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Foxtel channels: 2012 highlights

Smash, Territory Cops, Grimm, Kings Cross ER, The Secret Circle and a new A&E HD Channel are some of Foxtel channels' offerings for 2012.

Foxtel announced its 2012 programming highlights to media buyers in Melbourne last night.

Director of Television Brian Walsh was joined by Charlotte Dawson, Alex Perry, Megan Gale and Laura Dundovic at the swish Vue de Monde restaurant atop the Rialto.

Walsh announced highlights for the nine Foxtel Owned & Operated Channels: FOX8, Arena, Comedy, W, Crime & Investigation, Bio, FOX Classics, 111 Hits and History.

In January it unveils a new channel A&E HD, which will feature male-skewed action series including Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, Ax Men, Swamp People, Ice Road Truckers, Dog The Bounty Hunter, American Pickers, Tornado Hunters and a new local series from Cordell Jigsaw (Bondi Rescue). The channel will launch on Australia Day.

Foxtel has also picked up its biggest swag of US content yet.

Returning local programmes for 2012 include Australia’s Next Top Model, Project Runway Australia, Dating in the Dark Australia and Balls of Steel Australia. Both Rove McManus and Australia’s Next Top Model will be closely aligned with Foxtel’s Olympics coverage which it shares with Nine.

New local series include:
Territory Cops, replaces Kalgoorlie Cops, to be filmed in the Northern Territory. (CI)

Kings Cross ER, ob-doc series set in St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst. (CI)

Tony Robinson’s Time Walks, follows on from the success of Tony Robinson Explores Australia. (History)

Previously announced new local series include:

– Off Their Rockers, hidden-camera local version of European comedy Benidorm Bastards, featuring senior citizens pranking members of the public. Early 2012 (Comedy).

– I Survived: Stories Of Australia. Everyday Australians tell about their extraordinary tales of near death and tragedy. (Bio)

Got To Dance. Local version of dance reality contest to launch after the Olympics (FOX8).

Cricket Superstar. 15 young hopefuls vie to become Australia’s next “big thing” on the cricket
pitch. To premiere in January (FOX8).

WAG Nation.  ‘Real Housewives’ of Australian football to begin in March (Arena).

– The People Speak . Australian actors  interpret the words that Australians have written, shouted or cried-out throughout the years. Based on a US format (History).

US titles include:

Smash (pictured). Spielberg’s musical drama series about a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. Features Debra Messing, Anjelica Houston, and American Idol graduate Katherine McPhee. To air same day & date as the US from February (W).

Awake.  Jason Isaacs stars as a man who tries to put the pieces of his life back together, after waking up from a car accident involving his wife and son. (W)

Shameless. US adaptation starring William H Macy, Emmy Rossum and Joan Cusack.

Grimm. Contemporary cop drama / fantasy inspired by Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Premieres in January (FOX8).

Last Man Standing. Tim Allen returns to sitcom.

The Bitch In Apartment 23. A girl buddy comedy which has a twist on celebrity cameos with James van der Beek. (FOX8)

The Secret Circle. Kevin Williamson’s new teen drama about a circle of witches, includes Australian Phoebe Tonkin. (FOX8)

Hart Of Dixie. Riches to rags story about a big time NYC doctor who is forced to move to country Alabama.  (FOX8)

Switched At Birth. Drama about two teenagers who were switched at birth and grew up in very different environments. (FOX8)

Pretty Little Liars. Teen drama (FOX8).

– The Lying Game. Teen drama (FOX8).

The New Girl. Zooey Deschanel stars as a woman trying to get over her breakup with her boyfriend after he cheats on her.

Previously announced US drama The Playboy Club didn’t make the cut after being axed in the US.

Foxtel also indicated two new local dramas are in development. It recently announced Spirited would not return, while there is no decision yet on a second season of SLiDE.

Highlights for other channels including Showcase, LifeStyle, Nickelodeon, SciFi, MTV, FOX Sports, Nat Geo, Discovery, Movie Extra, 13TH Street, STVDIO and TV1 were not revealed, but combined with this list plus Sports it arms the Pay TV provider with a sold line-up.

The presentation also included a giveaway of two return tickets to LA to see the season final of Rove LA in mid-November.

41 Responses

  1. Who are the idiots who make such inane choices. How could they not continue on with award winning shows like Spirited, but continue on with WAGs and top models. God forbid that intelligent women should be shown on Australian TV.

  2. Angry that they would prefer to spend money on “Footy WAGs” than quality Australian TV such as Spirited. Not happy Foxtel! There are petitions and groups to try and stop Spirited from being axed!! We are not going quietly.

  3. Yeah i heard Ten had New Girl. It’s quite a good show and been picked up for full season so Ten would be stupid to sell it to Foxtel, but then again Ten are stupid.

    Looking forward to Grimm , pretty sure it starts this week in the US.

  4. I jokingly said that Foxtel would use the money from Spirited to create “The Real Bogans of Mt Druitt” And they actually are. I’m not paying to watch “WAGS”. What a lot of utter rubbish.

  5. Very disappointed that Foxtel have not had the creativity or courage to continue production of Spirited. It is not often we produce a show in this country that defies pigeon holing in terms of genre. I suspect for this reason Foxtel have returned to the same old ‘safe’ path of American cop shows and hideous attempts at remaking psuedo successful american reality shows with a so called ‘aussie’ flavour. Footy wags? Really? Shame on Foxtel for insulting our intelligence.

  6. Any mention about American Idol? I would have thought this would have got a mention.

    I am very excited to have Foxtel next year. Its got so much more new content which is great. Can’t wait.

    As for New Girl, TEN has the first run rights and then it will be on Foxtel when the season is completed on TEN. However with Apt 23 Foxtel will air this one first then TEN can air it when Foxtel has finished the season.

  7. Looks like GO/ 9 has onsold alot of its US content here;

    – Shameless US, The Secret Circle, Hart Of Dixie & Pretty Little Liars!

    Looks like GO will be churning out more B-Grade movie crap next year. Yay for FTA

  8. As usual Another Useless channel with no content that appeals and shows I don’t give a toss about. Do you people at Foxtel put names in a hat of the worst cable channels you can get and pick from it???
    Aussie cable is Clearly the worst in the world for channels, content and a complete contempt for horror fans. You offer us buthered movies on your movies thinking “ohhh we will give them a few buthered films, a cr*ppy selection on the channels and that will shut them up”
    well excuuuuse me That is not enough. Im happy I got Austar cut as Sky is way better then Austar and Foxtel combined. Its clear and insulting horror fans obviously dont count as subs on your service. Thanks for nothing.

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