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O’Loughlin gag “was a throwaway line”
Fiona O’Loughlin has responded to an article in yesterday’s Herald Sun which harshly called her an ‘alcoholic comedienne’ and criticised her jokes about Bindi Irwin on Spicks and Specks.
She said it was a throwaway line as a part of banter on a comedy panel show.
“Bindi has been operating in the public domain for years now, and material about her sometimes appears in my shows along with other people you know (and some you don’t). I’m as much a target as Bindi is and have been the recipient of all kinds of …
Bindi jokes under the spotlight
Not for the first time, Bindi Irwin was the butt of jokes in the media this week, this time by comedienne Fiona O’Loughlin on Wednesday’s Spicks and Specks.
The Herald Sun notes O’Loughlin described Irwin as “a ‘bit creepy’ before doing an over-the-top impersonation of the child star’s voice. She then made a gesture indicating Bindi was crazy, before miming a slap across the child star’s face.”
But Irwin was defended by Chris Durling, of Bindi’s Crocmen, who was also a guest, describing her as gorgeous and down to earth.
“What you see is …
Special deal for Hamish & Andy
The Sunday Herald sun reports Hamish and Andy have signed a deal with Channel TEN for more specials.
“It’s no secret Hamish and Andy are the most keenly sought after television talent around,” TEN’s David Mott said.
“It’s great news for us and we can’t wait to see what they have planned.”
The tireless radio duo have proven just as popular on television with several of their former specials, many of which have been piggybacked onto radio events, including a recent roadtrip in the US. Whilst networks have been keen to utilise them more …
Is Dance patronising the audience?
I happen to think the dancing on So You Think You Can Dance Australia is exhilarating stuff.
The young dancers are terrific with their energy and art, putting celebrity dancers on other shows to shame.
But it’s an endurance test to sit through the rest of the showjust to watch the dance content. It feels like advertorials and verbal padding outweight the actual dance.
If TEN wants to look at one of the reasons why the show is down this year maybe they should be asking if there is too much filler?
On Wednesday night …
Ghost Whisperer replaces The White Room
Seven has unplugged The White Room from 7:30pm Thursday night effective immediately.
The panel show hosted by Tony Moclair and Julian Schiller had aired for two weeks rating 812,000 and 678,000.
It will be replaced by new episodes of Ghost Whisperer.
Meanwhile Seven is removing repeats of Ghost Whisperer from late on Tuesday nights to be replaced by documentaries. Next week The Diet That Time Forgot screens at 10:30pm while Super Skinny Me follows on March 9th.
The outcome for The White Room remains unclear, whether moved to a new timeslot or out of …
Alan Brough’s next career as Red Carpet bitch
If his career on Spicks and Specks were to take a sudden turn, Alan Brough could almost take up a new career hosting on Red Carpets.
Brough and Adam Hills hosted Movie Extra’s live Tropfest broadcast in 2009, and will resume the roles for the 2010 event this Sunday.
He told TV Tonight he was surprised how much he enjoyed the Red Carpet hosting.
“Last year I did the Red Carpet, which is something that I never thought I’d do, but I found it was quite fun.” he said. “I think people were …
Returning: RPA
Nine’s factual series RPA, narrated by Max Cullen, will return to screens from 8:30 Wednesday February 24th
Updated: Cold Case will return 9:30pm Wed Mar 3.
Last night the show rated 726,000 / 675,000 for two episodes, beaten by Spicks and Specks 1.07 am, Criminal Minds 1.00m and So You Think You Can Dance Australia 984,000.
Cold Case becomes the first prime time show to be removed by a network following official survey ratings.
RPA will be followed by Olympics highlights at 9:30pm.
Tonight on the series return of RPA, Fiona was due to be married …
Sleuth 101
Who doesn’t love a good “whodunnit?”
Mysteries underpin all our procedural dramas. The key ingredients -set up, victims, suspects, red herrings, motives, detection, re-evaluation, revelation- always become writers’ breadcrumbs astutely placed along a plotline.
But it’s been many years since the “whodunnit” made an appearance in a television game show. Ian McFadyen’s Cluedo aired in 1992 on Nine, and the UK’s 1970s series Whodunnit? was an early classic.
The ABC, which has a huge track record in UK crime dramas, improvises with the magnifying glass for the mystery-comedy series, Sleuth 101.
Hosted by comedian Cal …
Returning: Spicks and Specks
The ABC’s most popular show Spicks and Specks returns on Wednesday, February 3, 8.30pm on ABC1.
Alan Brough and Myf Warhurst again join Adam Hills for another year of music trivia, songs, celebrity guests and entertaining company..
Favourite games are back including Know Your Product; Please, Please Tell Me Now; Substitute and The Final Countdown.
Last year it nabbed audiences of more than 1.3 million viewers.
With figures like that, the show continues to dog commercial broadcasters who usually have their eye on other rivals.
TV Tonight Awards 2009: The year of Shaun Micallef
The votes are in.
Readers have spoken on their best and worst television for 2009 in the third annual TV Tonight Awards.
The winners: Shaun Micallef, MasterChef and Packed to the Rafters.
Over 1000 surveys were completed this year, and there were some definite trends. Some choices were clear decisions, others were tight races.
Several “winners” were also “losers” elsewhere, showing a divided audience, and a number of populist shows proved their mettle by staying ahead of underdogs.
Shaun Micallef won both Favourite Male and Most Underrated Performer, while Talkin’ ‘Bout Your …
AFI Awards: Industry winners
The ABC and SBS were the big winners in the television categories at the AFI Industry Awards, held in Melbourne on Friday night ahead of the major awards to be handed out tonight.
Amongst the winners were Review with Myles Barlow (pictured), Spicks and Specks and First Australians, while TEN picked up the Children’s Drama award for The Elephant Princess.
The AFI Industry Awards ceremony was hosted by Josh Lawson.
AFI Award for Best Children’s Television Drama
The Elephant Princess. Jonathan M. Shiff, Joanna Werner. Network Ten
AFI Award for Best Children’s Television Animation
Figaro Pho. Luke …
Chat back before the cameras
More chat shows in the works?
The success of Spicks and Specks and Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation (both directed by Jon Olb) has other networks reaching for the pilot slate.
The Age notes Nine has filmed a pilot for a new panel-style talk show with The Chaser’s Julian Morrow as host and other comedians. Nine is apparently approaching it as a ”workshop” rather than a full-blown pilot. There were previous reports of a panel show for Eddie McGuire as far back as August.
Meanwhile TV Tonight understands Seven has also been chipping …