Gallery: The last Sunday

After 27 years, the Nine Network’s iconic news and public affairs programme Sunday has taken its leave.

Ellen Fanning hosted the final edition of Nine’s broadsheet programme, introduced by its original host, Jim Waley.

Joining a “celebration and commemoration” of the show were familiar faces including Jennifer Byrne, Charles Woolley, Peter Thompson, Ray Martin and Ross Coulthart. And of course there was Laurie Oakes, who ended as he started, with an interview with the PM.

The final episode reflected on the show’s achievements and tradition of both breaking news and spending time to analyse headlines. It included a cross to Sky News with former Sunday reporter Helen Dalley -both programmes were live to air. It was an unusual move, feeling not just like an acknowledgement of a serious player in Sky News but almost as a plea to take up the baton.

Ray Martin took a moment to criticise the move in axing Sunday. “This is as important I think to Channel Nine as 60 Minutes. It may not make the money that 60 Minutes makes, but it’s part of the brand,” he said.

“It just seems to me that it’s a dopey business idea, to drop a programme. I can say that now because I don’t work here anymore. It’s a dopey idea to drop a programme like this because this almost says to an audience ‘well we don’t do current affairs anymore. Why don’t you go and watch the ABC, or go and look at Sky Television, we don’t do it anymore.’ This programme did it and this programme propped it up.”

Amen to that, Ray.

Congratulations to all involved with the history of Sunday. Here, in these photos, is a snapshot of Australian television history.

Next week Nine replaces Sunday with Sunday Morning News hosted by Tara Brown from 8am. Laurie Oakes will continue his political interviews at around 8:35am.

Kindly link to this site when sourcing photos, please!