The psychics' abilities are observed by a studio audience or at external locations, and are judged by a two-person panel including Stacey Demarco, a self-described 'metaphysicist',[2] and Richard Saunders, a life member of the Australian Skeptics.
Season 1 of the show (5 episodes) premiered in Australia on Tuesday, 8 July 2008, and ended on 5 August 2008.
On the final episode of The One the winner was chosen by the Australian public, voting via a telephone popularity poll.
A boy (an actor with his mother and safety officers nearby) is hidden in bushland with contestants given 15 minutes to find him using their claimed psychic abilities.
A dummy bomb is hidden in 1 of 70 large shipping containers at an international port with contestants given 15 minutes to find it using their claimed psychic abilities.
Olympians featured on the episode were Lisa Forrest, Louise Sauvage, Elka Graham, Matt Welsh, Shelley Oates-Wilding, Tatiana Grigorieva and Geoff Huegill.
Contestants search for where the remains of bushranger Ned Kelly were found in the grounds of Old Melbourne Gaol, using their claimed psychic abilities.
Charmaine Wilson, Ezio De Angelis and Amanda Roussety came close to the location with Jason Betts and Shé D'Montford at more of a distance.
Celebrities featured on the episode were Guy Leech, Paul O’Brien, Toni Pearen and Justin Melvey.
Contestants were flown to the location in the Northern Territory near where UK tourist Peter Falconio was murdered in 2001.
It featured ten contestants, selected from over 800 applicants[4] in accordance with an agreement with the Seven Network and the Australian Psychics Association.
Maria Elita, Debbie Malone, Heidi Hanley, Michael Wheeler, Julie McKenzie and Valerie Bradshaw failed.
Contestants were taken to a Sydney apartment where, in April 1976, Maureen Klaus was murdered by Kenneth Ballantyne by means of strangulation with the stick of a feather duster.
Each contestant was given an unspecified amount of time to wander about the apartment to see if they could glean information on why the murder took place, how Maureen Klaus was killed and where her body was found.
Information on the case was provided by retired Detective Inspector John MacGregor of the NSW Police, who watched the contestants on closed-circuit TV.
Julie McKenzie, Michael Wheeler, Anthony Grzelka and Greg Riley failed to match any couple.
Maria Elita, Katrina Cavanough, Heidi Hanley and Debbie Malone matched two couples.
Before the studio recording, a large, heavy sledgehammer was used by a muscular man, “Jason”, to smash up a car in a wreckers yard.
He was asked to do this act with anger and strong emotions, in order to transfer his “negative energy” into the hammer.
Contestants were given a small piece of personal property belonging to members of the studio audience and were asked to use their claimed powers to glean information about the owner.
There were mixed results, with skeptic judge Saunders remarking on some of the vague comments and questions posed by the contestants.
These were: a cricket bat used by Sir Donald Bradman; a tennis dress worn by Evonne Goolagong Cawley; a blanket used by around-the-world sailor Jessica Watson; a saddle used by Darren Beadman in his winning ride for the 1996 Melbourne Cup; a boxing glove used by Mike Tyson and a racing suit worn by motor-racing legend Peter Brock.
To comment on the test, guest judges Simon Reeve and Tony Squires - both from the 7 Network - were brought in.
Then, one by one, the contestants were ‘blindfolded’ with a simple velvet cloth and permitted to touch and feel the now uncovered item.
Despite a statement made by host Andrew Daddo that contestants were not told about the location, they did during time recorded on the island mention the names of people who lived in the house, so at least some local information apparently was given to them.
Contestants were taken to a rural property where it is thought the remains of Kerry Whelan, who was presumed murdered in 1997, are located.
The winner of the series was decided by the audience in a phone-in poll, with Greg Riley receiving the most votes.
The show was controversial for content shown in the final episode of season 1, featuring a hunt for the body of murder victim Peter Falconio.
"[5] The search for Falconio was additionally criticized by the eventual winner Charmaine Wilson as being "in bad taste".
[6] All of the tests followed conditions discussed with Richard Saunders, who was the secretary for the Australian Skeptic Society and a judge on the show.