Can Network Ten make current affairs work a decade since its last try?
In the early months of 2011, Network Ten decided to go all-in on news, luring veteran journalist George Negus to host a 30-minute, highbrow current affairs show that would compete with Seven and Nine's 6pm bulletins. Two months later, it moved to 6.30pm. Eight months later, it was gone.
'We did it proudly. We did stories that popped up on the ABC's 7.30 months later. I thought we were relatively competitive and did pretty well. But it was hard then,' Tony Ritchie, who executive-produced the short-lived 6.30PM with George Negus, says. 'It will be hard now.'
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The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Shaun ditched the courtroom for comedy, now the TV star's learning to dance
Shaun Micallef is used to taking his cue off a screen and sitting behind a desk, so how will he go dashing across the dancefloor? The entertainment identity is among the cast of Dancing with the Stars, which requires a different skillset. "I won't mince words; I'm excellent, and that's a surprise because I've never danced before," he said. "No, I don't know how I am." Read more in The Senior Mr Micallef, 62, of Melbourne, has been making audiences laugh for decades, appearing in TV shows including Full Frontal, hosted Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell, plus has been in theatre and films, on radio and has written several books. He left a career as a solicitor for 10 years to start comedy full-time when he was about 30, having written and performed in sketches while studying law at university. Mr Micallef has met and worked with comedic childhood idols such as Jerry Lewis plus Monty Python's Michael Palin, Eric Idle and Terry Jones - even performing original sketches with the latter two. "I haven't been disappointed by any of my heroes, they all seem to be pretty much as I thought they would be," Mr Micallef said. Among his first gigs was Full Frontal, where he went from writer to cast member, creating and playing characters including Fabio (a send-up of the model) and Milo Kerrigan the boxer. "[As an extra] I would sometimes be seen in the background of sketches with Eric Bana in them, holding an umbrella, and then I snuck on doing the occasional line," Mr Micallef said. His favourite project was Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell for the ABC, sending up news and current affairs and recalls Stephen Hall playing a character inspired by Scott Morrison. "It was such a spot-on impression that you could have said it was Scott Morrison; it was that accurate, but we didn't just to avoid defamation proceedings," Mr Micallef said. Today, Mr Micallef is enjoying taking on tasks he hasn't tried before, including Dancing With The Stars. "I'm used to learning lines or usually using autocue... This doesn't involve any of that. You have to get up and move around on your legs, whereas usually I'm sitting down... I'm learning these things using muscle memory rather than brain memory," he said. Mr Micallef said the first dance he did was the hardest to learn. "I'm sure I was more aerobically fit by the second one, and maybe that's what made it a bit easier," he said. Besides Dancing, Mr Micallef is working on a second season of Shaun Micallef's Eve of Destruction for the ABC, where he chats with famous acquaintances about what's important to them. He's also working on a second series of Shaun Micallef's Origin Odyssey for the SBS, where he travels with comedians to their ancestral roots. Dancing With The Stars starts on Sunday, June 15 at 7pm on Channel 7 and 7plus. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Shaun Micallef is used to taking his cue off a screen and sitting behind a desk, so how will he go dashing across the dancefloor? The entertainment identity is among the cast of Dancing with the Stars, which requires a different skillset. "I won't mince words; I'm excellent, and that's a surprise because I've never danced before," he said. "No, I don't know how I am." Read more in The Senior Mr Micallef, 62, of Melbourne, has been making audiences laugh for decades, appearing in TV shows including Full Frontal, hosted Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell, plus has been in theatre and films, on radio and has written several books. He left a career as a solicitor for 10 years to start comedy full-time when he was about 30, having written and performed in sketches while studying law at university. Mr Micallef has met and worked with comedic childhood idols such as Jerry Lewis plus Monty Python's Michael Palin, Eric Idle and Terry Jones - even performing original sketches with the latter two. "I haven't been disappointed by any of my heroes, they all seem to be pretty much as I thought they would be," Mr Micallef said. Among his first gigs was Full Frontal, where he went from writer to cast member, creating and playing characters including Fabio (a send-up of the model) and Milo Kerrigan the boxer. "[As an extra] I would sometimes be seen in the background of sketches with Eric Bana in them, holding an umbrella, and then I snuck on doing the occasional line," Mr Micallef said. His favourite project was Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell for the ABC, sending up news and current affairs and recalls Stephen Hall playing a character inspired by Scott Morrison. "It was such a spot-on impression that you could have said it was Scott Morrison; it was that accurate, but we didn't just to avoid defamation proceedings," Mr Micallef said. Today, Mr Micallef is enjoying taking on tasks he hasn't tried before, including Dancing With The Stars. "I'm used to learning lines or usually using autocue... This doesn't involve any of that. You have to get up and move around on your legs, whereas usually I'm sitting down... I'm learning these things using muscle memory rather than brain memory," he said. Mr Micallef said the first dance he did was the hardest to learn. "I'm sure I was more aerobically fit by the second one, and maybe that's what made it a bit easier," he said. Besides Dancing, Mr Micallef is working on a second season of Shaun Micallef's Eve of Destruction for the ABC, where he chats with famous acquaintances about what's important to them. He's also working on a second series of Shaun Micallef's Origin Odyssey for the SBS, where he travels with comedians to their ancestral roots. Dancing With The Stars starts on Sunday, June 15 at 7pm on Channel 7 and 7plus. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Shaun Micallef is used to taking his cue off a screen and sitting behind a desk, so how will he go dashing across the dancefloor? The entertainment identity is among the cast of Dancing with the Stars, which requires a different skillset. "I won't mince words; I'm excellent, and that's a surprise because I've never danced before," he said. "No, I don't know how I am." Read more in The Senior Mr Micallef, 62, of Melbourne, has been making audiences laugh for decades, appearing in TV shows including Full Frontal, hosted Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell, plus has been in theatre and films, on radio and has written several books. He left a career as a solicitor for 10 years to start comedy full-time when he was about 30, having written and performed in sketches while studying law at university. Mr Micallef has met and worked with comedic childhood idols such as Jerry Lewis plus Monty Python's Michael Palin, Eric Idle and Terry Jones - even performing original sketches with the latter two. "I haven't been disappointed by any of my heroes, they all seem to be pretty much as I thought they would be," Mr Micallef said. Among his first gigs was Full Frontal, where he went from writer to cast member, creating and playing characters including Fabio (a send-up of the model) and Milo Kerrigan the boxer. "[As an extra] I would sometimes be seen in the background of sketches with Eric Bana in them, holding an umbrella, and then I snuck on doing the occasional line," Mr Micallef said. His favourite project was Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell for the ABC, sending up news and current affairs and recalls Stephen Hall playing a character inspired by Scott Morrison. "It was such a spot-on impression that you could have said it was Scott Morrison; it was that accurate, but we didn't just to avoid defamation proceedings," Mr Micallef said. Today, Mr Micallef is enjoying taking on tasks he hasn't tried before, including Dancing With The Stars. "I'm used to learning lines or usually using autocue... This doesn't involve any of that. You have to get up and move around on your legs, whereas usually I'm sitting down... I'm learning these things using muscle memory rather than brain memory," he said. Mr Micallef said the first dance he did was the hardest to learn. "I'm sure I was more aerobically fit by the second one, and maybe that's what made it a bit easier," he said. Besides Dancing, Mr Micallef is working on a second season of Shaun Micallef's Eve of Destruction for the ABC, where he chats with famous acquaintances about what's important to them. He's also working on a second series of Shaun Micallef's Origin Odyssey for the SBS, where he travels with comedians to their ancestral roots. Dancing With The Stars starts on Sunday, June 15 at 7pm on Channel 7 and 7plus. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
ABC News
4 hours ago
- ABC News
ABC celebrates NAIDOC week with First Nations content showcase
The ABC is celebrating NAIDOC week with a collection of special content across all platforms headlined by the primetime premiere of That Blackfella Show airing on Saturday 5 July at 7.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. NAIDOC Week 2024 will be held across the country from July 6-13, with the theme this year of The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy . Led by ABC Indigenous, the ABC will showcase Indigenous storytelling across its screen, audio and digital platforms, including variety special That Blackfella Show hosted in front of a studio audience by Ernie Dingo, ABC News Breakfast 's Bridget Brennan, and Isaac Compton. Guests include Steph Tisdell, Dane Simpson, Kevin Kropinyeri, Jimmy Barnes, Abbie Chatfield, Outback Tom and Barkaa with musical performances by award-winning duo Electric Fields, Maningrida's all-female rock group The Ripple Effect Band, and ARIA-nominated singer-songwriter Miss Kaninna. Head ABC Indigenous, Kelrick Martin said: 'National NAIDOC Week invites all Australians to come together, listen deeply, and celebrate the strength, resilience, and rich heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The ABC is proud to showcase powerful stories across all our platforms and create space for First Nations communities to be seen, heard, and respected.' triple j will present Blakout Day on Sunday 6 July, featuring First Nations music throughout the day and interviews with artists including Jessica Mauboy and Barkaa. On Double J, Take 5 with Zan Rowe will feature a NAIDOC-themed episode with Outback Tom on Friday 11 July, while Weekend Mornings with Yumi Stynes will showcase all First Nations music from 8am on Sunday 6 July. Classic Albums revisits Coloured Stone's iconic debut Koonibba Rock on Monday 7 July, and Live at the Wireless will broadcast Emily Wurramara's 2025 WOMADelaide set on Tuesday 8 July. A new collaborative audio special from Double J and ABC Radio will also celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander songwriters. ABC Country will present a special feature on Roger Knox, the Koori King of Country. In a unique partnership between Saturday Night Country and Radio National's Awaye! with Rudi Bremer, Knox reflects on his incredible life and the release of his new album Buluunarbi and The Old North Star . Saturday Night Country will also dedicate its 12 July episode to NAIDOC Week, hosted by Beccy Cole and featuring music from Kankawa Nagarra, Loren Ryan, Emma Donovan, Troy Cassar-Daley, Archie Roach, Kev Carmody and more. This is Indigenous Country will return with a refreshed playlist of outstanding First Nations country artists, available on ABC Country and via the ABC Listen app. On Radio National, Big Ideas will present two powerful NAIDOC Week specials. On Monday 7 July, Post-Referendum Voices: Where Do We Go From Here? (recorded at the Melbourne Writers Festival) will feature a conversation with Daniel Browning, Ben Abbatangelo, Thomas Mayo and Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts on the path forward following the Voice referendum. On Wednesday 9 July, Yuin woman and researcher Dr Jodi Edwards presents Unbroken Whispers: Finding Our Way Back to Sea Kin and Country , which follows whale migrations along the East Coast to revive cultural knowledge and songlines. All week, ABC TV and ABC iview will feature NAIDOC-themed programming including the screening of the Namatjira Project documentary on Sunday 6 July, the film Spear , starring Aaron Pedersen on Sunday 13 July and a dedicated Gardening Australia episode. ABC News will cover the NAIDOC Awards, and the ABC News Indigenous Affairs team will feature a story on Mitch Tambo, aligning with the release of his new track Blackfella and a performance at UNSW during NAIDOC Week. For younger audiences, Play School will share educational short-form content across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts. Highlights include Charles Passi teaching the song Taba Naba (6 July), a Dreamtime story of the frilled-neck lizard told by Ranger Nabako (7 July), and a performance of the Noongar-language song Woordawoort about dragonflies, sung by Miah and Matt (10 July). ABC Kids Early Education has also curated a selection of viewing and listening resources for early years classrooms, community events and homes, helping educators introduce the significance of NAIDOC Week to young children. These include multimodal learning materials available via the ABC Kids Early Education website. ABC Kids Listen will release a special NAIDOC edition of its popular News Time podcast on Friday 4 July, with all daily news bulletins from 7–11 July dedicated to First Nations stories and voices. ABC Education has a curated resource hub featuring NAIDOC Week materials for schools including a special release of official 2025 education resources, developed in partnership with the National NAIDOC Committee and Culture is Life. Media contact Nikki Tugwell, ABC Communications
Sky News AU
6 hours ago
- Sky News AU
'Different person': MasterChef Australia star Julie Goodwin, 54, shocks fans with dramatically slimmed-down transformation in new social media video
Julie Goodwin has stunned fans with her slimmer-than-ever appearance in a new video. The 2009 MasterChef Australia winner, now 54, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a video promoting a chemical-free cleaning brand. In it, the svelte TV star appeared to have lost even more weight after she first shed a whopping 20kg almost a decade ago. Goodwin's natural grey locks peeked through her short dyed tresses, with the hairstyle accentuating her slender face and frame. The cullinary extraordinaire's slender collarbones and arms were visible beneath her black-and-white striped T-shirt. Despite her new appearance, Goodwin kept her signature glasses on, which have become synonymous with the star for more than a decade. Fans flooded the comments after failing to recognise the star cook due to her new look. "Wow, you look like a different person," one person said. "Julie, I didn't recognise you at all," another person said. Another person said had Goodwin not introduced herself in the clip, they wouldn't have ever guessed it was really her. "Had she not said, 'I am Julie Goodwin', I would not have believed my eyes! You are fabulous, as always!" they said. It comes as the celebrity is rumoured to be replacing Poh Ling Yeow, who was runner-up in Goodwin's MasterChef season, as a judge on the show. Yeow first spun the rumour mill into overdrive earlier this year after she revealed the role doesn't come naturally to her. Instead, the star, who joined judges Andy Allen, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novell in 2024, reminisced about "being a contestant again". "I constantly run through the challenges that I have just delivered and think about what I would do in that situation," Yeow told the From the Newsroom podcast. "That's how much I miss and love it." Despite Network Ten denying Yeow would be replaced at the end of the 2025 season, an insider last week tipped Goodwin to take her place. "Julie would be a fantastic judge. Fans love her," the source told New Idea. "While no one wants to see Poh leave, everyone would welcome Julie back with open arms." The celebrity cook herself said she "absolutely loved" guest judging the cooking competition in 2023, leaving many to believe Yeow's time was up. After her rise to fame on MasterChef, Goodwin became a household name in Australia and is adored by many for her happy-go-lucky personality. She went on to build a successful career as a cookbook author, Australian Women's Weekly columnist, and TV personality. However, in her personal life, Goodwin has faced serious struggles while grappling with her fame. She recorded a drink driving offence in 2018 and made an attempt on her life in 2020. Opening up about the dark time on the Head Game podcast in March, Goodwin said she went "right down to the bottom of the well". "I had made a decision that everybody, everybody, my colleagues, my children, my husband, my family, everybody would be better off if I just racked off and let them all be," Goodwin said on the Head Game podcast in March. The chef recently revealed she's now in a much better place. "I'm good, I really am," she told Nine Honey.
