A trip to Toronto to compete in a television game show has special meaning for Atish Ram.

The Surrey man and his family won an audition to appear on the new Family Feud Canada.

The Ram team includes Atish, his wife Mandy, teen daughter Jasmine and adult sons Tyler and Ryan.

The Newton-area family is among up to 72 Canadian clans chosen to compete on the TV game show hosted by Gerry Dee, former star of the Mr. D sitcom.

For Atish, the whole experience reminds him of his departed father.

害羞草研究所淗e loved game shows, and that was his thing 害羞草研究所� he害羞草研究所檇 watch Jeopardy, Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, anything 害羞草研究所� all of them,害羞草研究所� Atish explained. 害羞草研究所淗e would have been very proud about this.

害羞草研究所淲e lost him two years ago, and that makes this sentimental for me. In my eulogy for him, I said I would promise to put the Ram name up in lights one day, and then this happens. It害羞草研究所檚 kind of weird, and we害羞草研究所檒l be on the show exactly two years to the day since we laid him to rest.害羞草研究所�

In another twist of fate, Atish said he opened a fortune cookie on Aug. 27 害羞草研究所� the day of his family害羞草研究所檚 audition for the game show 害羞草研究所� and the message said, 害羞草研究所淎 television program will give you great impetus.害羞草研究所� A second fortune cookie promised, 害羞草研究所淎 refreshing change is in your future.害羞草研究所�

The family害羞草研究所檚 trip to Toronto will be a special one, Atish said.

害羞草研究所淪omehow it was all meant to happen,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been a tough two years. I害羞草研究所檝e battled health issues 害羞草研究所� I害羞草研究所檝e been in and out of hospital with heart problems 害羞草研究所� and we haven害羞草研究所檛 gone on vacation together or anything for a long time, so it害羞草研究所檒l be nice to get to go and have a little vacation all paid for. Win or lose, we害羞草研究所檝e already won.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所� RELATED STORY, from August: .

On the show, families compete head-to-head by guessing the most popular answers to survey questions based on responses from a sample of Canadians.

害羞草研究所淵ou can come back on the show up to three times, depending on the outcome, so we害羞草研究所檒l see how we do,害羞草研究所� Atish said. 害羞草研究所淵ou can win up to $10,000 per show.害羞草研究所�

Atish expects his family害羞草研究所檚 show air date will be at the end of January.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 my guess, and they害羞草研究所檒l let us know,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淲e want to have fun, but we also want to win,害羞草研究所� Atish added. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been watching a lot of the shows and so have my kids, practicing, but there害羞草研究所檚 no right answers in a survey of 100 people 害羞草研究所� some of the answers are so bizarre, and sometimes it害羞草研究所檚 about how quickly you can answer.害羞草研究所�

Family Feud Canada, to debut at 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16 on CBC, will air four nights a week, from Monday to Thursday.

First introduced in the U.S. in 1976, Family Feud is one of television害羞草研究所檚 longest-running and top-rated game shows. The title has been picked up in 71 international markets to date, including the U.K., Australia, France, India and Indonesia.

For the new Canadian edition, last summer close 2,000 families applied to appear on the show. From those applicants, 575 families were invited to audition in person at 15 sites across the country, including the Vancouver site for the Rams.

In November, Atish was named Volunteer of the Year during the Now-Leader害羞草研究所檚 17th annual Community Leader Awards. He received top honour in the category for his work with Shaw TV to create, produce and host the 害羞草研究所淎 Night of Miracles害羞草研究所� telethon that would later be called 害羞草研究所淲orld of Smiles Telethon害羞草研究所� and run for 15 years, raising more than $2.5 million.

害羞草研究所� READ MORE: .

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Follow us on and follow Tom on