News Archive:
Nine’s Secret Millionaire
In Nine’s 2008 ratings report it indicated some of the shows that are due next year. While most are already known to us there were two new titles:
Secret Millionaire and Little Britain.
Secret Millionaire is a British format in which millionaires give away tens of thousand of their own money after spending time living in a community where no one knows that they are wealthy. A US version also begins this week on FOX.
At this stage it’s unclear if Nine airs an international or local version -presumably, it wouldn’t involve a Packer….
As …
Cover Story
Published for 51 years, TV Week is an absolute survivor in both the television and magazine industry. And like all survivors it has had to embrace change in order to remain the market leader. While other TV mags have fallen by the wayside, TV Week under the Australian Consolidated Press empire, is still a force to be reckoned with.
In Australian television stars always know they’d made it when they landed their first TV Week cover. It’s the Rolling Stone of Aussie telly. But what does it take to get a cover …
Celebrity Santa
Yes it was none other than Sam Newman, frocking up for some festive fun at Channel Nine Melbourne’s Xmas drinks for Publicity and Marketing clients.
Newman was in fine form, playing the role for several hours as guests lined up to sit on Santa’s knee.
He might not have been the most convincing Santa to ever visit Xmas, but he was a good sport, playing it up for photos. He was so amiable, some didn’t even know they’d just sat on Newman’s knee. Aided …
Nine greenlights new local drama
Channel Nine will launch a new drama series in 2009, Rescue Squad.
Described as a “high octane drama” it will centre on the lives and loves of a Special Operations Rescue Squad.
The series will join with Underbelly and Sea Patrol as a flagship drama for the network in 2009. It follows recent news that Nine would not proceed with The Young Doctors.
Amongst some of the other new formats set to launch are several factual and “blue sky” shows that reward ordinary Aussies or make their dreams come true.
Everyday Heroes is a …
Grim diagnosis for Young Doctors revival
The Young Doctors, promised for 2008, will be lucky to see the light of day in 2009. At least on the Nine Network.
Under development by FremantleMedia, the show was originally produced by the Grundy Organisation for Nine from 1976-1983. FremantleMedia, which acquired Grundy in later years, put the idea to Nine in 2007 when the network was interested in having a local show in the style of Grey’s Anatomy.
The contemporary version was being developed by the writers of The King.
Nine’s interest in the show was confirmed when it appeared on a …
60 Minutes gives Top Gear a free kick
Jeremy Clarkson would probably call this idea completely bonkers.
The final episode of 60 Minutes will give SBS a bit of free publicity this weekend, with a story on Britain’s Top Gear, the day before it returns to our screens in a new series. In some small mercy, at least it’s the end of the ratings season. It would have hurt Nine’s Mondays a lot more if screened earlier in the year.
Most cross-promos on 60 Minutes have been for Nine shows. It previously featured a Lisa McCune story as Sea Patrol …
Axed: The Strip
Nine has ‘axed’ The Strip, at least not renewed it for a second season, depending on how you want to word it…
The $7.8m Gold Coast crime series will not be proceeding when it ends its first series run.
“The 13 part mini-series comes to a conclusion at the end of the month,” a Nine spokesperson said.
“We are disappointed the show didn’t sustain the audience it attracted in its premiere week.
“It’s an unfortunate outcome in this highly competitive environment.”
The drama, starring Aaron Jeffery, Vanessa Gray and Frank Holden premiered to 1.45m viewers but …
Cast all at Sea once more
Set to guest star in the Sea Patrol: Red Gold are Jessica Napier (McLeod’s Daughters, Stingers), Blair McDonough (Big Brother, Neighbours) and Tasma Walton (Blue Heelers).
But the real ‘coup’ for the third series is actor Robert Coleby, who appeared in the ABC’s Patrol Boat (1979 - 1983). Coleby’s inclusion is a terrific touch from the casting department.
He played Lieutenant Charles Fisher alongside Andrew McFarlane in the series produced by James Davern (A Country Practice). Like Sea Patrol, that series was also produced with the co-operation of the Royal Australian Navy.
Principal …
‘Sea Patrol 3: Red Gold’ films
Channel Nine began filming the third series of Sea Patrol last week, dubbed “Red Gold.”
Series 3 is centred on the fictitious Red Reef, where oil and gas rigs lie adjacent to exotic coral formations.
Lisa McCune and Ian Stenlake are again back for the drama, which will film for six weeks around Mission Beach in Far North Queensland and at the Warner Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast.
The drama has always had to juggle its access to the navy patrol boat, including shooting many scenes out of order across its entire series, …
Rumour: McDonough to join Sea Patrol
Blair McDonough is strongly tipped to join Channel 9’s Sea Patrol.
The Herald Sun reports McDonough insists no contracts have been signed, but Nine sources say the former soap star will join the cast soon.
If Jay Ryan stays with the Nine drama, McDonough would be working alongside an old Neighbours colleague.
McDonough, who recently filmed an episode of City Homicide, will head to Britain next month to film three episodes of the long-running village cop drama, Heartbeat. He has been currently shooting an episode on the Gold Coast.
Meanwhile he will also continue …
Susie in the arvo
The introduction of The Ellen DeGeneres Show across all of Nine affiliates has caused movement at the station -WIN Television that is. Previously airing at 10am the show now moves to 12pm where it’s followed by WIN’s own Susie.
Mornings with Kerri-Anne has returned to 9am.
In Perth and Adelaide, where Susie has aired at 12pm, it is the reverse of WIN. She remains in place, while The View screens on other PBL stations. Next week she is joined by one of Sea Patrol’s best actors, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor. Known on the Nine …
Actors remember Mark Priestley
Friends and colleagues of Mark Priestley gathered at NIDA yesterday to remember the actor who tragically died less than two weeks ago.
The memorial ceremony for Priestley’s east coast friends followed his family funeral in Perth on Thursday.
Home and Away stars Jessica Tovey and Josh Quongtart, All Saints’ Judith McGrath, Underbelly actor Gyton Grantley, Saskia Burmeister of Sea Patrol and husband Jamie Croft of Farscape were all in attendance.
“It’s beautiful, just beautiful in there. Everyone is telling great stories about him, speaking so beautifully of him,” a NIDA friend said.
“It’s a sad …