Latest news with #FullFrontal
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Record-breaking TV series hailed 'funniest in ages' launches on free UK streamer
The most recent season of an Australian series that left viewers 'laughing out loud' is now streaming for free in the UK. Launching in 2021, Fisk was co-created and co-written by comedian Kitty Flanagan, best known for appearing on panel shows including Full Frontal, Rove Live, The Project and Have You Been Paying Attention? In 2001 she also moved to the UK, where she lived for eight years and featured on The Sketch Show, also regularly touring to perform stand-up. But it was Fisk that has seen Kitty, 54, become a household name. Just last weekend the third season swept Australia's Logie Awards, winning all five awards for the categories it was nominated in. The show follows the titular Helen-Tudor Fisk, who moves back home to Melbourne from Sydney after her marriage and carrier broke down. She then manages to find a job at a small legal firm – Gruber & Gruber – run by siblings Ray (Marty Sheargold) and Roz (Julia Zemiro) and which specialises in probate law and wills. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Despite its seemingly banal premise, the workplace comedy has become a massive hit. It was labelled 'Australia's funniest sitcom in years' by Screen Hub, while other critics called it 'sublime', a 'delightful surprise' and 'deliciously dry'. 'This series is a fast-paced, funny, eccentric look into a woman's journey to redemption,' Common Sense Media wrote in its reviews. 'The show has a strange, low-key charm, and vibrates at a comic frequency unlike anything else on TV now, and is worth watching for that alone,' The Straits Time shared. 'Not quite as strange as Stath Lets Flats but set in a similarly askew world populated by enchanting oddballs…if you wish you could mash up Boston Legal and The Office, try this,' The New York Times added. Meanwhile viewers said it left them 'laughing out loud' and was the 'funniest TV show we've seen in ages'. The second season of Fisk was released in 2022, while the third aired in Australia late last year. This week the most recent was released on ITVX, with all three seasons available to binge for free. ITV has teased of the new episodes: 'Stakes are higher for Helen. Being a name partner brings more responsibility, and her first challenge is to pitch herself as Ray's replacement in the local business networking group. 'Ray has broken the rules by dating a fellow member, his age-appropriate new lady-love Melly (Justine Clarke). Meanwhile George is pursuing some lucrative side hustles and Roz is slowly realising that her clients don't seem to enjoy mediation as much as she does. 'When a bomb scare at the office forces a relocation to the local community work hub run by an overzealous hub manager (Rhys Nicholson) Roz and Ray are both plunged into parallel personal crises. With the Gruber siblings unravelling around her, Helen is forced to step up and take charge, giving rise to an unexpected new chapter in the Gruber & Fisk story.' The premiere episode of this season broke records in Australia, attracting three million viewers and becoming the all-time highest-rated episode of any non-kids show on the ABC. It's also been a hit globally. In 2021, Fisk won best comedy series at Series Mania in France, and last year made it to the top 10 on Netflix in 10 countries, including South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. More Trending When asked about the reception by international audiences, Kitty told ABC News last year: 'When people message me from Canada or India or wherever it is around the world and say they're loving Fisk, I think, 'Oh my God, that's fantastic'.' She then attributed the show's success to the characters and the relationships between them. 'I guess the world is realistic and relatable. The characters in our show obviously exist the world over, even if they have a different accent or speak a different language.' View More » Fisk is streaming on ITVX. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'I'm naked, peeing, and tattooed on stage every night – but it's no biggy' MORE: 'We lost £250,000 minutes into The Fortune Hotel – but we can't complain' MORE: 'My comedy show is usually illegal – I can't wait to let loose in Scotland'
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Samantha Bee Says Stephen Colbert's ‘Late Show' Was ‘Hemorrhaging Money' and ‘People Aren't Tuning In': It's a ‘No-Brainer' to Cancel Amid Paramount-Skydance Merger
Former late-night host Samantha Bee is giving her take on CBS cancelling 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.' During a recent appearance on the 'Breaking Bread with Tom Papa' podcast, Bee said she believes that ending Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' was a 'financial decision,' as cited by CBS, but also thinks it was in part to 'curry favor with the president' amid the merger between Paramount, CBS' parent company, and Skydance. More from Variety Seth Meyers Says the Future of Late-Night Is 'Outside of My Control,' Worries About Himself 'Mental Health-Wise' if His Show Is Canceled: 'It Is Such a Time We're Living In' Piers Morgan: 'No Wonder' Stephen Colbert Got Canceled When Most Late Night Hosts Are 'Activist Hacks for the Democrats' David Letterman Blasts CBS and Skydance on 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' Cancellation: 'This Is Pure Cowardice' 'I think both things are true,' she said. 'It definitely was hemorrhaging money. These legacy shows are hemorrhaging money with no real end to that…in sight, people are just not tuning in.' Bee added, 'People are literally on their phones all the time for one thing, so they actually don't necessarily need a recap of the day's events. They're very well-versed in what has happened.' She went on to explain that while hosting her TBS show 'Full Frontal,' which ran for seven seasons from 2016 to 2022, not stirring controversy during network mergers was a 'constant source of conversation.' From her experience, it seemed like a 'no-brainer' for CBS to end 'The Late Show.' 'It's so much easier for them to cut it loose with this merger coming down the pike,' Bee said. 'It makes the decision such a no-brainer, and probably the most agonizing decisions they were having were about how do we float this? How do we not get a lot of blowback? I'm sure they knew it was happening a long time ago.' Although blunt about the fate of Colbert's 'Late Show,' she still thinks the sudden cancellation was 'awful.' 'I love Stephen,' she said. 'I consider him to be a friend. I think he's amazing. I'm shocked, not surprised.' Best of Variety What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Samantha Bee Says Stephen Colbert's ‘Late Show' Was ‘Hemorrhaging Money' and ‘People Aren't Tuning In': It's a ‘No-Brainer' to Cancel Amid Paramount-Skydance Merger
Former late-night host Samantha Bee is giving her take on CBS cancelling 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.' During a recent appearance on the 'Breaking Bread with Tom Papa' podcast, Bee said she believes that ending Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' was a 'financial decision,' as cited by CBS, but also thinks it was in part to 'curry favor with the president' amid the merger between Paramount, CBS' parent company, and Skydance. More from Variety Seth Meyers Says the Future of Late-Night Is 'Outside of My Control,' Worries About Himself 'Mental Health-Wise' if His Show Is Canceled: 'It Is Such a Time We're Living In' Piers Morgan: 'No Wonder' Stephen Colbert Got Canceled When Most Late Night Hosts Are 'Activist Hacks for the Democrats' David Letterman Blasts CBS and Skydance on 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' Cancellation: 'This Is Pure Cowardice' 'I think both things are true,' she said. 'It definitely was hemorrhaging money. These legacy shows are hemorrhaging money with no real end to that…in sight, people are just not tuning in.' Bee added, 'People are literally on their phones all the time for one thing, so they actually don't necessarily need a recap of the day's events. They're very well-versed in what has happened.' She went on to explain that while hosting her TBS show 'Full Frontal,' which ran for seven seasons from 2016 to 2022, not stirring controversy during network mergers was a 'constant source of conversation.' From her experience, it seemed like a 'no-brainer' for CBS to end 'The Late Show.' 'It's so much easier for them to cut it loose with this merger coming down the pike,' Bee said. 'It makes the decision such a no-brainer, and probably the most agonizing decisions they were having were about how do we float this? How do we not get a lot of blowback? I'm sure they knew it was happening a long time ago.' Although blunt about the fate of Colbert's 'Late Show,' she still thinks the sudden cancellation was 'awful.' 'I love Stephen,' she said. 'I consider him to be a friend. I think he's amazing. I'm shocked, not surprised.' Best of Variety What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Solve the daily Crossword
Man of Many
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Man of Many
'We Were All Pinching Ourselves': Eric Bana Talks Netflix's ‘Untamed'
By Dean Blake - News Published: 18 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 5 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Eric Bana has been a mainstay in the Australian creative industry for as long as we can remember, and for good reason. An incredibly talented actor, Bana's got the ability to play across multiple genres, from sketch comedy in his breakout role in Full Frontal, his work as Bruce Banner in 2003's Hulk, to his moodier, more dramatic offerings in The Dry. And now Bana is back, working with Netflix on the newly launched Untamed: a rather unique concept for a show, straddling the line between murder mystery, character-focused drama, and a beautiful invitation into the natural world. In Untamed, Bana plays Kyle Turner, a special agent for the National Parks Service who has been tasked with investigating a Jane Doe found in Yosemite National Park. Throughout the six-episode mini-series, Turner uncovers the seedy underbelly of the park, as well as Jane Doe's identity, and killer. It's a great watch if you haven't already dived in, and we were given the chance to chat with Bana ahead of the shows release, where we asked about the filming process, his time on set, and when we'll get some more Poida (don't hold your breath). Eric Bana in Netflix's Untamed | Image: Supplied First of all, congratulations on the show – it looks really great. Can you tell me a bit about the process of filming Untamed on-site? It's based in Yosemite National Park, but it was filmed in British Columbia in Canada, which is really dense woodland. How difficult was that? I guess once we got there it wasn't too bad, I think the most difficult part was searching for the locations and making sure they matched what was on the page and to try and get the epic scale of what we wanted—that was the huge selling point of the show, to have a murder mystery set in a national park. We wanted to deliver a transportive experience to the audience that would feel like they were somewhere else, that they could breathe in that air. It was tough on the crew in terms of moving the equipment around and the logistics of it, but once we were in those locations we were all pinching ourselves. You play Kyle Turner, a special agent of the National Parks Service. Can you tell me a bit about how you fleshed the character out over the course of filming, or how you found the character in something that is as character-driven as Untamed? There was so much on the page, and it was so beautifully written. When I first came across the material we only had the (script for) the first episode, but there was more than enough to tease and flesh out the potential—not only for my character, but the relationships he has with the other characters in the story. Mark Smith's writing is superb, so I was really confident that the journey we were about to go on would be a great one. It just kept revealing itself to me, every episode, it kept getting more intense, with more twists and turns. Eric Bana in Netflix's Untamed | Image: Supplied Is there any particular part of the filming process that sticks out to you as something that was really special, or memorable? I think every episode had a scene or a location where you'd stand there in the quiet moments and just really, really take it in. Particularly for Lily Santiago, who plays Naya (Vasquez), her and I were on our horses most days, traipsing around the mountains of British Columbia, and I'd always just say, 'we're getting paid for this, this is actually a job'. It was quite an amazing experience. Is there anything you're most proud of with the show? All of it, really. It is the show that we set out to make, it is the show that we had in our minds, and we were greatly supposed by Netflix to go out and make exactly what Mark had written. I think the scale of it is what really sets it apart—like I was saying, our hope was that when our audience click on to watch, they can feel like they've gone somewhere. There's a crime to solve, and there's a genre I'm familiar with, but this world feels very different. It's almost like a combination of a nature documentary with murder mystery. Sam Neill and Eric Bana in Netflix's Untamed | Image: Supplied You got to work with some pretty amazing actors in Untamed I wanted to ask about working with Sam Neill. It's always super exciting to see Aussies and Kiwis on the big screen, can you tell me about that experience? It was really special, we'd actually never worked together before. We have a lot of mutual friends and so I felt like I already knew him, and I got exactly what I was expecting and more from him. When we got together, I was like, 'we've actually never met. We've actually never been in the same room as each other,' which was so bizarre given all these years. And he plays such a pivotal character in the show, we were so lucky to get him onboard. Without giving too much away, his journey and our journey together through the course of the six episodes… I was really fortunate to have him as a scene partner. I think the whole cast was great. Just a really wonderful cast, greatly supported by some epic writing from one of the best writers around at the moment. When I told the rest of the Man of Many team, everyone had the same question: when are we getting more Full Frontal? (laughs) You must have an old team. How do you even find that stuff. Untamed is available exclusively on Netflix.
The Advertiser
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- 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.
