Fed: Aussie viewers get new TV shows
By Katherine Field, National Entertainment WriterFri Jul 10 19:29:29 EST 2009
SYDNEY, July 10 AAP - A weight loss dancing competition, a new Australian action drama and a show about unruly teenagers will be among fresh offerings for viewers over the coming months.
Australian TV networks are preparing to launch a raft of brand new TV programs to rake in viewers for the second half of the year, while some old favourites will also return.
Nine is taking one of the biggest gambles, with the latest reality series from the US called Dance Your Ass Off, a cross between Dancing With The Stars and The Biggest Loser.
It will premiere later this month but time will tell whether Australian audiences take to watching obese people in sequins.
At Network Ten, the big hole left by the absence of the hit show of the year Masterchef Australia will be filled by a nightly program that dissects the day's news called The 7pm Project.
Produced by Roving Enterprises, the people behind Rove, it'll be hosted by Ruby Rose, former Idol host James Mathison, Dave Hughes and Charlie Pickering.
It launches on July 20.
There'll also be plenty of Australian drama on offer, a mixture of old and new.
Nine's new action drama about a rescue squad, Rescue Special Ops starring Les Hill and Gary Sweet, will launch in August.
While Seven's hit drama Packed to the Rafters has already returned, its other big drama offering City Homicide is due back next month.
Ten will launch the second season of its critically acclaimed police drama Rush on July 16, while SBS will start screening the rest of season one of East West 101 from August 18, before the second season is launched in September.
The Seven Network has a range of new formats including World's Strictest Parents hosted by former Idol contestant, actor and reigning Cleo Bachelor of the Year Axle Whitehead.
The show features unruly Australian teenagers being sent away to live with the `world's strictest parents' overseas. It premieres on July 22.
A new comedy show hosted by Ed Kavalee called TV Burp and a sketch show named Double Take will also start later this month.
At the Nine Network, meanwhile, much of the focus will be on dancing.
Aside from Dance Your Ass Off, it'll also launch a local version of the UK entertainment show Let's Dance soon, but no date has been confirmed.
Other new shows at Nine include Australia's Perfect Couple, while old favourites Farmer Wants a Wife and Australian Ladette to Lady also return.
Rival Ten, which has been doing exceptionally well in the ratings this year, has high hopes for the seventh season of the singing contest Australian Idol from August.
And for those missing Masterchef, viewers can get their food fix with My Family Feast from August 27 on SBS.
The show features Australian families of different nationalities sharing their secrets with chef Sean Connolly.
SBS will also have a new gardening lifestyle offering called Costa's Garden Odyssey, also from August 27.
Meanwhile, the ABC has one of the most hotly anticipated shows, The United States of Tara starring Toni Collette as a woman with multiple personalities.
It will launch on July 29.
Digital station ABC2 will also step up its offerings, with a large amount of programming from overseas including ITV's Wire in the Blood and the US' The Wire from early September, along with Sin City Law, The Beast and Being Erica from August.
ABC2 programmer Natalie Edgar said the ABC had tried to find enticing programs for its digital station.
"With the expansion of digital television across the country, it's vital for ABC2 to offer innovative, edgy and premiere programming," she said.
For documentary lovers, SBS screens Liberal Rule, The Politics that Changed Australia on July 21.
In the same vein as the ABC series The Howard Years, it looks at the Howard government.
On pay TV, which is becoming more of a player than ever before, America's Next Top Model will fill the void after the season end of Australia's Next Top Model.
Other new shows include the second season of the Australian version of the reality designer show Project Runway, on Arena, which launched this week.
>From next week, Stylista, hosted by Tyra Banks and featuring job hunters competing for a spot at US fashion magazine Elle, will also air on Arena.
Other pay TV highlights are the second series of Australian TV show Damages from July 16, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager from July 22.
The new shows come as Seven leads the TV ratings battle with 14 weeks.
Nine has won four, and another week was tied between Seven and Nine.
Seven says it's confident it will keep its lead.
"We're looking forward to launching a number of new Australian programs in the coming weeks and building on our leadership," Seven spokesman Simon Francis told AAP.
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