of the three episodes is the previously announced Miss Universe episode, which precedes the “2010 Miss Universe Pageant,†airing Monday, August 23 (9-11 p.m. ET).
On August 24, it’s East vs. West as girls from opposite coasts compete for the grand prize. Melissa Busfield from Gloucester, Mass., competes against Erica Sanchez from Orinda, Calif., for the $1 million prize. Their first challenge is the game Paper Dragon, in which they must unspool two rolls of party streamers using only their hands and arms. The girls will compete head-to-head in the first three challenges and whoever wins the most out of the three challenges continues to compete for the $1 million. Later, Atlanta Hawk cheerleaders Stephanie Ming and Kaylin Reque compete as a team to win money to support their disabled parents.
On August 25, after cheerleaders Ming and Reque finish competing, the 60-second circle welcomes, sisters Kandis & Kristin Erickson from Los Angeles and Orange County, California. The sisters are competing for their grandmother who wants to return to her homeland of Italy. Their first challenge is “Tilt-A-Cup,†in which they must incrementally build a wobbly tower of cups and ping-pong balls by bouncing a ball from the ground up into a growing stack of cups held in their hands.
As previously announced, a special episode of “Minute To Win It†featuring former Miss USA and Miss Universe titleholders competing against one another will air on Monday, August 23 (8-9 p.m. ET), as a lead in to the “2010 Miss Universe Pageant†on NBC (9-11 p.m. ET).
“Minute To Win It†airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays (8-9 p.m. ET) this summer and is hosted by All-American chef and television personality Guy Fieri (“Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”). The show features competitors participating in a series of simple, yet nerve-wracking, games that can lead to a $1 million prize. In each one-hour episode, competitors face 10 challenges that escalate in level of difficulty using everyday household items. Each game has a one-minute time limit and failure to finish the task on time will eliminate the contestant. At various points throughout the game, the competitor can walk away with the money earned up to that point – but it takes nerves of steel to complete all 10 tasks to win $1 million.
“Minute To Win It” is produced by Universal Media Studios with Friday Television. Craig Plestis, Tim Puntillo (“Identity”), Mattias Olsson and Jock Millgardh serve as executive producers.
NBC.com hosts the official show website and includes fun play at home games, full episodes and more.