Last Chance Learners was an Australian television program which was created by the Seven Network. The show gave ten learner drivers the chance to be trained by an experienced driving instructor and the opportunity to take their driver's licence test and win a brand new Hyundai Getz.

Last Chance Learners premiered on Wednesday 18 April 2007 at 7:30pm on Channel Seven and was hosted by former Test cricketer and Who Dares Wins host Mike Whitney. After the conclusion of the series final on 4 July 2007, the Seven Network planned a live reunion special, also hosted by Whitney, where all ten learners would talk about their experiences on the show and answer questions from a live studio audience. The special also planned to give away the remaining Hyundai Getzs to lucky home viewers. However, the reunion special was cancelled. Repeats have been shown on 7Two.

The series was also broadcast in the UK on Living2 as Desperate Learners Driving School.

The learner drivers

The ten learner drivers were split up into two teams of five learner drivers each. Each team had its own dedicated driving instructor. The red team instructor was Jann Shipley while the blue team instructor was Chris Breen.

Red Team

Learner driverPartnerDriver's AgeYears on learnersLicence test attemptsTest result
Learner driver Partner Driver's Age Years on learners Licence test attempts Test result Sharni Freeman Chris Martin 27 12 0 Passed – Episode 11 Virgilia Nielsen Darren Appleton 19 3 3 Passed – Episode 7 Shannan Wilson Lee Bollom 28 11 3 Passed – Episode 12 Isabel Sng John Wong 32 14 0 Quit – Episode 7 David Bester Darren Balsley 24 3 2 Passed – Episode 12
Sharni FreemanChris Martin27120Passed – Episode 11
Virgilia NielsenDarren Appleton1933Passed – Episode 7
Shannan WilsonLee Bollom28113Passed – Episode 12
Isabel SngJohn Wong32140Quit – Episode 7
David BesterDarren Balsley2432Passed – Episode 12

Blue Team

Learner driverPartnerDriver's AgeYears on learnersLicence test attemptsTest result
Learner driver Partner Driver's Age Years on learners Licence test attempts Test result Simone Woods Josh Woods 32 16 0 Didn't pass at all Shaun Favell Eddie Bray 36 17 4 Didn't pass at all Robert Giess Colleen Berry 34 17 0 Passed – Episode 5 Naida Churchill Lisa Moyle 33 6 0 Passed – Episode 12 Belinda Lemair Andrew Lemair 32 13 2 Passed – Episode 4
Simone WoodsJosh Woods32160Didn't pass at all
Shaun FavellEddie Bray36174Didn't pass at all
Robert GiessColleen Berry34170Passed – Episode 5
Naida ChurchillLisa Moyle3360Passed – Episode 12
Belinda LemairAndrew Lemair32132Passed – Episode 4

Episodes

#Air DateChallengeWinnerTest-takerDid they pass?
# Air Date Challenge Winner Test-taker Did they pass? 1 18 April 2007 Pace Car Challenge Red N/A N/A 2 25 April 2007 Emergency Braking Red Shannan No 3 2 May 2007 Reverse Parking on a busy street Blue Virgilia No 4 9 May 2007 Braking on a wet surface Blue Belinda Yes 5 16 May 2007 Reversing through a grid of cars Blue Robert Yes 6 23 May 2007 Night Driving Red Naida N/A – didn't sit test 7 30 May 2007 3-point turn on a hill Blue Virgilia Yes 8 6 June 2007 Finding a parking spot at Paddy's Markets Red Naida No 9 13 June 2007 Country Driving Red Shannan N/A – didn't sit test 10 20 June 2007 Map Navigation Red David No 11 27 June 2007 4WD Challenge Red Sharni Yes 12 4 July 2007 N/A N/A David Naida Shannan Shaun Simone David, Naida and Shannan finally passed, but Shaun and Simone failed dismally.
118 April 2007Pace Car ChallengeRedN/AN/A
225 April 2007Emergency BrakingRedShannanNo
32 May 2007Reverse Parking on a busy streetBlueVirgiliaNo
49 May 2007Braking on a wet surfaceBlueBelindaYes
516 May 2007Reversing through a grid of carsBlueRobertYes
623 May 2007Night DrivingRedNaidaN/A – didn't sit test
730 May 20073-point turn on a hillBlueVirgiliaYes
86 June 2007Finding a parking spot at Paddy's MarketsRedNaidaNo
913 June 2007Country DrivingRedShannanN/A – didn't sit test
1020 June 2007Map NavigationRedDavidNo
1127 June 20074WD ChallengeRedSharniYes
124 July 2007N/AN/ADavid Naida Shannan Shaun SimoneDavid, Naida and Shannan finally passed, but Shaun and Simone failed dismally.

External links