Winning Streak not returning to TV screens this autumn as ploughing events also postponed

Scenes from last January as Michelle Morgan won the big one on the Winning Streak Game Show. Photo: Mac Innes Photography

Winning Streak will not be returning this autumn due to ongoing restrictions related to Covid-19, while the National Ploughing Association (NPA) have cancelled all National Ploughing Finals except the international qualifiers.
The news that  Winning Streak will remain off the air this autumn was announced by the National Lottery and RTÉ. 

A spokesperson for the show said: “Both National Lottery and RTÉ are disappointed to postpone the show but, given the unprecedented challenges posed by Covid-19, producing the programme while managing social distancing in studio, we feel, provides too much risk to players, their families (who travel from all over the country to support the player) and the staff of RTÉ, National Lottery and KPMG, who are the independent observers for the game show. 

"The five players who were drawn to appear on the next episode, which would have aired in March, before the lockdown was announced, have been contacted and will appear at a later date."

Additionally, in March it was announced that any player who still had a three-star entry should continue to send those into the National Lottery until August 10 for a catch-all draw.

Two game shows will now take place, one for those drawn in the catch-all draw and one for those drawn for the postponed show of March 21, but they will not be televised and will follow public health guidelines.

Winning Streak scratch cards, due to go on sale in August, will not go on sale until further notice.

National Ploughing Finals cancelled 

Meanwhile, The National Ploughing Association (NPA) have cancelled all National Ploughing Finals except the international qualifiers.

The decision was made at the NPA executive meeting this week. Senior qualifier classes for 2021, which include qualification for the World Ploughing Contest scheduled to be hosted in Ireland next September, will continue. However, they have been postponed until October and will depend on the HSE and government recommendations at that time.

With visitor attendance last year of 297,000 and up to 1,700 exhibitors the full event was not seen as an option in the midst of a global pandemic.