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What cheezus Hey Hey host off?

When Daryl Somers defended media commentary of Hey Hey's cast relations, he lashed out at one reporter. Peter Ford tells TV Tonight, the barb was 'below the belt.'

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hh“We could never have done the show if we didn’t like each other,” Daryl Somers told the Herald Sun last week.

“Those bloody scathing comments made about the reunion shows not happening . . . there’s been all this stuff about, `They don’t like each other, they hate each other and that’s why it all ended (in 1999)’.

“Then he (commentator) comes out later on and says Hey Hey was one of the most treasured shows and so on and I thought, `you two-faced p—k’.”

In responding to commentary of Hey Hey its Saturday‘s cast relations, Somers was blunt and passionate, but without naming the target of his anger.

Yesterday in The Age, he revisited the issue:

“Peter Ford (the entertainment reporter) said on radio [3AW] it would never come together, that we all hate each other,” he says, clearly bristling.

“Then he was on A Current Affair saying, ‘Hey Hey is one of those great shows and I’m sure it will do really well.’ It goes with the territory.”

This time there was no doubt.

Yesterday, Peter Ford told TV Tonight he was perlexed by the barb, saying he stood by his comments that the show was successful in its day, and that its nostalgic interest would be a big drawcard. He said that shouldn’t mean he is two-faced.

“Any criticism I’ve made of Daryl in the past has been at a very professional level,” says Ford. “To say someone is a ‘two-faced p***k’ I think is a very personal attack.

“He seems to be quoting me on A Current Affair saying that it’s so exciting they’re getting back together and it’s going to be great. Now I don’t know. For a start I’m not responsible for what grabs they use on A Current Affair. Whatever train of thought or line of comment I had I’m always consistent with.”

So what was his line on the show that supposedly riled its host?

“When these reunions were being mooted some time ago I did say it was unlikely to happen, because of the behind the scenes animosity, and backstabbing and feuding, or whatever words I used. That would make it, I thought, very difficult if not impossible to make those shows happen.

“But what I did underestimate is some people’s relentless quest to get their heads on television, and there’s a lot of people who would sell their grandmothers if they could get on TV. So therefore a lot of people were willing to put past differences behind them, and forgive and forget and try and relive old past glories.”

On ACA in July Ford described the show as ground-breaking, original and fun. He also noted that times have changed and tastes have changed. But are separate comments on animosity and potential glories mutually exclusive ideas?

“I don’t see why the two things can’t be true. There’s no denying the show has an extraordinary high placing on the greatest TV shows of all time in Australia. No-one would ever doubt that. But that doesn’t mean it was all rosy behind the scenes. It doesn’t mean both things can’t be true.”

Last week John Blackman told TV Tonight he was delighted to be returning to the show but agreed the cast sometimes had ‘family squabbles.’

“We occasionally had our differences of opinion, which we kept to ourselves,” he said.

Like most commentators on entertainment, Ford is often moved to criticise others in the media spotlight. He is even pragmatic about returned criticism. But he branded Somers’ recent barb as ‘below the belt.’

“It seems to me a very nasty level of attack. I’m just out there doing my job and if unfortunately it hasn’t pleased Daryl then so be it,” he says.

“I’ve got absolutely no idea where it’s begun. Obviously over the years Daryl has surfaced in my reports on numerous occasions. But I don’t know if there was one turning point where suddenly I’ve become the target of his anger. It’s taken me aback a bit.

“He doesn’t know me and I’m not two-faced and I sometimes wish I was. I’d have a more successful career if I was. My problem in life is that I’m terribly, relentlessly honest with people, whether they’re famous or not, or whether they’re employers or not, or friends or not. That’s probably my downfall and I suspect by virtue of that I’ve upset him with some reporting I’ve done or something I’ve said that has not pleased him,” he says.

Ford concedes Somers’ reputation for being challenging to work with may have resulted from tricky position of being one of TV’s early presenter / producers.

“They had to hire and fire and tell people they weren’t doing a good enough job or say ‘no you can’t have a pay increase.’  You’re not just on air talent. You’ve got to have those dual roles. There’s no good cop, bad cop –you’re both. That’s why Daryl got, I think, a bad reputation from those around him in times gone by.”

As for the reunion next week, Ford holds steadfast to his original view that the shows will perform.

“I think there’s every reason as a nostalgia piece it’s going to be very good,” he says. “I think they’re stretching it a little by going two and a half hours, but that’s their choice. I don’t doubt it’s going to be two nights of great television.”

As he said in his original piece to A Current Affair in July:

“There’s certainly a void to be filled. People do want a show that is lots of fun, is unpredictable, has guest stars plus your core cast of wacky regulars.”

18 Responses

  1. I cannot believe that one small incident can cause so much controversy over a act which was to be in fun. This country just takes one item and make it into a great big Mountain. The show was excellent it is great to watch good humour and the whole cast enjoying themselves and the audience having a good laugh. Life is so very very short, there should be more variety shows and less violence and continue negativity. The media needs to get onto the real issues of what is going on in the world, and forget about the people who are trying to add a few special hours to the public. Go Hey Hey and come back we need more of your Shows. Also definetly the act on Red Faces was taken out of all proportion.

  2. Love him or loath him Daryl has got you guys talking, these Hey Hey reunions really have stirred up debate from both sides.
    If being successful for close on 40 years and a perfectionist makes people hate him Its these people that have the “issue” with themselves.
    Why do Australians suffer the “Tall Poppy syndrome” so much?
    Are we really that jealous of other peoples success?
    The problem Daryl has faced in the past is that he was originally the talent on the shows he worked on then when he started his production company he became the boss and had a bigger vested interest in what happen to Hey Hey.
    Do you blame him? would you do it any different??
    In regards to the fiasco with Denise Drysdale that was blown out of all proportions and Daryl never had any issues with her.
    It was the person pulling her strings that caused all the tension.
    Is it true the only way Seven would allow Nine to use Molly was that they had to move the show from Tuesday to Wednesday?
    Stay Tuned : )

  3. Well im sure Denise Drysdale would have interesting things too say about Daryl and the way he treated her when she co-hosted show with him,but like most in showbiz…………..they cant speak out but Peter Ford can its his job too dish the dirt too us viewers.

  5. Fair enough David, I stand corrected and shamefacedly regret my supercilious tone. But if Pete Ford lives in Melbourne then it makes his Footy Show Logie comments even more head-scratching. I also wonder why he’s one of the few 3AW Breakfast reporters who never appears live in studio.

  6. What Peter said is true.
    Perhaps Daryl doesn’t realise the others don’t like him?
    Either way, plenty of hit shows have warring casts. Sex and The City, 90210, Moonlighting… it has nothing to so with whether people enjoy the show.

  7. Do you blame Daryl not at all.He continues to cop so much from the media and viewers through out the years,including today’s comments.Which have nothing to do with the story.These two shows will do well,no matter how negative some people feel.Anyone from the Age also have no idea about television.No one buys there newspapers

  8. I have been watching this from a distance, I think if Peter Ford and Daryl were in the same room they would quickly forget about all this stuff and its probably a misunderstanding, or perhaps Daryl has so much riding on this that he perceived this as a personal attack much like the Denton stuff from 10 years ago.

    I have had the good fortune of meeting Daryl on a couple of occasions, once at the Logies Red Carpet and had found him to be very generous with his time and fine to have a chat.

    I am sure he is just as driven as the next media personality to succeed, I had, prior to meeting him heard stories of his supposed difficulty but i can only go on what i have seen and both occassions I found him to be a warm person and very nice.

    Is Daryl right in protecting something that has given him such a great living over 30 years? absolutely and I dare say that anyone in the same position would do the same.

  9. Peter Ford’s comments should always be taken with a lake full of salt. Less an ‘entertainment reporter’ than an ill-informed buffoon. I laugh every time he appears on 3AW down the phone line from Sydney talking about things happening “here in Melbourne.” After the last Logies he wondered aloud what was wrong with the AFL Footy Show – despite being so high-rating, it keeps being beaten by their NRL counterparts. Anyone “here in Melbourne” would know that the far more entertaining Before The Game splits the AFL vote. But, they wouldn’t know that in Sydney, would they?

  10. as much as i find daryl sommers tired and past it, at least he can say he achieved something. peter ford is an oxygen thief. not that there was any doubt, but his recent work on jaclyn smith’s death again illustrated him as a desperate bone head.

  11. somers is a w***er. anyone who knew him or worked with him knows that. the show worked in its time despite him, not because of him. Once Jackie left the show as the ditzy second banana and Ding Dong Denise stood in it was obvious from his dirty looks at her when she dare steal any air time with witty comments that he didn’t approve of a woman with talent. She was then replaced by Lavinnia who sat quietly in a corner looking pretty.

    he’s vaudville at its worst. I’ll be looking forward to watching “the best of” for nostalgic reasons and hope he doesn’t take over the show.

  12. Hopefully this is an indicator of an impending brain snap that will occur live on air. On principle I won’t be watching this comedic charlatan, look forward to reading it on TV tonight though.

  13. I have also heard that Darryl was known to be difficult. Molly and he had some gripes with each other as I recall. Maybe Darryl is upset cause it has some truth. I for one will be watching as it was a great show and hopefully it will be popular enough to come back for good

  14. i know people at 9 in melbourne that used to work on hey hey….and darryl was difficult to work with so what peter ford said is on the money which is why sommers has gone ferrel…he time on TV was up 10 years ago…go away

  16. I’ve heard tales of Daryl’s supposed ‘difficult’ behaviour many times.

    To be fair, it could be assumed to be damn minded professionalism than genuine diva tantrums – which I think there is a difference.

    In any case it’ll be very interesting to see how these specials go – I’ll be watching and I’m sure Mr Ford will as well!!

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