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RocKwiz keeping the brand alive while SBS delays

RocKwiz will embark on a 35 date national tour, after SBS says no to a 2017 broadcast.

Much-loved music series RocKwiz is set to hit the road to keep the brand alive after SBS declined plans for a 2017 special.

Julia Zemiro, Brian Nankervis and producers Renegade will undertake a 35 date tour across the country in June and July to entertain fans. A TV series or special is not expected until the second half of 2018.

Renegade was hopeful of a 2017 special after SBS failed to greenlight a new series, but discussions were unsuccessful. RocKwiz remains one of SBS’ longest-standing brands, dating back to 2005 and even managing to outlast ABC’s Spicks and Specks.

Co-creator Brian Nankervis told TV Tonight, “The network are keen to do another series in the second half of 2018. So are we!

“In the meantime, we are embarking on a 35 date national tour through June and July and will continue to produce and perform a range of special event live shows … we performed ‘The Last Waltz Revisited’ in front of 2000 delirious festival goers at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, the Really Really Good Friday show played to a sold out crowd at Hamer Hall last Friday and we are planning a live Christmas-ish show for December.”

In recent years RocKwiz has been subjected to budget cuts, dropping from 14 to 6 episodes, and conspicuously absent from SBS Upfronts. Long-running network identity Julia Zemiro is now without an announced programme on SBS, after exiting Eurovision coverage.

An SBS spokesperson confirmed, “There is no change from our previous – we are in discussions re a special but likely not until next year.”

2 Responses

  1. I don’t understand why SBS have treated RocKwiz with such disdain. It’s popular and surely relatively cheap to produce. To wait what will ultimately be at least 2 years between proper series is as good as abandonment. Very disappointing.

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