Catfish Australia dumped from Ten’s Pilot Week lineup
The Casey Donovan-hosted Catfish Australia, a local reboot of the American reality show, has been dropped from Ten’s Pilot Week 2019 lineup.
The show, which was due to land with the Pilot Week content in the next few months on Ten, would see Donovan and ex-The Feed host Patrick Abboud attempt to unravel some fraudulent online relationships.
First reported by TV Blackbox, the cancelation was confirmed by a Ten spokesperson who said the production failed to find the right people to take part.
“We swear, we didn’t Catfish you! Unfortunately, Catfish Australia is no longer part of our 2019 Pilot Week schedule. We cast out a line, but didn’t have the right bait to catch you a catfish in time,” said the spokesperson.
The application page for Catfish Australia called for people in a relationship with someone who they hadn’t met yet, and were beginning to suspect wasn’t real, or people who were currently lying about their identity to someone.
While a launch date hasn’t yet been confirmed for Pilot Week, a release sent earlier in the month about Part Time Privates said the production would land on screens next month, suggesting everything will kick off in September.
Part Time Privates joins Sydney’s Crazy Rich Asians, My 80 Year Old Flatmate and I Am Roxy on the roster for Pilot Week 2019. The initiative airs pilot episodes of shows and Ten then decides what will go into production based off audience feedback and commercial reviews.
Last year’s Pilot Week saw Trial By Kyle, Taboo, Saturday Night Rove and Kinne Tonight commissioned from a lineup that included Skit Happens, Sam Dastyari-fronted Disgrace, Drunk History and Dave. Taboo premiered to 309,000 metro viewers and Kinne Tonight 389,000. Saturday Night Rove premieres August 24 and Trial By Kyle hasn’t yet had its launch date confirmed.
topics
Catfish Australia
Kinne Tonight
Patrick Abboud
Pilot Week
Rove McManus
Taboo
Ten
Trial By Kyle
What’s really the point in Pilot Week when last year’s shows were barely backed by the network and commissioned for small on air runs. I’d like to see 10 put their money where their mouth is and commission full scale series from the initiative.
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Hmm .. two points.
Taboo was one of last year’s pilots and Ten commissioned three episodes this year.
But the purpose of pilot’s is to unearth new TV talent, ideas, concepts, writers, directors, talent etc.
So I commend Ten for its Pilot Week putting funding back into local talent and not just the big local and global production houses
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I imagine the point is we’re now talking about Channel 10!
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Hi Ummmmm,
You are quite right re Taboo, but from what I can see, so are we. We say in this story: “Last year’s Pilot Week saw Trial By Kyle, Taboo, Saturday Night Rove and Kinne Tonight commissioned from a lineup that included Skit Happens, Sam Dastyari-fronted Disgrace, Drunk History and Dave.”
Taboo premiered initially in Pilot Week last year. In October last year, Ten announced it had been successful and would return in 2019, and then went to air with further episodes this year. We also include a link to a story about its ratings this year.
I’m not sure I see your first point, but agree with your second one re local talent and new concepts.
Thanks,
Vivienne – Mumbrella