Fans of “Family Feud” will be in for a fun surprise next week when a Delaware family makes their gameshow debut.
The Fletcher family from Wilmington will compete on the show on Tuesday, May 16. A family of 10 siblings, five of the eight Fletcher sisters will take the stage to represent Delaware.
“We are a gaming family. Our mother Barabara Ann Fletcher loved playing games, and she loved the ‘Family Feud.’ I, as the oldest, I think I picked it up from her,” said Lisa Fletcher. “Whether it’s a board game or any other type of game, we play it.”
Lisa, who watches “Family Feud” every evening, saw an open call for families wanting to be on the show and knew the Fletcher name had to be in the audition pile.
When the Fletchers got the call they were selected to compete, shock and awe were plentiful.
“I am very excitable about everything. When I got the email, I was screaming, jumping up and down,” said Lisa. “To hear that we were selected, and representing our family, just a whole lot of things were going through my mind.”
Debra Fletcher, the youngest sibling, was surprised to hear the news and felt “unprepared” with how fast it all happened, she said.
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Hanging out with the other contestants and seeing the behind-the-scenes action of the show while filming in Atlanta were some of their favorite parts of the experience.
“I love to meet people so being able to meet the families was pretty awesome,” said Annette Fletcher. “Being on the stage was so surreal. It was like, ‘Are we really here?’ ”
For Lisa, hearing the live audience chant “Fletchers! Fletchers! Fletchers!” and clap as the “Family Feud” theme song cued the family on stage was one of the best moments.
The most surprising part of the show for the Fletchers was how friendly the other competitors were, they said.
“It was very much a family culture,” said Debra. “Everybody supported each other.”
“We were all on the same page. We were on separate teams but at the end of the day, we wanted a great show,” said Annette, adding that families often could be heard wishing each other luck and cheering one another on.
Meeting show host Steve Harvey wasn’t a bad addition either, the family agreed.
Despite the joyous occasion, the family knew it would be that much more meaningful if their mother, who passed away in 2001, were able to share the experience with them.
Barbara Ann struggled with scleroderma, an autoimmune connective tissue and rheumatic disease that causes inflammation in the skin and other areas of the body. When an immune response tricks body tissues into thinking a person is injured, it causes inflammation, leading to too much collagen in the body.
Although their mother wasn’t present, the Fletcher family feels they honored her legacy by going on this adventure together.
“We did our best to represent our family and the memory of my mother,” said Lisa. “Doing that for her, it just brought us closer. Through the show, it was something to unite us as a family.”
Wondering if the Fletcher family brings home a win?
Survey says you’ll have to tune in on Tuesday to find out.
Check your local listings to find showtimes and ways to watch, and visit www.familyfeud.com for more info.
Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys’tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com.
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