Ray Martin: Time for Daryl Somers to hand over the Hey Hey baton?
Hey Hey presenter Daryl Somers should step aside for someone younger when the show returns, fellow Nine veteran Ray Martin has suggested to Mumbrella.
Nine has this week been carrying out a series of industry briefings on its plans for the coming TV season.
And on Tuesday in Melbourne, Nine boss Jeffrey Browne dropped the heaviest hint yet that Hey Hey is to return as a regular series. The move was also signaled at an industry briefing in Brisbane.
The decision by Nine comes after the two-part Hey Hey Reunion, fronted by Somers, delivered ratings to the network of well over 2m. However, it also drew controversy over a Jackson Five spoof that saw five doctors black up.
In an interview for The Mumbo Report to promote his new book, Martin said:
“Hey Hey would work every Saturday night. You’d have to revamp it and maybe Daryl ought to pass on the baton to someone younger.”
Martin also told of the Nine gossip that Somers insisted on having the largest dressing room at the network – with Graham Kennedy’s and Bert Newton’s knocked together. He said: “Legend has it that finally when Daryl was the king of television, which he was for a long time, that he encompassed both Graham’s old dressing room and Bert’s – and this was only for three hours a week.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large. He returned to Mumbrella as Publisher in January 2025
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Bert Newton
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Ch 9 don’t have anyone younger!Didn’t they just sign Bert to a new 30 yr contract?
Ray wants to do more TV but now he himself is eligible for the Govt Pension Bonus for working past the age of 70?With humour like this surely Ray should get a permanent gig on 7pm Project?
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Rove is probably the best bet to takeover HHIS although we really do need some more young talent that stands out from the crowd. To bring it up to date we probably should rename it “Dude it’s Day Six” and have celebrities like Marilyn Manson with stunts like those on Jackass. Segments could include “Red Asses” and instead of the gong they could get crash tackled by Barry Hall in drag.
Who needs creative?
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