Ten drops Pilot Week for 2020, but says The Amazing Race will still go ahead
Ten has made the decision to drop Pilot Week for 2020 due to COVID-19’s impact on production companies.
But the network is still planning for The Amazing Race Australia to go ahead, despite the international and domestic travel bans.
The Amazing Race Australia will return in 2020 despite the COVID-19 restrictions
“At this stage we are unable to include Pilot Week 2020 in our program schedule due to the impacts that COVID-19 has had on production companies,” said a spokesperson for Ten.
“We are extremely proud of the success Pilot Week has achieved and we hope to bring many more entertaining, innovative and groundbreaking pilots to viewers in 2021.”
But while production issues are halting Pilot Week, they won’t stop The Amazing Race Australia, with Ten planning for the program to go ahead.
“We continue to monitor domestic flight restrictions as well as social distancing regulations to ensure The Amazing Race Australia can go back into production at the right time.”
Ten launches its Pilot Week initiative in 2018. The network airs pilot episodes of new programs each night across a week, testing the episodes with audiences and commercial partners, and gauging the most successful content from the week. The winning shows are commissioned for a season.
2018’s Pilot Week programs included Trial By Kyle which was commissioned for a season, airing in late 2019. The show drew an audience of 385,000 metro viewers for its pilot and brought in 363,000 for its first episode which aired in October 2019.
Kinne Tonight was also part of the 2018 Pilot Week program, bringing in 404,000 metro viewers for its episode. Ten has announced the show will return on 25 May for its second season, following season one’s 2019 premiere of 389,000 metro viewers.
Drunk History drew 366,000 metro viewers for its pilot and wasn’t commissioned, although Ten later revealed a season had been filmed and was put on 10 Play as part of the 10 Days of Coronamas initiative. Taboo drew 277,000 and was a commissioned for a first season of four episodes. Skit Happens, Dave and Sam Dastyari’s Disgrace were not commissioned.
Bring Back Saturday Night / Saturday Night Rove was also commissioned as part of 2018’s Pilot Week, before being swiftly cancelled in its first season.
2019’s Pilot Week saw only four programs air. Catfish Australia was announced, but didn’t make it to the airdate, reportedly cancelled after it struggled to get enough contestants. Roxy Jacenko’s I Am Roxy was the most popular program with 399,000 metro viewers for its pilot, followed by Part Time Private Eyes with 344,000.
Sydney’s Crazy Rich Asians drew 175,000 metro viewers, while My 80 Year Old Flatmate struggled with just 174,000. Ten has not yet revealed if any of the programs have been commissioned for a season.
