Hosted by Nick Eynon (now Nick Piper) and his trusty righthand alien sidekick/puppet, Razzo, Off the Planet was a short-lived game show which pitted two teams of two family members and a celebrity guest against each other in a variety of exciting games to win prizes. The show was known for its intergalactic theme and entertaining challenges that tested the contestants’ skills and knowledge.
Produced by Grundy Television (now Fremantle) for TV3 (now Three), Off the Planet premiered on the evening of Monday 5 May 1997 at 7pm. It initially screened five nights a week, Monday to Friday, at 7pm but was later moved to the earlier timeslot of 5.30pm as a lead-in to the news due to poor viewing figures. The final episode screened on the evening of Friday 27 June 1997 and a total of 40 episodes were produced.
The show was recorded in front of a live audience at Wellington’s Avalon Studios, which were owned by TVNZ at the time. The Price Is Right, which screened on TV3 in 1992 and ran for a year, was also recorded at Avalon.