★★★★★ 0/5

Toni quits Funniest Home Videos

5
Leave a comment

Toni Pearen is leaving Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show to pursue other opportunities within the Nine Network.

She leaves the show effective immediately after 4 years as host, with the full support of Nine CEO David Gyngell.

It is believed she will audition for the revamped drama, The Young Doctors. Pearen was previously an actress on the late 80s soap E Street.

Gyngell is said to be keen to promote Pearen as one of the new program’s leading stars. She is also a contender to host other Nine shows, possibly including reality program I Know My Kid’s A Star.

“I’m proud to have been a part of the success and growth of the show over the last five years but I feel it’s time for change,” Pearen said yesterday.

“It’s an exciting time at Nine with so many new Australian shows being made, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

No word yet on her replacement. The perennial AFHV is set to return February 16.

Press Release:

The Nine Network Australia today announced it is looking for a new host for the ever-popular Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show, with the news that Toni Pearen has decided to move on.

The multi-talented Pearen, who has hosted the show since 2003, said: “It’s been an absolute joy to have worked with such a great team of people. I’m proud to have been a part of the success and growth of the show over the last 5 years, but I feel it’s time for change. It’s an exciting time at Nine, with so many new Australian shows being made, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

Michael Healy, Director of Programming, Nine Network Australia , said: “Toni has been a great asset to the Video Show for the past 5 years, and we thank her for her commitment and hard work. We are looking forward to working with her on new projects to be announced soon.”

“The show has been an enormous success since it started way back in 1990, hosted by Graham Kennedy. We have had several hosts over the years, and are sure that the Australian audience will continue to watch, and enjoy this great family entertainment show, in 2008 and beyond.”

The Nine Network will start looking for a replacement host immediately.

Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show will return to Nine on Saturday February 16, 2008.

Source: news.com.au

5 Responses

  1. Adam – you worry that the supremely untalented Nikki Osborne might “find herself trapped in this stinker”?

    This is a woman whose best-known role is as eye candy on a TV show that skates the line of illegal scam. *Anything* is a step up from that.

  2. I hope she does better ‘acting’ in YD than she was able to muster in AFHVS.

    Can’t this programme die? It must be one of the most embarrassing shows on tv.

  3. Hi David,

    Am I the only one who thinks Toni Pearen is actually more talented than hosting a clip show requires ? Good on her – she’s surely wasted there – although I’m not certain a soapie is the best place for her either.

  4. This is good news, the show should revert to 30mins on a weeknight with a total revamp and go back to the older format and set. It was much better then than now. Toni was a terrible host IMO.

    Or better yet cancel it!

  5. I bet the new host will be Amy Parks or Nikki Osborne or even Suze Raymond, all ex-Quizmania. They all have the look/style of an AFHV host, but lets hope Nikki Osborne doesnt find herself trapped in this stinker.

Leave a Reply