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New weeknight quiz for SBS
A new weeknight quiz show is coming back to television.
Elisabeth Murdoch’s Shine Australia production company will produce a new game show for SBS based on the French format Des chiffres et des lettres (Letters and Numbers).
The original is one of the longest-running quiz shows in the world, where it has been running since the 1960s. The UK version, Countdown, was the very first show ever broadcast on Channel Four in the UK in 1982 and is still on air.
“The Letters and Numbers format is a global sensation with local versions in …
Behind the Scenes: Spicks & Specks ’70s special
TV Tonight recently went behind the scenes of Spicks and Specks for their ’70s special, set on a mock Blankety Blanks set.
Host Adam Hills wore a cross between Graham Kennedy and a cricketer’s moustache. Myf donned her Suzi Quatro leathers, while Alan was…well, probably just Alan in the ’70s.
Guests included Noelene Brown (of course), comedian Tommy Dean, music entrepreneur Michael Gudinski and the pop guru, Molly Meldrum.
Gudinski and Meldrum, both old mates, ribbed each other the entire recording, in a style resembling …
Good golly, it’s Molly.
Channel Seven has relented. Molly Meldrum will be part of the Hey Hey It’s Saturday reunions.
The Herald Sun says Daryl Somers pleaded his case to Seven boss David Leckie.
“They are allowing me to do the Hey Hey shows and I am sure it is going to be great fun,” Meldrum said.
“From the Countdown days at the ABC and then to move to Hey Hey in 1987, and be part of that, another iconic show, for the next 12 years or so, I have been extremely lucky in life,” he said.
Facebook …
rage: Michael Jackson
You wanted it, you got it. rage will have a mammoth tribute night on Michael Jackson on Saturday August 1st.
It begins with a one hour teaser at 10am in the morning, before the full tribute begins later that night at 11:45pm.
rage promises no interruptions, only full length clips, archive rarities, interview footage and much more spanning over 40 years of Michael Jackson’s prolific career.
It includes rare footage of Jackson performing his earliest hits, interview footage with the Jackson family from the 1970s, plus favourite clips from the Jackson Five.
The tribute includes …
Vale: Michael Jackson
American pop music legend Michael Jackson died of a heart attack in a Los Angeles hospital today, just weeks before he hoped to resurrect his four-decade long career with a series of sold-out shows in London.
Jackson was taken to the University of California at Los Angeles medical centre, and paramedics administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the ambulance. He arrived at the hospital in a coma and was reported dead about three hours later.
The world-famous entertainer had planned a series of 50 concerts in the O2 area beginning on 12 July. Although in …
Survey: Great Aussie Catchphrases
“My wordy yes indeedy do di do” – Chenille (Magda Szubanski, Fast Forward).
TV Tonight today launches a reader survey to recognise the most memorable catchphrases in Australian television.
Shows like Fast Forward, The Comedy Company, Kingswood Country, Kath & Kim have given us phrases that have a life beyond the television screen.
And there are also lines we remember fondly from The Price is Right, Big Brother, Who Wants to Be A Millionaire and Countdown.
And what about the News, Mr Squiggle, and Skippy the Bush Kangaroo?
This survey offers you a number of choices …
rage tastes Sherbet
It’s the last retro rage for summer as Countdown returns with a vengeance tonight.
There is a slew of Sherbet, live performances from INXS, The Reels, The Globos and Dragon. One 1970 episode has never been shown before on rage.
It all starts 11:20pm tonight on ABC1.
COUNTDOWN December 30th 1975
SHERBET SPECIAL
Featuring:
SHERBET: Arr Live
SHERBET: Only One You
SHERBET: Where Do We Go
SHERBET: Freedom
SHERBET: Summer Love
SHERBET: You’re My World
SHERBET: What Is It All About
COUNTDOWN August 30th 1981
Hosted by Dave Mason of The Reels
Live performances:
THE REELS: Quasimodo’s Dream
VIXEN: Time Out
PEL MEL: No Word From China
Music videos:
SHOCK: Angel …
Saturday Night rage Fever
This Saturday night’s retro rage has three more Countdown replays -all of them from the eighties.
Hosts this week include John Travolta (it’s a tribute to movie musicals), KC & the Sunshine Band (the whole band?), and Feargal Sharkey -after all a good heart IS hard to find.
It promises some archival interviews with Boy George and even Molly and Gavan Wood dressed up as the Blues Brothers.
A Rock Arena replay sounds like a must see for Bowie fans.
COUNTDOWN August 31st 1980
Hosted by Molly Meldrum & John Travolta in a tribute to movie …
rage gets Goosebumps
The late Christie Allen, who sang the pop hits Goosebumps & He’s My Number One will feature in tonight’s retro edition of rage on ABC1.
Allen passed away last year after a long battle with cancer.
Rage will screen two Countdown episodes co-hosted by Allen from 1979 and 1980.
Amongst the treats tonight are studio performances by Fleetwood Mac, Split Enz and vintage interviews with Olivia Newton-John and Cyndi Lauper.
Countdown play includes…
COUNTDOWN November 4th 1979
Hosted by Russell Hitchcock (Air Supply) and Christie Allen with guest presenter Graham Parker
Studio performances:
Christie Allen ‘Goosebumps’
Aliens ‘Confrontation’
Radiators ‘Comin’ Home’
Fleetwood …
rage gets retro
One of the best bits of summer is when rage opens up the closet and drags out all the kitsch music telly from yesteryear, usually dominated by old Countdown episodes in their entirety. But there are also clips from other ABC pop shows including Hitscene, GTK, Flashez, Rock Arena and Recovery.
They start again tomorrow night Saturday January 3rd. It kicks off with a Countdown marathon of Christmas specials:
COUNTDOWN December 24th 1983
Hosted by Molly Meldrum & Pseudo Echo
Studio performances:
Pat Wilson ‘Bop Girl’
Dear Enemy ‘Computer One’
Real Life ‘Catch Me I’m Falling’
Kids In The …
How Bonnie Tyler totally eclipsed RocKwiz
EXCLUSIVE: When Bonnie Tyler appeared on the Countdown special for 111 Hits many viewers derided her for miming her big hit, Total Eclipse of the Heart.
Directly after the shoot she was due to appear at a recording of RocKwiz for SBS, but that wasn’t about to happen. Several hours earlier at around midday she had apologised to producers cancelling on doctor’s orders. Tyler had lost her voice.
That explains the Countdown issue a little more. She went ahead with the appearance but wasn’t required to vocalise.
Meanwhile, RocKwiz producers were thrown into quite …
Packered by the Rafters
It was the week the Packer family parted ways with Nine causing David Gyngell to vow to prove James Packer wrong, TEN announced a new channel, Pay TV launched another three, Minister Stephen Conroy signalled support for increased ABC & SBS funding, commercial networks (briefly) found a conscience but upset David Leckie, WIN sat down at the gambling table, Kath & Kim (US) got a greenlight for a full season, Andrew Denton announced the end of Enough Rope, David Tennant set his exit from his iconic role, Rove visited …