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TEN dumps Dance in favour of Glee-inspired talent series

EXCLUSIVE: TEN has dumped So You Think You Can Dance in favour of a new entertainment format 'inspired' by Glee.

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EXCLUSIVE: TV Tonight understands Channel TEN has officially dumped So You Think You Can Dance Australia from its 2011 line-up in favour of a new entertainment format inspired by the success of Glee.

Don’t Stop Believing is an all-singing, all-dancing format from the UK, to be produced locally by Shine Australia.

The UK series assembles group performers in live performance shows with groups competing against each other, and viewers voting on the winner. Both established and newly-formed groups are included, with soloists also showcased. Both vocal and dance skills are required of participants.

To air mid year on Five, the UK edition will be hosted by former Spice Girl Emma Bunton, and judged by former EastEnders actress Tamsin Outhwaite, Blue member Duncan James, singer Anastacia and High School Musical choreographer Charles “Chucky” Klapow. So far 3000 groups have applied. UK auditions will also be held while the series airs, with new members of varying ages, joining each week.

Word of Don’t Stop Believing follows Chief Programming Officer David Mott recently telling TV Tonight the network would have a new “shiny floor” format to reveal soon.

TEN is understood to have advised FremantleMedia Australia on Friday that So You Think You Can Dance Australia isn’t recommissioned for 2011, but hasn’t ruled out a future return. It follows earlier media speculation that the show may not return next year.

With the future for Australian Idol also unclear, FremantleMedia Australia is seeing its dominance of reality television being challenged, with some of the genre being carved up by its former joint CEOs Mark and Karl Fennessy -now at Shine Australia. But it’s still early days on the hope of new hits, with only Minute to Win It from Shine on air.

Seven recently had the family-friendly Battle of the Choirs but it aired before the slick phenomenon of Glee, which has proven an unabashed winner for TEN.

36 Responses

  3. to be honest i will give it a try but if another reality show fails on TEN then im not going to blame the show, contests, creators, etc but TEN themself! All those shows failed all because of TEN’s mistakes – timeslot for SYTYCD, and making two shows (singing and elimination) into one for Idol.
    I pray to god (and im not religous) that SYTYCD gets a second life on TEN with a better time slot, as well as Idol with two seperate shows on the same time slot as SYTYCD (in seperate seasons ofcourse) or they buy the rights to SYTYCD U.S. or U.K. (not too worried about Idol seems though i watch it on FOX8)

  4. Was thinking that Seven should re-visit Battle of the Choirs while watching the Glee finale. Even checked out clips of BBC 2’s The Choir on YouTube to see if there was a different format they could use. They’re sure to resurrect it now that Ten has announced this.

  5. Good on ya Ten, destroy sytycd with crap timeslots then wonder why it fails!! You better bring it back for 2012!! with sunday/monday shows, and with nat!

  7. Unless they get paid a lot more, the current cast of Glee will only last for the 5 seasons they signed on for, as they’ve complained the show is far too much work. If it goes on longer than 5 seasons, it’ll be with a new cast, with only the actors who play the teachers being retained.

  8. This will be big. The UK ad isn’t very inspiring but Ten and Shine will do it much better. I don’t watch Glee or SYTYCD, but I would watch this.

  9. looks like we’re in for a camp ol’ time when this starts, meanwhile, “big shiny floor show” seems to be the phrase de jour for tv execs

  11. Looks good to me! I love So You Think You Can Dance, but I do think maybe rest it for this year and I think Australian Idol has had its day. Especially with X-Factor starting soon.

  14. Let’s face it FremantleMedia have made a complete mess of Masterchef this year by re-introducing eliminated contestants who have gone on to eliminate the two clear audience favourites – Marion and Jonathan. I doubt if this would have happened on the Fennessey Bros watch. It looks like Shine is a force to be reckoned with while Fremantle is in trouble.

  15. As soon as that cringingly-named show was announced in the UK, there was little doubt it would show up as a production for TEN. But it’s a risk when the format is untested.

  16. Not a surprise, but I’m disappointed by the news, season 3 was lacking with boring choreography to terrible judging. Season 2 was good though.

  22. Lets hope it’s sharp,fast paced witha bit of class.Not drawn out like the very boring Masterchef….when will it end?
    P.s George,get off the trampoline!

  23. Don’t be too quick to discount Fremantle, they may have lost So You Think You Can Dance but they still have the Australia Versus franchise.

  24. i guess they have to do something, the sheen is coming off their merchandise – Idol, Loser, Dance all dropped their share of audience. Glee may be so hot right now, but it seems so derivative to jump on its bandwagon. Desperate Houswives, Ugly Betty were instant hits but fell away once the novelty wore off, Glee to my mind is even more specific in its appeal. Overkill to emulate its ingredients with another talent/dance/competition series. Yawn! I think we have turned or are turning another corner in terms of what is popular – not sure what is around the next corner – problem is, neither do the tv execs who run the biz!

  25. I think that they would be ebtter off doing a Glee style comedy-drama than yet another talent contest. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see Neighbours dumped in favour of a large scale five night a week musical-drama with quality scripting and choreography?

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