Obituary: Diana Fisher

Diana Fisher, royal commentator and TV panellist, has died at the age of 91.

She had been admitted to hospital in Sydney earlier in the week following a two-year battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Born in the UK as Diana Davis, her first job was at the BBC, where she stayed for eight years and met her future husband, Humphrey Fisher. They married in 1959 and came to Australia in 1964 when he was posted as BBC’s Australian representative. They stayed for three years then returned to Australia to live in 1969. Although they later separated they continued to stay friends.

A staunch royalist, she was a frequent media commentator on the royal family, covering the various births and marriages for a myriad of media outlets, including the Seven Network‘s coverage of the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981.

Good Morning Sydney: Maureen Duval, Diana Fisher and
author Robin Smith

Affectionately nicknamed “Bubbles” for her love of champagne and bubbly personality, she was a regular on various daytime TV shows, including Maggie, The Mike Walsh Show, Midday, Good Morning Sydney and both 1960s and 1980s versions of Beauty And The Beast.

Diana Fisher (far right) in Beauty And The Beast

But her most prominent TV role was as “consumer-housewife” panellist on ABC‘s The Inventors, that ran from 1970 to 1982.

The Inventors: Geoff Stone, Diana Fisher

With her fellow panellists, Fisher would scrutinise the innovations being displayed and challenge the designers with questions like “is it safe?” and “does it come in other colours?”, which became her popular catchphrases.

When a TV Times reader commented that “Diana Fisher’s remarks and suggestions are absolutely inane; her questions even worse,” Fisher responded: “Before people criticise they should have a go themselves. I think I represent a large cross-section of people who view the program.”

As well as her television commitments, she ran her own public relations consultancy and was a regular columnist for The Australian Women’s Weekly and Woman’s Day.

She made a rare acting appearance, as a talent show judge, in the Network Ten drama Heartbreak High in 1994.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, TV Times, 30 September 1970, 23 December 1970, 12 August 1978. TV Week, 30 July 1994. The Australian Women’s Weekly, 22 March 1978. Woman’s Day, 16 February 1982, 16 March 1982.

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2023/01/obituary-diana-fisher.html

Historic WIN news footage saved

Archival news footage from as far back as the 1960s has been rescued from destruction amid a clean-out of the WIN studios in Mildura.

Being the region’s only local TV news service for over 50 years, the station archive contains unique news and commercial footage at risk of being lost forever. Much of the collection, comprising both 16mm film and various videotape formats, now resides with local historians, including Frames of History founder Ian MacWilliams, with a view to having it digitised for future preservation and access.

The former station premises, situation on Deakin Avenue and recently sold, housed WIN and its predecessor STV8, which launched as the region’s first commercial TV station in 1965. The station later became part of the Southern Cross network and was briefly owned by Alan Bond before being sold to VIC TV — now part of the WIN regional network.

WIN continued as Mildura’s only commercial TV station until Prime Television launched a local transmission in 1997.

WIN ceased local news operations in Mildura in 2015 with claims that it was no longer commercially viable.

Source: ABC

 

 

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2023/01/historic-win-news-footage-saved.html

7Bravo: The first week

The Seven Network has announced the first week of programs for its new reality and entertainment channel 7Bravo, launching this Sunday on channel 75.

With programs from the Bravo and E! brands, titles include Million Dollar Listing NY, The Real Housewives Of New Jersey, Judge Jerry, Top Chef, Dinner Date, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Below Deck, Below Deck Down Under, Real Girlfriends In Paris and Saturday Night Live.

Sunday 15 January:

0600 Million Dollar Listing NY Drumming Up Buyers
0700 Million Dollar Listing NY A New York Upstate Of Mind
0800 Million Dollar Listing NY Tech-nical Difficulties
0900 Million Dollar Listing NY Jess We Can!
1000 Million Dollar Listing NY Construction Criticism
1100 Million Dollar Listing NY The Weight Is Over
1200 Million Dollar Listing NY Polar Opposites
1300 Million Dollar Listing NY Better Laight Than Never
1400 Million Dollar Listing NY The Snowball Effect
1500 Million Dollar Listing NY Coast Stories
1600 Million Dollar Listing NY Loss Angeles
1700 Million Dollar Listing NY Ruffled Heathers
1800 Million Dollar Listing NY Co-list Or No-list
1900 Million Dollar Listing NY Four Men And A Baby
2030 Girls Trip
2330 The Real Housewives Of New Jersey Jingle Bells And Prison Cells

Monday 16:

0030 Million Dollar Listing NY Four Men And A Baby
0130 Girls Trip
0430 The Real Housewives Of New Jersey Jingle Bells And Prison Cells
0530 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep3
0600 Million Dollar Listing NY Co-list Or No-list
0700 Million Dollar Listing NY The Shark, The Smooth-talker And The New Kid
0800 Million Dollar Listing NY Ruffled Heathers
0900 The Kelly Clarkson Show Marlee Matlin, Tyler Posey
1000 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Pedro Pascal / Finn WolfhardPedro Pascal / Finn Wolfhard
1100 Million Dollar Listing NY Co-list Or No-list
1200 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Jamie Pressly, Bella Thorne, NeNe Leakes & John Salley
1300 Songland John Legend
1400 Million Dollar Listing NY The Shark, The Smooth-talker And The New Kid
1500 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep1
1530 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Pedro Pascal / Finn WolfhardPedro Pascal / Finn Wolfhard
1630 Top Chef History Never Repeats
1730 Dinner Date James Hill
1830 Million Dollar Listing NY The Shark, The Smooth-talker And The New Kid
1930 Below Deck All Hands On Deck
2000 911 Crisis Center 12 Hours Together
2030 Buried In The Backyard Buried In Money
2130 Exhumed Killer Obsession
2230 Botched Human Dolls
2330 Killer Couples Killer Couples S10 Episode 1

Tuesday 17:

0030 Below Deck All Hands On Deck
0100 911 Crisis Center 12 Hours Together
0130 Buried In The Backyard Buried In Money
0230 Exhumed Killer Obsession
0330 Botched Human Dolls
0430 Top Chef History Never Repeats
0530 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep1
0600 Dinner Date James Hill
0700 Million Dollar Listing NY Parlez-vous, Francais?
0800 Top Chef History Never Repeats
0900 The Kelly Clarkson Show Nick Jonas, Wendy Raquel Robinson
1000 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Chelsea Handler / Matthew Macfadyen
1100 Dinner Date James Hill
1200 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Monica Potter & Tom Arnold
1300 Songland will.i.am
1400 Million Dollar Listing NY Parlez-vous, Francais?
1500 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep2
1530 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Chelsea Handler / Matthew Macfadyen
1630 Top Chef Night At The Museum
1730 Dinner Date Rhea Bailey
1830 Million Dollar Listing NY Parlez-vous, Francais?
1930 Below Deck Cool Your Jets
2030 The Real Housewives Of Dubai Sand Dunes And Don’ts
2130 Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip When Wives Collide
2230 Botched Janice Dickinson Knows Breast
2330 Killer Couples Killer Couples S10 Episode 2

Wednesday 18:

0030 Below Deck Cool Your Jets
0130 The Real Housewives Of Dubai Sand Dunes And Don’ts
0230 Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip When Wives Collide
0330 Botched Janice Dickinson Knows Breast
0430 Top Chef Night At The Museum
0530 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep2
0600 Dinner Date Rhea Bailey
0700 Million Dollar Listing NY Hard Hats And Hard Heads
0800 Top Chef Night At The Museum
0900 The Kelly Clarkson Show The Kelly Clarkson Show S4 Ep79
1000 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Sadie Sink
1100 Dinner Date Rhea Bailey
1200 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Ross Mathews, Margaret Cho, Jodie Sweetin & Jillian Rose Reed
1300 Songland Kelsea Ballerini
1400 Million Dollar Listing NY Hard Hats And Hard Heads
1500 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep3
1530 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Sadie Sink
1630 Top Chef New York’s Finest
1730 Dinner Date Andrew Hayden-Smith
1830 Million Dollar Listing NY Hard Hats And Hard Heads
1930 Below Deck It’s Not Easy Being Green
2030 Below Deck Down Under G’day Mate!
2130 911 Crisis Center Best Of Luck
2200 911 Crisis Center Training Wheels
2230 Botched Vagina Bomb!
2330 Killer Couples Killer Couples S10 Episode 3

Thursday 19:

0030 Below Deck It’s Not Easy Being Green
0130 Below Deck Down Under G’day Mate!
0230 911 Crisis Center Best Of Luck
0300 911 Crisis Center Training Wheels
0330 Botched Vagina Bomb!
0430 Top Chef New York’s Finest
0530 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep3
0600 Dinner Date Andrew Hayden-Smith
0700 Million Dollar Listing NY Construction, Conniptions And A Kangaroo
0800 Top Chef New York’s Finest
0900 The Kelly Clarkson Show The Kelly Clarkson Show S4 Ep80
1000 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023
1100 Dinner Date Andrew Hayden-Smith
1200 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Amber Rose, Cheryl Burke & Heather & Terry Dubrow
1300 Songland Jonas Brothers
1400 Million Dollar Listing NY Construction, Conniptions And A Kangaroo
1500 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep4
1530 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023
1630 Top Chef Advantage Chef
1730 Dinner Date Jasmin Walia
1830 Million Dollar Listing NY Construction, Conniptions And A Kangaroo
1930 Below Deck Dude, That’s A Dude, Dude
2030 The Real Housewives Of Orange County S16 Fancy Pants Is Back
2130 Below Deck We’re Not In The Caribbean Anymore!
2230 Botched Making Of A Belieber
2330 Killer Couples Killer Couples S10 Episode 4

Friday 20:

0030 Below Deck Dude, That’s A Dude, Dude
0130 The Real Housewives Of Orange County S16 Fancy Pants Is Back
0230 Below Deck We’re Not In The Caribbean Anymore!
0330 Botched Making Of A Belieber
0430 Top Chef Advantage Chef
0530 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep4
0600 Dinner Date Jasmin Walia
0700 Million Dollar Listing NY The Casting Couch
0800 Top Chef Advantage Chef
0900 The Kelly Clarkson Show The Kelly Clarkson Show S4 Ep81
1000 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Katie Holmes / Danielle Deadwyler
1100 Dinner Date Jasmin Walia
1200 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Tracey Gold, Natalya Neidhart, Michael Sam & Christopher Knight
1300 Songland Meghan Trainor
1400 Million Dollar Listing NY The Casting Couch
1500 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep5
1530 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Katie Holmes / Danielle Deadwyler
1630 Top Chef Dim Sum Lose Sum
1730 Dinner Date Nicola Hughes
1830 Million Dollar Listing NY The Casting Couch
1930 Below Deck Luggage, Luggage Everywhere
2030 Dahmer On Dahmer: A Serial Killer Speaks (2017)
2130 Dahmer On Dahmer: A Serial Killer Speaks (2017)
2230 Botched Like A Surgeon
2330 Killer Couples Killer Couples S10 Episode 5

Saturday 21:

0030 Below Deck Luggage, Luggage Everywhere
0130 Dahmer On Dahmer: A Serial Killer Speaks (2017)
0230 Dahmer On Dahmer: A Serial Killer Speaks (2017)
0330 Botched Like A Surgeon
0430 Top Chef Dim Sum Lose Sum
0530 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep5
0600 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep1
0630 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Pedro Pascal / Finn WolfhardPedro Pascal / Finn Wolfhard
0730 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Chelsea Handler / Matthew Macfadyen
0830 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Jamie Pressly, Bella Thorne, NeNe Leakes & John Salley
0930 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Monica Potter & Tom Arnold
1030 Million Dollar Listing NY The Shark, The Smooth-talker And The New Kid
1130 Million Dollar Listing NY Parlez-vous, Francais?
1230 Million Dollar Listing NY Hard Hats And Hard Heads
1330 Dinner Date James Hill
1430 Dinner Date Rhea Bailey
1530 Dinner Date Andrew Hayden-Smith
1630 Get A Room With Carson & Thom The Ghost And The Grotto
1730 Songland John Legend
1830 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Jamie Pressly, Bella Thorne, NeNe Leakes & John Salley
1930 Relative Success With Tabatha Relative Success With Tabatha S1 Ep1
2030 Real Girlfriends In Paris Bonjour Paris!
2130 Made In Chelsea S23 She’s Like A Snake In Sheep’s Clothing
2230 Saturday Night Live S46 Adele, H.e.r.
2330 The Real Housewives Of New York City S10 Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun

Sunday 22:

0030 Relative Success With Tabatha Relative Success With Tabatha S1 Ep1
0130 Real Girlfriends In Paris Bonjour Paris!
0230 Made In Chelsea S23 She’s Like A Snake In Sheep’s Clothing
0330 Saturday Night Live S46 Adele, H.e.r.
0430 The Real Housewives Of New York City S10 Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun
0530 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep1
0600 Judge Jerry Judge Jerry S1 Ep2
0630 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023 Sadie Sink
0730 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2023
0830 Top Chef History Never Repeats
0930 Top Chef Night At The Museum
1030 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Ross Mathews, Margaret Cho, Jodie Sweetin & Jillian Rose Reed
1130 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Amber Rose, Cheryl Burke & Heather & Terry Dubrow
1230 Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry Tracey Gold, Natalya Neidhart, Michael Sam & Christopher Knight
1330 Dinner Date Jasmin Walia
1430 Dinner Date Nicola Hughes
1530 Million Dollar Listing NY Construction, Conniptions And A Kangaroo
1630 Million Dollar Listing NY The Casting Couch
1730 Million Dollar Listing NY Drumming Up Buyers
1830 Top Chef Primal Instincts
1930 Botched Knockers On Heaven’s Door
2030 Definitely, Maybe
2230 Killer Relationship With Faith Jenkins Unholy Terror
2330 The Real Housewives Of New Jersey A Very Hairy Christmas

 

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2023/01/7bravo-the-first-week.html

Obituary: Joan Sydney

Actor Joan Sydney, best known as Matron Maggie Sloane in A Country Practice, has died at the age of 83.

English-born, her early career was in the theatre, which she continued after arriving in Australia in 1965. She made her Australian TV debut in the telemovie The Scalp Merchant in 1978, followed by an appearance in a children’s series, Falcon Island.

Her big TV break came in 1983 when she took on the role of Matron Maggie Sloane in A Country Practice.

She was initially signed for a temporary role but she stayed for seven years. She went on to win the Silver Logie in 1989 for Most Outstanding Actress. “This award means a lot to me because it shows that you don’t have to be young and pretty to win a Logie,” she told TV Week at the time.

TV Week editor Lawrie Masterson appraised Sydney on receiving her award:

“Somehow I usually find myself with a half-smile on my face when I’m watching Joan Sydney in A Country Practice. Matron Maggie, as we know, can be a stickler for formality and a tough old bird when the occasion demands. But she also has a sense of humour and of course her heart is in the right place. Joan Sydney handles her with aplomb and, seemingly, ease. At once she makes the character credible and likeable. You feel sorry for Matron Maggie at times, laugh along with her at others. All in all she is a pleasure… and the actress who brings her to life richly deserves the recognition she has received.”

Sydney left the series in 1990 to pursue theatre roles but soon returned to TV as Mary Patchett in E Street (pictured with co-star Adrian Lee).

In 1993, she returned to A Country Practice for a cameo in its last episode on the Seven Network in 1993, and stayed with the show when it was re-launched by the Ten Network in 1994. She went on to play Valda Sheergold in Neighbours on a recurring basis from 2002 and as a regular character in 2007-08.

She also starred with her sister, fellow actor Maggie King, in the 1989 telemovie Sisterly Love.

Other TV credits included Flight Into Hell, Mother And Son, Tracks Of Glory, Law Of The Land (with Lisa Hensley, pictured), Something In The Air, All Saints, Lowdown, Conspiracy 365, Cliffy and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.

Source: TV Week, 25 March 1989, 15 May 1993. IMDB, Wikipedia.

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2023/01/obituary-joan-sydney.html

Happy New Year from Number 96

Happy New Year (1973) from Number 96 cast members Joe Hasham, Abigail, Elaine Lee and Tom Oliver.

The series that arrived with much controversy early in 1972 had ended the year with some big cliffhangers:

  • Is Bev Houghton (Abigail) having an incestuous relationship with her brother, Rod (John Benton)?
  • Will Salvadore Russo (John Serge) survive the gunshot wound inflicted by Gary Whittaker (Mike Ferguson)?
  • Can Aldo Godolfus (Johnny Lockwood) accept Roma Lubinski’s (Philippa Baker) marriage proposal?
  • Will Don Finlayson (Joe Hasham) enter into a marriage of convenience with Sally Fielding (Christine Danielle)?
  • Does Gordon Vansard (Joe James) survive the fiery car crash?

All would be resolved early in 1973.

During 1973, the series would also top the ratings as Australia’s most popular program, and go on to collect its first TV Week Logie awards: Best New Drama, and Pat McDonald for Best Actress).

Source: Number 96 Home Page

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2023/01/happy-new-year-from-number-96.html

2022: We remember…

Judy Banks

Shane Warne

Brian Davies

Rob Readings

Alan Hopgood

Ernie Carroll

Caroline Jones

Tommy Dysart

Carol Raye

John Tingle

Olivia Newton-John

Vince Gil

Basia Rendall (Bonkowski)

John Hamblin

Martin Vaughan

Tony Barry

Bobby Driessen

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/12/2022-we-remember.html

2022: The Big Reset

It seems that 2022 will be best remembered for holding a giant re-set of some of our biggest TV names and shows, as some of our highest-profile presenters have decided to call it a day — either temporarily or perhaps longer term. It is hard to recall a year where so many key personalities have stepped away from their long-running roles, whether it be for new ventures, a less public profile or just to take some extended time away.

In June, Leigh Sales signed off as host of ABC‘s 7.30 after 11 years at the helm. She is taking an extended break but will be returning to air next year as host of documentary series Australian Story.


YouTube: ABC News In-depth

In September, A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw announced that she was stepping down from the show at the end of the year. After a 17-year run, she was ACA‘s longest-serving host. Like Sales, she is taking an extended break but is set to return in a new role at Nine, where she has been employed since 1981. Replacing Grimshaw at the ACA desk is former Today co-host Ally Langdon, who in turn is being replaced at Today by Sarah Abo.

 
YouTube: A Current Affair

But the biggest shake-up is on the hosting panel for Network Ten‘s The Project — losing three key on-air personnel within a month. Carrie Bickmore, who was part of the show’s founding line-up in 2009 and won a Gold Logie in 2015, announced in October that she was leaving the show, ending a 17-year association with the network.


YouTube: The Project

In November, fellow The Project host Lisa Wilkinson made a sudden decision to also leave the show. She joined The Project in 2018 after ten years as co-host on Nine‘s Today. Her departure from The Project came after she attracted controversy and public scrutiny from comments she made when accepting a Logie award for The Project in June in recognition for her interview with former political staffer Brittany Higgins. Wilkinson’s comments were said to be a factor in the high-profile trial of Higgins’ former colleague Bruce Lehrmann being postponed. The trial has since been abandoned.

Wilkinson is set to stay with Ten in a new role to be announced. Former Studio 10 co-host Sarah Harris is moving to Melbourne to join the panel on The Project in 2023.


YouTube: The Project

Just days after Wilkinson’s announcement, another The Project co-host, Peter Helliar, also announced his imminent departure from the show. Helliar had been on the panel of The Project for eight years and associated with Network Ten for 22 years, with other credits including Rove Live, Skithouse, Before The Game, CRAM and How To Stay Married. Helliar will be replaced on the show by comedian Sam Taunton, while comedian and Triple J host Michael Hing joins the panel on Friday and Sunday nights.


YouTube: The Project

At a local level, there were also some major departures. Seven News Adelaide newsreader Jane Doyle signed off earlier this month after 33 years with the network. She will be replaced in the new year by former weekend newsreaders Rosanna Mangiarelli and Will Goodings.


YouTube: 7NEWS Australia

In October, Shauna Willis, a long-time presenter at Seven (formerly GWN7) in regional WA, left the network after more than 30 years.


YouTube: Brett632h

Queensland newsreader Bruce Paige resigned from Nine News Gold Coast after 12 years. A veteran of more than 50 years in television news in Queensland, and a former newsreader at Nine News in Brisbane, he is now set to return to the Brisbane newsroom as a seniors reporter.


YouTube: Australian TV Fan

Looking back at 2022, Television.AU covered:

During the year we also added 61 listings to the Classic TV Guides archive.

Best wishes for a Happy New Year!

 

 

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/12/2022-the-big-reset.html

Obituary: Bobby Driessen

Former Young Talent Time star Bobby Driessen has died at age 56.

No cause for his death has been reported other than he died suddenly in his sleep.

Born in the Netherlands, Driessen and his family moved to Australia, initially living in Adelaide and then Darwin. The family survived Cyclone Tracy in 1974 but moved to Brisbane and then Perth.

He then appeared as a contestant on Young Talent Time and the family moved to Melbourne when he was appointed as a team member in the show in 1979 at age 12.

He left the show in 1983 and went on to appear in an early episode of Neighbours in 1985 and co-host Nine‘s The Cartoon Company with former YTT co-star Karen Dunkerton.

Bobby Driessen with YTT co-star Nicole Cooper
(Picture: The Australian Women’s Weekly, 1980)

He then kept out of the spotlight. He appeared in the documentary Young Talent Time Tells All in 2001, but did not participate in YTT‘s 50th anniversary celebrations last year, with producers claiming he could not be contacted.

Young Talent Time producer and host Johnny Young paid tribute on Facebook: “Bobby was one of the most popular members of the Young Talent Team. He was a gentle, loving young man who still has many fans. Thanks for the many great shows we did together. Bobby, we will never forget you. All my love – Johnny Young and family.”

Source: Young Talent Time (Facebook), TV Times, IMDB, 9Honey. The Australian Women’s Weekly TV Magazine, 2 July 1980.

 

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/12/obituary-bobby-driessen.html

Have a Strictly Ballroom Christmas!

Television.AU wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas. This year’s Christmas flashback takes us back to 1992, when TV Week‘s multi-network Christmas photoshoot took its theme from the year’s biggest movie hit, Strictly Ballroom.

Decked out in their tizzy finery were Rachel Blakely (Neighbours), Bruce Roberts (Home And Away), Steven Jacobs (All Together Now), Gia Carides (Police Rescue and Strictly Ballroom), Kym Wilson (A Country Practice), Simon Baker (then Simon Denny in E Street) and Matthew Krok (Hey Dad!) — all up representing the ABC, Seven, Nine and Ten networks.

SBS‘ invitation must have got lost in the mail…?

At the time TV Week editor Lawrie Masterson gave an insight into what was then a Christmas tradition:

“It’s become traditional around here for us to pull out all stops and do something special for our Christmas issue cover. This year we decided to pick up on the theme of the phenomenally successful Australian movie Strictly Ballroom, and there were a couple of surprises. First, we didn’t really hold out much hope of getting a star of the movie in our shots. But Gia Carides (now in Police Rescue) managed to make time to be involved. The second surprise was how young Matthew Krok managed to fit into all this, but he did it with ease and, as you can see from Michelle Day‘s cover shot, just about stole the show. Certainly, I think the shots are a fitting way for all of us to wish all of you a merry Christmas. It’s up to you to make sure it’s a safe Christmas, as well.”

Source: TV Week, 19 December 1992.

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/12/have-a-strictly-ballroom-christmas.html

Young Talent Time’s Caravan Holiday

Tucked away on a Saturday afternoon on Christmas Eve, 1972, Melbourne’s ATV0 screened the 20-minute film Caravan Holiday.

The short film, produced by Lewis/Young Productions and Ansett Television Films, served as a promotional spot for the Caravan Trade and Industries Association and starred the eight junior cast members of Young Talent TimeVikki Broughton, Debbie Byrne, Philip Gould, Rod Kirkham, Greg Mills, Jamie Redfern, Julie Ryles and Jane Scali — and the show’s host Johnny Young. The film also featured comedian Buster Fiddess in his last film role. He died suddenly shortly after filming his scenes.

Also featured were pop star Johnny Farnham, actress Addie Black and a cameo from YTT talent judge Evie Hayes.

Caravan Holiday was filmed in the summer of 1971/72 and was played in cinemas during 1972 as a supplementary feature to films like What’s Up Doc?, giving the show’s fans the chance to see the Young Talent Team perform in colour as television was still in black-and-white. In amongst the cheesy tunes and summer holiday antics were sweeping shots of country scenery, sunny beaches, and cars towing caravans on country roads and gravel driveways.

Caravan Holiday was not known to have been broadcast on television since 1972, and only resurfaced when the Young Talent Time Tells All special was produced commemorate the show’s 30th anniversary in 2001. It was subsequently an additional feature on the DVD release of the special.

Source: IMDB, Jeremy Kewley. TV Times, 8 January 1972, 29 January 1972, 23 December 1972. 

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/12/young-talent-times-caravan-holiday.html