Tony Barber (left) at the 2011 Logie Awards. Photo: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fingers on the buzzers, please. Here’s your “Who am I?”
I was born in Oldham, England, on 28 March 1940, and my family brought me out to Australia in 1947.
The nuns at school taught me to sing and dance. The navy taught me to play rugby, and I graduated from the Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth in 1960.
In 1961 I was a cadet announcer on radio 6GE in Geraldton. A year later I was on Perth radio, and at night I did Johnny Mathis and Paul Anka impressions at the Charles Hotel and the Lido Coral Room.
I worked in advertising, and half the country heard me whistle in a cigarette ad before they ever saw my face.
I sang on Bandstand in 1966. In 1973 I won a Gold Logie.
And for more than ten years I read these clues out to you myself on Channel Nine.
Buzz. I’m Tony Barber.
If you got it before the last clue, good on you. Most people would have jumped in around the Gold Logie. We remember him as the bloke in the good suit asking the questions, but Tony was a singer long before he was a quizmaster, and it’s the singer we want to talk about as much as the host.
How the “Who am I?” round worked
On Sale of the Century the “Who am I?” round was a string of clues about a famous person, place or event, each one a bit more generous than the one before. You could buzz in whenever you liked. A wrong answer didn’t cost you money, but you only got one go, according to the show’s Wikipedia history. Get it right and you picked from the Fame Game board of nine celebrity faces, hiding small prizes or money cards.
From 1987 some of those Fame Game squares featured viewers at home, which meant the whole country had a reason to watch closely. Tony ran it with a grin and a quick line for everybody. Victoria Nicolls stood beside him from 1980 to 1982, then Delvene Delaney until 1985 and Alyce Platt until 1991. Every night ended the same way: “Keep smiling, and bye for now.” When he wrote his autobiography in 2001, he called it Who am I?, which seems about right.
The singer on Bandstand
After Perth, Tony became resident compere and vocalist at the Spellsons nitery on Pitt Street in Sydney, per his Wikipedia biography. That’s a short trip to Channel Nine, and sure enough he turned up on Brian Henderson’s Bandstand.
The track listings for our own Bandstand DVDs show Tony Barber singing ‘Wait by the water’ in May 1966 and ‘No, no, no’ in July. On the 31 December 1966 period costume special he was one of the regulars in the Roaring 20s segment, singing ‘Lady Jane’ and ‘Two lovely black eyes’. A later episode even has him doing Donovan’s ‘Sunshine superman’. Those performances are listed on Best of Bandstand Volume 3: 1965 to 1966 and Volume 4: 1967 to 1970, and he’s named among the Aussie regulars on the 1966 collection too.
Temptation, a Gold Logie and a stack of records
Bruce Gyngell at Seven liked what he saw, and in 1971 Tony took over The $25,000 Great Temptation. It made him a star. In 1973 he won the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television.
He kept singing through all of it. There were RCA singles in the early 1970s, starting with ‘Sarah Jane’ in 1971, and the album Temptation reached number 54 in 1973. Country Barber got to number 72 in 1975. His best chart result came later, when I believe made number 31 in 1986, followed by Love changes everything (number 49, 1989) and You light up my life (number 39, 1992). Easy listening, mostly covers of other people’s songs, with that big voice out front.
The Nine years
Tony moved to Nine for Family Feud from 1977 to 1979 and then Sale of the Century from 1980 until Glenn Ridge took over in 1991. He estimated he hosted more than 8,500 game show episodes over his career, nearly all of them for the Grundy organisation. Sale was the big one. It went out in the early evening, and in plenty of houses it was the last thing on before dinner. Cary Young won $78,606 on the show in 1982 and later took out the 1987 World Championship, which gives you some idea of the prizes Tony was handing over.
Those Nine years overlapped with Jukebox Saturday Night founder Ken Sparkes, who worked at the Nine Network while Tony was there and was known for years as the voice of Channel 9.
After Sale he hosted Jeopardy! on Ten in 1993, which he has called his favourite of the lot, and Wheel of Fortune on Seven in 1996, taking over from John Burgess. He also fronted Cash Trivia Challenge on Foxtel’s TV1, seven nights a week. He received the Medal of the Order of Australia in June 1991 for service to the entertainment industry.
Still keeping smiling
Tony guest-hosted Temptation on 14 March 2007, danced on Dancing with the Stars in 2013 and played All Star Family Feud in 2016. His team won, and yes, he signed off with the catchphrase. In 2024 he and Victoria Nicolls had a reunion for the first time in more than 30 years. Tony said Victoria was “funny without trying”.
Were you in the Sale audience, or do you remember Tony singing on Bandstand? Tell us in the comments. You can also request a song, or read more about our host.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Tony Barber?
Tony Barber was born on 28 March 1940 in Oldham, England, so he is 86 as of September 2026. His family moved to Australia in 1947 and he grew up here, finishing his schooling with the Sisters of Mercy and the Christian Brothers before heading to naval college.
How did the ‘Who am I?’ round work on Sale of the Century?
Tony read out clues about a famous person, place or event, each one giving away a little more. Contestants could buzz in at any point, and a wrong answer carried no penalty, although each player got only one go per question. A correct answer earned a pick from the Fame Game board.
What was Tony Barber’s catchphrase?
“Keep smiling, and bye for now.” He used it to close his shows for years, and he was still using it in 2016, when he signed off with it after his team won on All Star Family Feud.
Did Tony Barber appear on Bandstand?
Yes. The track listings for our Best of Bandstand DVDs show Tony Barber singing on Channel Nine’s Bandstand in 1966, including ‘No, no, no’ and a Roaring 20s segment on the 31 December 1966 special. He also turns up singing ‘Sunshine superman’ in the later collection.
What shows did Tony Barber host?
The $25,000 Great Temptation on Seven (1971 to 1975), Family Feud on Nine (1977 to 1979), Sale of the Century on Nine (1980 to 1991), Jeopardy! on Ten (1993) and Wheel of Fortune on Seven in 1996. He reckoned he hosted more than 8,500 episodes all up.
Did Tony Barber record any albums?
He did, and a few charted. Temptation (1973) reached number 54 and I believe (1986) got to number 31, his best result. Love changes everything (1989) made number 49 and You light up my life (1992) number 39.
Who were Tony Barber’s co-hosts on Sale?
Victoria Nicolls was first, from 1980 to 1982, then Delvene Delaney from 1982 to 1985 and Alyce Platt from 1986 to 1991. Tony and Victoria had a reunion in 2024, more than 30 years after they last worked together.
Did Tony Barber win a Gold Logie?
Yes, in 1973, as Most Popular Personality on Australian Television while he was hosting Great Temptation. In June 1991 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the entertainment industry.
Is Tony Barber still alive?
Yes. As of September 2026 we could find no reports of his passing. He appeared in a 2024 magazine reunion with Victoria Nicolls and has been listed by an entertainment agency as a host and master of ceremonies based in Victoria.
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Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, music history is often based on available documentation and interpretation.
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