Television.AU – The History of Australian Television

Peter Hitchener moving to weekends in Nine News reshuffle

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 07:00:22 +0200

Changes at Nine News in Melbourne announced Saturday will see longtime newsreader Peter Hitchener moving to weekend news in January. Taking on the role of weeknight news anchors will be Alicia Loxley, who has been weekend newsreader for the last 12 years, and 60 Minutes reporter Tom Steinfort. From a career starting in Brisbane, Hitchener joined TCN9 …

Obituary: James Davern

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 21:00:09 +0200

James Davern, creator and producer of the long-running series A Country Practice, has died at age 90. Starting his working career in the railways, he went on to become a technician with the Department of Civil Aviation. This led to a technical role with the BBC in London, so when television arrived in Australia he …

Studio 10 axed after ten years

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 11:00:27 +0200

Barely ten days ago, Studio 10 celebrated its tenth anniversary with a star-studded tribute. Now, Network Ten has announced that the show has been axed, making its last appearance on 22 December. Created by former Nine Network producer Rob McKnight, the mid-morning show began in 2013 in tandem with another big investment, the breakfast show …

Obituary: Les Dayman

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 13:00:42 +0200

Les Dayman, actor best known for his stage and television work, including leading roles in Homicide and E Street, has died at the age of 85. His first TV roles were in plays Weather At Pinetop and Dark Corridor, both produced by ABC in Adelaide. This was followed in 1966 by his first major TV role …

Radio network bids for SCA takeover

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 05:00:06 +0200

ARN Media, owner of radio networks including KIIS, Pure Gold (WSFM, Gold 104.3, Cruise 1323) and CADA, alongside private equity firm Anchorage Capital Partners (ACP), has made a non-binding offer to acquire Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), which it has valued at $330 million. SCA operates a national radio network, largely comprising the Hit and Triple …

Classic TV Guides: War And Peace

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 21:00:46 +0200

Prokofiev’s adaptation of Tolstoy’s War And Peace was the first opera to be performed at the Sydney Opera House, fifty years ago. With a cast led by Tom McDonnell (winner of TV series Showcase in 1965 ahead of a professional opera career including the British production of War And Peace in London in 1972), Eilene …

Obituary: Cal Wilson

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 05:00:10 +0200

Comedian, writer, TV host and actor Cal Wilson has died in hospital in Sydney after a short illness. She was 53. Having established a successful profile in her native New Zealand, she came to Australia in 2003 after winning Best Newcomer at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2001. As well as her stand-up comedy …

On This Day — 23 September

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 22:00:37 +0200

23 September 1989: Georgie Parker (A Country Practice) 23 September 1995: Tempany Deckert (Home And Away) 23 September 1963: Afternoon game shows include The Price Is Right with Horrie Dargie, Video Village with Danny Webb, Say When with Jimmy Hannan and Take The Hint with Frank Wilson. 23 September 1976: The documentary series Australians At …

On This Day — 22 September

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 22:00:10 +0200

22 September 1973: Jack Thompson and Jill Perryman (Jill) 22 September 1973: Jack Thompson (Jill, Linehaul) 22 September 1973: Mary Hardy (Penthouse Club) 22 September 2001: Tammin Sursok (Home And Away) and swimmer Ian Thorpe 22 September 2007: Simmone Jade Mackinnon (McLeod’s Daughters) 22 September 1991: Ten crosses to the Sydney Football Stadium this afternoon …

On This Day — 21 September

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 22:00:23 +0200

21 September 1963: Tommy Hanlon Jnr (It Could Be You) 21 September 1974: Gerard Kennedy (Division 4) 21 September 1974: Ernie Sigley (The Ernie Sigley Show) 21 September 1991: Sarah Chadwick, Nikki Coghill, Sophie Lee, Liz Burch, Rebecca Gibney, Lenore Smith (The Flying Doctors) 21 September 1996: Kate Fischer (What’s Up Doc?) and Lochie Daddo …

On This Day — 20 September

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 22:00:35 +0200

20 September 1975: Mike Willesee (This Is Your Life) 20 September 1997: Tempany Deckert (Home And Away) 20 September 2003: Tammin Sursok and Sam Atwell (Home And Away) 20 September 2008: Rebecca Gibney and Erik Thomson (Packed To The Rafters) 20 September 1971: The 0-10 Network launches His And Hers, a panel show hosted by Sydney …

On This Day — 19 September

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 22:00:55 +0200

19 September 1987: Kylie Minogue (Neighbours) 19 September 1992: Kym Wilson and Lisa Hensley (Brides Of Christ) 19 September 2009: Tessa James, Todd Lasance, Axle Whitehead (Home And Away) 19 September 1961: ABW2, Perth, presents a screening of Burst Of Summer, a television adaptation of the award-winning play by Oriel Gray, starring Robert Tudawali and …

On This Day — 18 September

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 22:00:47 +0200

18 September 1971: Norman Yemm, George Mallaby, Alwyn Kurts, Leonard Teale (Homicide) 18 September 1976: Jacki Weaver and Graeme Blundell (Alvin Purple) 18 September 1999: Kimberley Cooper, Kylie Watson, Rebecca Cartwright (Home And Away) 18 September 2004: Australian Idol 18 September 2010: Christian Clark and Emily Symons (Home And Away) 18 September 1990: Seven and …

Obituary: Joy Chambers

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 14:00:59 +0200

Joy Chambers, actor, author and wife of the late Reg Grundy, has died at age 76. Named as the inaugural Miss Surf Girl by the Queensland Surf Life Saving Club in 1965, she was doing modelling work when she auditioned for a panellist role for Brisbane-based game show I’ve Got A Secret. She caught the …

On This Day — 17 September

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 22:00:40 +0200

17 September 1977: Willie Fennell and Louise Howitt (Kirby’s Company) 17 September 1988: Ironman Grant Kenny and Annie Jones (Neighbours) 17 September 1994: Lisa McCune (Blue Heelers) 17 September 2005: Chris Bath, Ada Nicodemou, Nicky Buckley (Dancing With The Stars) 17 September 1956: The second day of regular transmission from TCN9, Sydney, starting with a …

Obituary: Ron Barassi

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 12:00:41 +0200

Ron Barassi, one of the legends of Australian rules football, has died at the age of 87. He died from complications suffered after a fall. In a football career spanning 40 years he played 254 games, including six premierships, and coached 515. In 1996 he was named in the Australian Football League’s Team Of The …

On This Day — 16 September

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 22:00:46 +0200

16 September 1972: Johnny Lockwood and Abigail (Number 96) 16 September 1972: Mary Jane Boyd (The Matt Flinders Show) 16 September 1978: Judy Lynne, Bartholomew John, Lynda Stoner (The Young Doctors) 16 September 2006: Home And Away, McLeod’s Daughters, Neighbours, Australian Idol 16 September 1956: TCN9 Sydney becomes the first TV station to begin regular …

On This Day — 15 September

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:00:49 +0200

15 September 1973: Gerard Kennedy (Division 4) 15 September 1973: Norman Yemm (Number 96) 15 September 1979: Mike Walsh (The Mike Walsh Show) 15 September 1984: Ray Martin and Jana Wendt (60 Minutes) 15 September 1990: Georgie Parker (A Country Practice) and Craig McLachlan (Home And Away) 15 September 2001: Tammin Sursok, Zac Drayson, Rebecca …

The Wicked City: ill-fated 1880s drama

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 23:00:56 +0200

In 1971, the Seven Network had bold plans for a new “provocative and bawdy” series set in Melbourne in the 1880s. The network had a proposal titled Man Of Property, starring Robin Ramsay, formerly of Bellbird, in the lead role of a strait-laced English doctor living in Melbourne at the end of the gold rush …

On This Day — 14 September

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 22:00:18 +0200

14 September 1961: Bobby Limb (The Mobil-Limb Show) 14 September 1963: Bobby Limb (Bobby Limb’s Sound Of Music) 14 September 1991: Penny Cook (GP) 14 September 1996: Isla Fisher and Martin Henderson (Home And Away) 14 September 2002: Christie Hayes and Kate Garven (Home And Away) 14 September 1971: The Seven Network celebrates 15 years …