Tania Zaetta reveals the secrets behind Who Dares Wins
She was the host and amateur stunt woman on Australian adventure game show, Who Dares Wins, in the 90s.
And Tania Zaetta has now revealed the shocking secrets behind the much-loved series that encouraged unsuspecting Aussies to take on death-defying dares.
In an interview with News.com.au, the former TV host recalled safety fears during numerous stunts, including a near-miss with an ACTUAL stunt professional.
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Safety fears, constant nightmares and a hairy encounter with a crocodile: Tania Zaetta reveals the SCARIEST moments and SHOCKING secrets behind Who Dares Wins
Tania, who co-hosted the show with Mike Whitney for three seasons, witnessed many high-risk stunts during the 107 episodes.
When contestants failed to attempt, or complete, the terrifying tasks, it was then Tania's turn to give the dare a crack. When she refused, a stunt professional was called in.
She admitted to the publication she would often have nightmares about what what stunts the producers would dream up for her to complete.
Not so nICE! An unsuspected avalanche stopped the crew from being safely retrieved by helicopter while filming an ice climbing dare in Queenstown, with Tania claiming they had to 'walk hours and hours across ice glaciers in the freezing cold' to get out of the danger zone
However, it wasn't only the stunts and dares that had her on edge, as Tania revealed the crew was once left stranded in Queenstown while attempting to film an ice-climbing dare.
An unsuspected avalanche stopped the crew from being safely retrieved by helicopter, with Tania claiming they had to 'walk hours and hours across ice glaciers in the freezing cold' to get out of the danger zone.
Living in fear? She admitted to the publication she would often have nightmares about what what stunts the producers would dream up for her to complete, adding the crew would often laugh when guests of the show took to the challenges, as they knew she would most likely have to follow their attempt
Tania, who appeared brave on the show, claimed it was all an act: 'I’m scared of heights, I’m claustrophobic, I’m scared of the dark. I was often more scared than the contestants!'
She even admitted to talking contestants out of particular dares, so she could force the professionals to perform the stunts she was sure would 'kill someone!'
Tania explained there was a challenge which involved swimming through a crocodile-infested swamp, which relied solely on research that suggested crocodiles under the age of four weren't territorial and therefore wouldn't attack.
'I knew I was going to say no, no matter what happened. Then it was over to the professional crocodile handler — he did it, but it was very hairy when a few crocodiles got close to him,' she said.
'It was very hairy when a few crocodiles got close to him!': Tania explained there was a challenge which involved swimming through a crocodile-infested swamp, which relied solely on research that suggested crocodiles under the age of four weren't territorial and therefore wouldn't attack, but a few got a little close to comfort when it was attempted
Wow! Tania once walked across a two-inch plank of wood between two hot air balloons flying at a thousand feet
She said height and balance-based tasks often were failed by contestants, which meant she took on the terrifying dares herself.
Shockingly, Tania added the crew often laughed when guests of the show took to the challenges, as they knew she would need to follow their attempt: 'Things like that would always swing over to me, and the crew would just laugh while I’m talking the contestant into doing the dare — they knew I’d end up doing it.'
Tania once walked across a two-inch plank of wood between two hot air balloons flying at a thousand feet.
Who Dares Wins aired on the Seven Network between 1996 and 1998