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January 09: Obama, Ajay, McLeod’s & Temptation
TV Tonight begins a look back over 2009, by logging some of the headlines that made 2009 so memorable.
January
Simon Baker mulls US citizenship
Heather Locklear gets probation
Grant Denyer on the comeback to recovery
Matt Smith named eleventh Doctor Who
NRL Footy Show loses “The Chief”
Queensland courts the Logies
Joe O’Brien becomes permanent co-host of ABC2 News Breakfast
Mike Munro signs to Sunday Night
TEN ends Bold & Beautiful 6pm experiment
President Obama Inauguration
Patrick Swayze hospitalised with pneumonia
Peter Overton takes over …
Matt Passmore lands (another) US lead
Another US lead for another Aussie actor….
Matt Passmore has won the lead role in a drama pilot Sugarloaf for the A&E cable network.
He takes up the role after being released from his previous casting as the lead in Masterwork, written by Prison Break’s Paul T. Scheuring.
He will play Jim Longworth, an ex-Chicago cop who gets shot by his ex-captain who wrongfully accused him of having an affair with his wife. After getting kicked off the force, he receives a payout and joins the police in a small Florida town.
A&E had been …
Screen Music Awards: winners
The Chaser’s Chris Taylor and Andrew Hansen hosted the 2009 Screen Music Awards in Sydney last night.
The annual awards, organised by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC), recognise music for film and television industry,
In the TV categories, Cameron Giles-Webb / Colin Simkins won Best Television Theme for Satisfaction. The talented Giles-Webb was also a co-composer of the Australian penned entry for Greece in Eurovision 2009.
Alastair Ford won Best Music for a Television Series or Serial for McLeod’s Daughters .
Roger Mason won Best Music …
Industry identity in health fight
Industry identity Sandra Levy, who has been an executive at both the ABC and Channel Nine, is taking leave from her current role as the head of the Australian Film Television and Radio School to battle a benign brain tumour.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald Ms Levy advised staff said she had been diagnosed with ”a non-life-threatening benign brain tumour” and is expected to be on leave for about six weeks.
”I am assured by the surgeon that the location of the tumour is well placed and consequently the complexity of the …
Wil Traval joins Underbelly
Nine has announced a few more cast names as it begins principal photography on Underbelly today.
As noted on the weekend, Emma Booth will appear as Kym Hollingsworth, and newcomer Firass Dirani is ’smiling teenage Kings Cross identity’ John Ibrahim.
Diarmid Heidenreich will appear as cop Eddie Gould, Damian Garvey (East of Everything, Sea Patrol, McLeod’s Daughters) is detective “Chook” Fowler and former All Saints regular Wil Traval is cop Joe Dooley. Traval currently has a supporting role in Rescue: Special Ops.
Additonal major cast will be announced soon.
Returning performers will include Paul Tassone, …
Critics agree: All Saints ends an Aussie era
The final shoot for the team at All Saints nears, bringing to a close 12 seasons over 11 years for the Seven medical soap.
In that time it has brought us many memorable actors including Georgie Parker, John Howard, Libby Tanner, Erik Thomson, Christopher Gabardi, Wil Traval, Joelene Anderson, Conrad Coleby, Chris Vance and the late Mark Priestley.
Judith McGrath remains the only cast member to have worked on the show from beginning to end.
Despite still delivering good ratings, the show is a victim of increased production costs, and being one of four …
The Lost auction
ABC is auctioning off props from Lost for fans, including Hurley’s winning Lotto ticket, Charlie’s guitar, Locke’s hunting knife, Mr. Eko’s club and Kate’s toy plane.
There are set pieces, costumes and collectors’ artifacts on offer, all of which will be on show at the San Diego Comic-Con convention, which gets underway Thursday.
Sci Fi Channel did the same thing when Battlestar Galactica wound up.
Wonder if any of our Aussie shows should start to think about this? Certainly Drover’s Run went up for auction after Nine finished McLeod’s Daughters, but it’s not quite …
Seven tops local content list
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has released its findings on Australian content on commercial free to air television in 2008.
It found Seven, Nine and TEN all exceeded the minimum requirement of 55% local content be aired between 6am and midnight.
Channel Seven broadcast 64% Australian content while Nine’s PBL-owned stations on the East Coast aired more than 60% Australian content. TEN just cleared the minimum averaging 56%.
Seven was the only network to increase its local content from 2007.
2008 was a strong year for local content, particularly in drama with …
Three more join Play School
Following on from word that Hugh Sheridan will become a new Play School presenter when he isn’t tied up with Packed to the Rafters, the ABC has announced an additional three new names.
They are former All Saints actress Jolene Anderson, actress Abi Tucker (McLeod’s Daughters, The Secret Life of Us) and film actress Essie Davis (Hey Hey its Esther Blueburger, The Matrix Reloaded).
Tim Brooke-Hunt, Executive Head of ABC Childrens’, said: “We are thrilled that these talented actors have joined our fantastic team of Play School presenters. We believe that each of …
Aussie actor becomes Spartacus
A little-known Australian actor by the name of Andy Whitfield has landed the lead role on a new US adventure drama alongside Lucy Lawless.
Whitfield will play the title role in the Sam Raimi-produced series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Lawless will play Lucretia, who along with her husband Batiatus, owns Spartacus.
Spartacus which begins production today in New Zealand is set for a for a January premiere on pay TV network Starz, best known for the TV series Crash.
Whitfield has had guest roles in Packed to the Rafters, McLeod’s Daughters, The Strip, All …
A gold year for Rebecca
Last night Julie and Dave Rafter, Australia television’s favourite new mum and dad, decided to keep the baby.
At age 44 ‘Julie Rafter’ faces a number of health challenges that were laid out to her by a doctor, some of which could be life-threatening.
The episode capped off an extraordinary first season for the new Seven drama.
Less seriously, actress Rebecca Gibney, also 44, could be facing a challenge of her own, when the TV Week Logie nominations are announced next week.
Packed to the Rafters was one of the success stories of 2008, arguably …
McLeod’s goes out blazing
The last two episodes of McLeod’s Daughters will air later this month.
“In the Valley of the Shadow” and “The Long Paddock” are part of a two episode finale, which takes place six months after the preceding episode.
The finale features a fire at the grain silo, with the grain that was supposed to help get the cattle through the next few months destroyed.
It is scheduled for 9:30pm and 10:30pm on Saturday January 31st, following a four-episode marathon this Saturday and two more eps on January 24. In case you’re in any doubt …