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Keep making risky content, Tom Ballard tells ABC in tearful Tonightly goodbye

Tom Ballard, host of ABC’s axed comedy show Tonightly, bowed out last night with a tearful call for the ABC to go on taking risks.

Last month ABC announced it would axe the show after less than a year, citing a need for a “fresh approach”.

Tonightly bowed out with 44,000 metro viewers

Tonightly came under fire earlier this year after communications minister Mitch Fifield criticised the program for a skit which saw an Australian Conservatives candidate labelled a c**t. The Australian Communications and Media Authority cleared the show for breaching the code of conduct in August, but warned there were limits to content that could be justified in a comedic context. Shortly afterwards, the show was axed.

On its final evening, the show averaged 44,000 metro viewer, rising to 65,000 when combined with regional figures.

“I want to say a huge thank you to the ABC – we’ve made a few jokes about the ABC tonight- but I have a fundamental love of this place, I think the ABC is incredible and we are so lucky to have made this show at all,” Ballard told viewers.

“Thank you dear friends at the ABC for making this show happen at all. It is sad that it is ending now, but it could not have happened anywhere else – maybe at SBS perhaps on half the shit budget we have – it is incredible.”

Ballard said he felt the organisation was “under threat” at the moment, urging viewers and listeners who loved the ABC to tell people about it, defend it, and cherish it.

Earlier this year, the government revealed cuts to the ABC’s budget.

Ballard later provided “a bit of feedback”.

“Please, please do not stop making things like this. Please do not stop making risky and subversive and fun and batshit crazy and boundary pushing shit like Tonightly, please don’t do it. Particularly stuff for young people,” he said.

“Keep taking risks – it’s not happening anywhere else on mainstream free to air Australian television. Please keep doing things and making shows like this for young people, I beg of you.”

According to Ballard, the show had, at times, produced some of the “funniest, most interesting, different and original” comedy on Australian television.

“The truth is Tonightly was a good TV show. Sometimes it was really shit, we have made a lot of shit, I’m on screen most of the time, I’ll take the cop for that, I did a lot of shit things on television and you sat through it – or you didn’t and that’s why it is ending,” he said.

“It has been such an honour to present the work of this show on camera for our audience every night.”

The show – which overran its half hour timeslot by about 20 minutes – ended with a song and dance member featuring the cast and behind-the-scenes staff.

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