Ten’s Pilot Week to run from August 19 with ‘social buzz’ to help decide what will return in 2019
Ten has revealed Pilot Week will launch on August 19, starting with the premiere of Skit Happens at 8:00pm.
This morning the network announced the shows would run each night from the Sunday, with audience reaction, social buzz and ratings helping decide what will return in 2019.
Skit Happens will be the first show to premiere
The latest release from Ten features a more diverse wrap of male and female talent, following the backlash its received from its male-dominated lineup two weeks ago.
Following the news, Ten’s chief content officer, Beverley McGarvey, responded to the criticism, saying: “The reaction has been particularly disappointing for the many people involved in the shows we have announced, considering the dialogue at present has not addressed the fantastic effort on their behalf.
“In areas where women are under-represented, like narrative comedy, we actively spent time looking for female voices and, in fact, are fortunate to have found three amazing and clever concepts that are in active development. Narrative comedy, however, has a long lead time and those shows will not make it in time for Pilot Week in 2018. We did not mention this in the media release announcing our Pilot Week concept. It appears we probably should have.”
According to Ten, the week will kick off with SkitHappens, which features Jenna Owen, Heath Franklin, Vita Carbone, Stuart Daulman, Janis McGavin, Josh Glanc and Neel Kolhatkar.
After Skit Happens, Disgrace – with Sam Dastyari – will run at 8:30pm. On Monday evening, Drunk History, which also stars a number of comedians including Gyton Grantley, Anthony ‘Lehmo’ Lehmann and Gretta Lee Jackson, will run. That will be followed by Taboo on the Tuesday evening, Kinne Tonight on the Wednesday, Trial By Kyle on Thursday evening, Dave on Friday and Bring Back..Saturday Night on August 25.
The full lineup:
Skit Happens. Premieres Sunday, 19 August At 8.00pm.
Nothing is safe from a Skit Happens parody, when the nations up-and-coming comedians including Jenna Owen, Heath Franklin, Vita Carbone, Stuart Daulman, Janis McGavin, Josh Glanc and Neel Kolhatkar join forces for Network Ten’s first sketch comedy in 12 years.
Disgrace! Premieres Sunday, 19 August At 8.30pm.
The world is full of disgrace and outrage. Shunned politician Sam Dastyari and the team behind Gruen and The Chaser manage the latest outbreak of outrage in a half-hour of opinion, insight and laughs.
Drunk History. Premieres Monday, 20 August At 9.30pm.
Rhys Darby and Stephen Curry pour themselves a drink in the international hit comedy format that takes Australia’s rich, and often surprising history and re-tells it through the words of our most loved comedians and entertainers. Starring Gyton Grantley, Ryan “Fitzy” Fitzgerald, Anthony “Lehmo” Lehmann and Gretta Lee Jackson.
Taboo. Premieres Tuesday, 21 August At 9.00pm.
Taboo has broken audience records in its country of origin, Belgium. The premise is as confronting as it is simple. The very funny Harley Breen spends five days and nights with members of a disadvantaged group in society and uses the experience to perform a stand-up routine about them – with the subjects sitting in the front row.
Kinne Tonight. Premieres Wednesday, 22 August At 9.00pm.
Comedian Troy Kinne ditches the stress of modern life, bringing hard-working Australians a fast-paced half-hour of laughter.
Trial By Kyle. Premieres Thursday, 23 August At 8.30pm.
The toughest cases, biggest celebrities and genuine disputes can only be settled by one man, radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands. As Kyle carefully unravels each case, former The Bachelor Australia star and criminal lawyer Anna Heinrich is on hand to assist in forensically analysing the evidence.
Dave. Premieres Friday, 24 August At 8.30pm.
Funny-man Dave O’Neil opens the doors to his crazy life with on-air wife Emily Taheny in a half-hour narrative comedy. Expect laughter, tears and the appreciation of not being Dave.
Bring Back… Saturday Night. Premieres Saturday, 25 August At 7.30pm.
Join Rove’s quest to reunite Australia’s greatest acts, bands, and television faces in a generation-bending live television show where young performers will bring back the best of the past, and old-school entertainers will be challenged with reinvention.
Sounds dreadful….I’ve just read that line up and I’m already looking to see what’s on SBS and Netflix….I mean Kyle Sandilands really….. Channels 10 for poor to mediocre just dropped to sad and pathetic and they haven’t even aired yet !!
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