1993: December 25-31

tvweek_251293Cover: Dieter Brummer (Home And Away), Jo Bailey (Looking Good)

A joke on the box
Production has been completed on the third Fast Forward special 37 And A Bit, taking a comedic look at the Australian TV industry, set to go to air during 1994. The first Fast Forward special, Standing On The Road, featuring Jimeoin, Russell Gilbert and Glenn Robbins, was to have screened already but Seven pulled it from the schedule and have postponed it to 1994. The second special, The Making Of Nothing, takes a look at the film industry. The fourth and final special project is yet to be made.

Back to the future!
Actress Sigrid Thornton, best known for her work on period dramas like the mini-series All The Rivers Run and film The Man From Snowy River, is now working on a $6 million telemovie being made for US television at Queensland’s Movie World studios. Breaking Strain, based on an early Arthur C Clarke story, also stars American actors Kay Lenz (Rich Man Poor Man), Jack Wagner (Knots Landing) and Australian-born Kevin Colson and is described as a psychological thriller. “The interesting thing about it is that it’s set in space but it’s really not about space,” Thornton told TV Week. “There are certainly no aliens running around!”

Bush Christmas… with a peel!
TV Week‘s annual Christmas photo shoot once again features personalities from various networks. This year’s star-studded line-up included Home And Away‘s Dieter Brummer and Laura Vasquez, NeighboursKimberley Davies and Dan Falzon, Sale Of The Century host Glenn Ridge and former co-host Jo Bailey (now on Nine‘s Looking Good), Lisa Hensley from Law Of The Land, Paradise Beach star Ingo Racemacher, B1 from ABC‘s Bananas In Pyjamas and Southern Stars lead singer Jack Jones.

christmas_1993_0003 christmas_1993_0004

Briefly…

  • Former Teen Queens member Kellie Hoggart is rumoured to sign on as Rachael Beck‘s replacement in Hey Dad!. Producer Gary Reilly is yet to reveal the identity of the new cast member, saying only that, “she’s 18, gorgeous, blonde, she can sing and dance and she did one of the best screen tests I’ve ever seen”.
  • The character of Dr Harry Morrison (Andrew Blackman) will return in the ‘new’ A Country Practice, but his on screen wife Kate (Michelle Pettigrove) will not. Upon its return the series is set to explain that Kate has gone on a trip to China and Harry receives a letter saying that she won’t be back!
  • SBS newsreader Mary Kostakidis is to have her own interview series, a weekly half-hour program titled The Talk Show, debuting in February. She will continue to read news for SBS.

Lawrie Masterson: The View From Here

“I guess this is it for 1993. It’s no secret that it has been a tough year in the magazine market, and that TV Week has taken a bit of a buffeting here and there. But it also has been a year of vast and, I think, exciting changes for us. In fact, as I compare our first issue of the year (pictured) with this one… well, let’s just say it’s a very different TV Week, the biggest change being our new colour program guide. As I’ve said here before, it is impossible to please you all every week, but we give it our best shot anyway. From all here to all of you, have a very happy and safe Christmas.”

Program Highlights (Melbourne, December 25-31):
Saturday (Christmas Day): ABC’s Christmas Day is highlighted by Midnight Mass from St Peter’s Basilica, Rome (9.55am). John Martin’s Christmas Pageant (10am, Seven) and Twin Town’s Christmas Special — featuring Julie Anthony, Simon Gallaher, Rolf Harris, Cameron Daddo and The Four Kinsmen (11am, Ten) — are among the other Christmas morning specials. Carols By Candlelight (12pm, Nine) has a repeat screening and the Bing Crosby classic White Christmas (4pm, Ten) appears in the afternoon. The Queen’s Christmas Message is broadcast on ABC (7.20pm and 10.50pm) and Nine (10.40pm).

Sunday: Boxing Day sport includes Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race (12pm, Ten), the Kooyong Classic tennis (3pm, ABC) and limited coverage of the First Test from the MCG (3.40pm, Nine).

Monday: Day Two of the Kooyong Classic (3pm, ABC) and First Test (3.40pm, Nine) are really the only highlights of the day.

Tuesday: In Paradise Beach (7.30pm, Nine), Nick (Andrew McKaige) begins to doubt Robyn’s (Isla Fisher) true identity, so Robyn produces a letter from Natalie which proves her authenticity; and Tom (Robert Coleby) waits for Kirk (Jon Bennett) to confess to the accident.

Wednesday: Andrew Olle interviews artist Judy Cassab in A Life (9.30pm, ABC).

Thursday: In Beyond 2000 (7.30pm, Ten), Simon Reeve meets the researchers who are hoping to be able to control a computer merely by thinking a command; and Iain Finlay discovers the trimaran yacht, which uses three vertical wings instead of conventional sails. John O’May guest stars in Cluedo (9.30pm, Nine).

Friday: Seven’s summer of tennis begins with the Hopman Cup (1pm), live from Burswood Superdome, Perth. SBS maintains its New Year’s Eve tradition of airing the comedy skit Dinner For One (7pm). ABC winds up the year with the Backchat New Year’s Eve Special (11.15pm).

Source: TV Week (Melbourne edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide.  25 December 1993.  Southdown Press

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2013/12/1993-december-25-31.html

3 comments

    • Daniel Hopmans on 24 July 2020 at 8:47 PM
    • Reply

    When did ‘Standing on the Road’ air on Seven?

    1. I don’t have a date on hand sorry

    • Andrew M on 10 August 2020 at 9:30 PM
    • Reply

    Interesting that’s what prime did leading up to national news back in the 90’s

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