ESPN Star Sports announces Dream Job

Three years ago, ESPN Star Sports (ESS) had come up with an anchor based reality show format. The show was called Dream Job - Harsha Ki Khoj and involved searching for an anchor who had strong presentation skills like Harsha Bhogle.

Now the sports broadcaster has announced the second edition of the show called Clinic All Clear Dream Job. This offers a one-year contract with the broadcaster. The winner will become a presenter on Star Cricket.



The broadcaster has roped in actor and cricket presenter Mandira Bedi as a celebrity judge for the show. The jury for the second edition will also include stars like Ravi Shastri, Wasim Akram, Harsha Bhogle and Alan Wilkins. The broadcaster's news executive producer Sharon van Zwieten News and SportsCenter presenter Colette Wong will also play a critical role in the jury.

The show will air every Thursday from 20 September on Star Cricket.

ESPN Software India MD R C Venkateish said, “The launch of Dream Job is a part of our overall strategy of launching quality sports based feature programmes. The first edition of the programme received a huge response from cricket lovers across the nation and we expect an even better response this time. The format of the show has been made bigger; the scale is now going to be international. After all, the prize on offer for the winner is literally a Dream Job – he will be a presenter on Star Cricket.”




HUL GM and category head, Hair Care Rajaram Narayanan said, “Dream Job is a perfect platform for any Indian who eats, breathes and sleeps cricket, a sport that unites India. Clinic All Clear as a brand stands for self - assurance, self - confidence and perfection; and Dream Job is a hunt for a perfect candidate who needs to have similar attributes.”

Bedi said, “It is not easy to be a presenter especially for sports. The action is live and the result unpredictable. Hence the reactions have to be honest, impromptu and informed. This is a lethal combination and it takes time to adjust and respond. One has to be always at his confident best to be All Clear All The Way.

“As the jury, we will be testing the contestants on various parameters like presence of mind, domain knowledge, presentation, camera readiness, ease with cricket as well as non-cricket sport and performance during live matches. I am very excited with this new association with the number one sports network in India and world over. Working with ESPN Star Sports is like a dream come true for me. It is my dream job”.

Clinic All Clear Dream Job has kick started with entries through audio/video clips and call in phone lines that will be open till 6 August 2007. The show has already received overwhelming response from enthusiasts across the country, an official release said.

The entries will be reviewed and the short listed candidates will be called for on-ground auditions at the four metros in the presence of the jury. Starting with Delhi on 18 August, Dream Job will travel to Mumbai on 25 August, followed by Bangalore on 1 September and Kolkata on 8 September.

The search goes international as India is taking on England for 3 Tests and 7 One Day Internationals. On each match day the broadcaster will hunt for candidates from the stands and four candidates will make it to the final phase of the reality show.

From the on ground auditions, 16 contestants will make it to the studio rounds, with the final 4 heading to Sydney for an experience of a lifetime and the viewers will not just get to see the contestants live during the semi finals but also vote for their favourite to reach the final round.

The final round will see the top two go to the ESS studios at Singapore where each of them will get to do a story live on Sportscenter. The two will have a final job interview and the winner will get a one year contract as a sports presenter thereafter.

The broadcaster adds that the Dream Job contest last time received an response with entries across the country. The show had on ground auditions in six cities and after a six month long process, Anand Narsimhan from Bangalore was chosen as the winner.