Adam Boland leaves Ten, replaced by Steve Wood as Wakeup EP
Ten’s executive producer of it Breakfast show Adam Boland has resigned from the network due to “ill health”.
Boland has been behind the launch of Wake Up and Studio Ten late last year, but took a lengthy sabatical soon afterwards due to ill health. He suffers from bipolar disorder and late last year wrote about his struggles with this condition and depression.
He will be replaced as executive producer of Wake Up by Steve Wood who was previously the executive producer of Nine’s Today Show for 12 years. Wood and Rob McKnight, the executive producer of Studio Ten will report to Network Ten Chief Executive Officer, Hamish McLennan, until Peter Meakin starts as Executive Director of News and Current Affairs on February 17.
In a statement Ten CEO Hamish McLennan said:
“We are sorry to lose Adam. But we fully understand and support his decision to take a break from the television industry and focus on restoring his health,” he said.
“We are very grateful to Adam for the passion, enthusiasm and drive he brought to his role at Ten over the past 10 months. He is leaving a great legacy. Studio 10 has been a success since day one and is being increasingly embraced by viewers and advertisers. Wake Up has strong potential and will develop further this year.”
Last year Boland wrote about his battles with both his bipolar condition and depression describing them as his “black dog”.
In the wake of the announcement Boland has tweeted that both WakeUp and Studio 10 are “in good hands”.
The statement from Ten:
Network Ten today announced the appointment of Steve Wood as Executive Producer of its breakfast television program, Wake Up.
Mr Wood, whose resume includes 12 years as Executive Producer of Nine Network’s Today Show, will work closely with Rob McKnight, Executive Producer of Network Ten’s morning program, Studio 10.
Mr Wood and Mr McKnight will report to Network Ten Chief Executive Officer, Hamish McLennan, until Peter Meakin starts as Executive Director of News and Current Affairs on February 17.
Network Ten today also announced the resignation of Director of Morning Television, Adam Boland, due to ill health.
Mr McLennan said: “We are sorry to lose Adam. But we fully understand and support his decision to take a break from the television industry and focus on restoring his health.
“We are very grateful to Adam for the passion, enthusiasm and drive he brought to his role at Ten over the past 10 months. He is leaving a great legacy. Studio 10 has been a success since day one and is being increasingly embraced by viewers and advertisers. Wake Up has strong potential and will develop further this year.
“Wake Up and Studio 10 are not even three months old. We are happy with both shows, but we have always acknowledged it will take time to establish them. Network Ten remains committed to building a strong presence in the breakfast and morning television market,” he said.
I was a doubter of both shows to begin with, but I’m pleased to see them both improving and I expect that trend to continue. I hope Adam gets better too.
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Having worked with Adam at 7 as sunrise launched, for his health sake and well being I am pleased to hear he is taking a break. Get well Adam – Geoff
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In years to come, perhaps the true story of the launch of these “fresh, new” shows will be told.
I have not the slightest doubt there was interference of a Packer-esque proportion but without, sadly, Kerry’s smarts.
I wonder if there were many “Ita’s good, let’s get Ita” “but she’s not the demographic” “Mate, I just told you, she’s good. Now get her!”
Or “Mate, we’re payin’ ya bills and we say the set has to be blue and green. Capice?”
Cartoon me this:
Cigar chompin’ Chiefs of Staff harrumphing “if it bleeds, it leads” while, elsewhere, Youth skulks away to their smart-devices, never watching FTA.
Remember, the radio guys predicted television would be just a passing fad.
History repeats – staeper yrotsiH
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John. Whatever you’re on, get off it… quick!
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Studio 10 is a great show to watch. Shame that wake up hasn’t been able to create the same dynamic.
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Dear Adam,
We met once I thought you were super smart and nice. Congratualtions on all the success you’ve had in the industry – shaping the TV landscape is a pretty cool achievement. Hope you feel better soon.
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I think that Wake up and Studio 10 are fantastic. I’m 21 and I find these shows engaging and it will take some time to build an audience. Its my ultimate goal one day to host a TV show like one of these and I find both shows inspiring as there content is different and they make it more realistic. To wake up with Wake up is fresh and energetic and Studio ten is defiantly smart and informative not to mention engaging. I think Adam has done a wonderful job at launching these shows which will do very well into the future and there are bigger and better things ahead for these shows and Adam to come of Sunrise must have been a hard decision yet what you have created will leave a legacy that will be hard to follow.
I wish Adam all the best and not to mention Studio 10 and Wake up as they are the shows I watch of a morning and its going to stay that way.
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John – what have you been smoking????
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I like John 🙂
He’s clearly got Metro TV head office experience!
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