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A Walkley win, but ABC axes Hungry Beast.

On Sunday, Hungry Beast won a Walkley Award. On Tuesday, Zapruders confirms the end of the ABC show.

Hungry Beast is officially no more.

Following last month’s story that the show was in limbo, ABC has now confirmed the show will not be returning.

This is despite reporter Monique Schafter (pictured, right) winning a Walkley Award on Sunday for Television Current Affairs Reporting (less than 20 minutes) for her story Trapped In Your Own Body – about Maree Bourke-Calliss who suffers from Locked In Syndrome.

It was the second Walkley nomination for the show which has only been on air for three seasons.

Hungry Beast began back in 2009 as a search for a new generation of Australian television talent, both on and off-camera, under Zapruder’s Other Films.

Executive Producer Andrew Denton, who has other ABC projects for 2012, today said, “The Hungry Beast team has achieved well beyond our expectations. In the 16 hours of television created over three series, they received two Walkley, one AFI and one Human Rights Award nominations. This from a group of young men and women with little, or no media experience.

“They did exactly what was asked of them: Took risks and tried something new. The proof is in the pudding. They have been recognised by their peers and they are starting to make their own mark in the Australian media.

“We are very grateful to the ABC for having the vision to back the project and we are incredibly proud of the ‘Beasts’ as they embark on their solo careers.”

Hungry Beast quickly built a reputation with its fresh mix of current affairs and humour, including appearing on Media Watch before it had even aired.

Last month a source told TV Tonight, “Most of the team would happily do a fourth series. We never had any shortage of ideas.”

In a statement today Zapruder’s has detailed where its 19 alumni are today:

Aaron Smith – Director, LA Noire, Team Bondi. Shooter/Director Yes, We Canberra. Video Journalist, Country Town Rescue, Zapruder’s other films. Series Director, Myf Warhurst’s Nice, ABC1.

Scott Mitchell – Associate Producer, Insight, SBS.

Lewis Hobba – Director, Granada Television. Director/Producer, The Comedy Channel.
Summer Drive Presenter, triple j radio.

Monique Schafter – Social Media Co-ordinator, Can of Worms. Columnist, Star Observer.

Elmo Keep – freelance writer and journalist, Fairfax, The Big Issue, Meanjin, Rock’s Back Page. The Drum. Digital media producer, Zapruder’s other films.

Nick Hayden – writer/director, comedy series The Great Crusade (starring Phil Lloyd). Writer/director/actor, New Zealand tourism commission campaign for Qantas. Writer/producer/presenter, Coming Sooner.

Chris Leben – Creator/Actor of the web series People You May Know, with Stephanie Bendixsen (Hex). Developing a show for Mushroom Pictures with Tom Ballard.

Nicholas McDougall – Editor/Writer/Actor, New Zealand tourism commission campaign for Qantas. Writer/Producer/Presenter, Coming Sooner. Editor, Country Town Rescue, Zapruder’s other films.

Kirk Docker – Freelance Digital Content Producer (corporate, various). Formerly Producer, Fairfax Media online.

Patrick Clair – motion graphics artist, Yes, We Canberra and Can of Worms. Motion Graphics Artist, Ubisoft, Montreal. Winner, Realise Your Dream British Council grant.

Dan Ilic – Tropfest Finalist. Field reporter, Can of Worms. Reported for The Punch and Fairfax about Forces Entertainment tour to Afghanistan.

Marc Fennell – Author, That Movie Book. Film critic, Triple J. Regular guest, The Circle, Channel Ten. Host Download This Show, ABC Radio National (2012).

Veronica Milsom – Summer Drive Presenter, triple j radio. Regular appearance on The Project, Channel Ten. Cast, Balls of Steel Australia, The Comedy Channel.

Kirsten Drysdale – Researcher, Gruen Transfer. Researcher, Cordell Jigsaw Productions.

Luke Harris – VFX Producing and Animation, Cordell Jigsaw Productions. Freelance Motion Graphics Designer.

Keiran Ricketts – Producer, ABC News 24.

Daniel Keogh – Science reporter. Stories have appeared on ABC TV’s Catalyst, Radio National’s Health Report and Channel Seven’s Morning Show.

Jessicah Mendes – Producer, ABC News Radio.

Ali Russell – producer, Sunday Night, Channel 7

10 Responses

  1. A damn fine piece of television that is sorely missed. The critisism that “it didn’t know what it was” was it comedy? was it current affirs? Is a weak one. Make no damn apologies for the format, boo hoo, you can’t put original proramming into your default Comedy, Rom Com, reality show, cooking show bullshit default settings. This show broke boundaries and told real stories.

    The Trapped In Your Own Body story was an outstanding piece of journalism. This is what “The Project” (formerly 7pm Project”) should be like, if only we had a smarter general audience. The ABC only cares about how many eyeballs are watching it, it’s lost its raison d’être.

  2. Devestated that there will be no more Hungry Beast!!!- Shame on ABC for axing a very intelligent and original shows on television, something that is rare in this day and age of television. I laughed, I cried and I was informed everything you could want from television from one show. Shame on ABC- happy to have re-runs of Midsommer Murders and other out dated BBC crap but not to back again an awarded Australian programme. Shame!

  3. I like how Veronica Milsom has taken Live From Planet Earth of the resume. I don’t blame her. Hungry Beast had some great moments but its tone was all over the place. Trying to be funny one second then incredibly serious the next. I thought it wads a bit like that old show Mondo Thingo. The people who were interested were already aware of a lot of things they were covering and the people who weren’t interested well… they weren’t interested. I’m glad they let it finish before they were all crushed on screen by out of control and unnecessary motion graphics.

  4. Great show…suppose with TV the way it is these days…guess we were lucky to have it as long as we did…..
    Maybe reruns over the non rating period?!?

  5. The show didn’t know what it wanted to be. That’s why it’s not back on ABC.
    Was it sketch comedy, was it political, was it hip kids stirring the pot?
    Even the lefties at Aunty need to pigeon-hole a show to a genre.
    As far as the young ‘uns go, they will all do well in the future thanks in no small part to working with the heavyweights at Zapruders.

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