Gruen starts planning for return of a ‘very different’ show
The ABC’s advertising analysis program, Gruen, is still planning on returning in 2020, however host and executive producer Wil Anderson has conceded it will be a “very, very different show to what we’ve previously done”.
In light of the various production challenges COVID-19 has forced on the television industry, Anderson said: “Now we’re looking at a world where, I think we will probably still do Gruen – we’re certainly having those conversations around doing it – but it’s going to be a very, very different show to what we’ve previously done. I can’t imagine that we’re gonna get an audience in there to watch it. So that in itself, is like, we’ve done 10 years, 11 years of that show with an audience, [so] it fundamentally changes it to try and do a version of that show that doesn’t have an audience.”
Gruen in 2020 might look quite different
Anderson optimistically proposed that out of the challenge “some really excellent” innovations could emerge for the 12-year-old program – “but it will be, definitely, a challenge”.
Anderson was speaking to his podcast co-host Charlie Clausen on TOFOP episode 290 about the challenges facing the live entertainment and production sectors.
Clausen, who has worked as an actor on programs including Seven’s Home and Away, conceded that as COVID-19 continues to take its toll, for many entertainers and producers “it could be the case that there aren’t any jobs to go back to”.
How do soap operas like Neighbours and Home & Away stay relevant in the age of COVID-19? Do all soap operas need to create social distancing based storylines now? All this and more in the newest TOFOP. pic.twitter.com/KIXAStOtdf
— TOFOP (@TOFOP) May 6, 2020
The ABC subsequently told Mumbrella that Gruen is still slated to return to screens later this year.
“We won’t start filming for a few months yet, so we will be guided by the government restrictions in play regarding COVID-19 as to how the records will be filmed,” a spokesperson said.
The 11th season of Gruen premiered in September last year to 754,000 overnight metro viewers. Its 2018 premiere was slightly lower, with 734,000, but 2017 had 903,000.
