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Nine telethon expands across primetime

Updated: Nine's bushfire telethon screens live from 7:30pm right through until midnight with a staggering list of guests including cross-network personalities.

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bushfNine has announced its Australia Unites telethon will now screen from 7:30pm right through to midnight.

It was previously a 2 hour event, but with the magnitude of the disaster, and no doubt with the influx of offers it has received for the cause, it will run live for 4.5 hours.

Australia Unites is hosted by Eddie McGuire and features a line-up of entertainers, athletes and personalities. GTV9, the television home of Brian Naylor for twenty years, will play host to this important event which it has been frantically preparing on short notice.

It will follow a one hour Nine News and Current Affair.

Press Release:
The Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd, and the Premier of Victoria, Mr John Brumby, will join the Australian cricket team, along with entertainers including Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban; radio stars Hamish and Andy, and Merrick and Rosso; international models Miranda Kerr and Megan Gale; stars of the small screen Rove McManus, Dave Hughes, Kate Ritchie, Roy Billing, Martin Dingle Wall, Kat Stewart, Rodger Corser, Ben Mendelsohn, Molly Meldrum and Magda Szubanski to raise money for the victims of Victoria’s killer fires.

Sporting identities taking part will include cricketing great Shane Warne; Olympic gold medallists Cathy Freeman, Liesel Jones and Grant Hackett; AFL premiership players Chris Judd and Shane Crawford; Melbourne Storm star Billy Slater; Fatty Vautin and Matty Johns of the NRL Footy Show; AFL legend Ron Barassi; tennis player Mark Philippoussis; V8 champs Craig Lowndes and Garth Tander; and Bali bombing survivor and former AFL player, Jason McCartney.

Performers include The Living End, Jessica Mauboy, Colin Hay (Men At Work), Jimmy Barnes, Lee Kernaghan, Shannon Noll, Kate Ceberano, John Williamson, Angry Anderson and many others.

Eddie McGuire will host the coverage from Channel Nine’s Melbourne studios, with support from Garry Lyon and James Brayshaw, Livinia Nixon, Jules Lund and Giaan Rooney, who will be rallying troops in the phone room.

On location, Lisa Wilkinson, Karl Stefanovic, Tony Jones, Tracy Grimshaw and Leila McKinnon will be reporting from the fire-ravaged areas across the State.

Aussies abroad, rocked by the bushfires that have ravaged their home country, have united in spirit to support the victims of Australia’s worst natural disaster, including Hugh Jackman, Anthony La Paglia, Simon Baker, Rachel Griffiths and Cameron Daddo.

CEO of the Nine Network, Mr David Gyngell, has been overwhelmed by the response.

“The sports and entertainment industries have a fine tradition of pulling together when needed, but the level of support for Australia Unites is unprecedented and we thank everyone for their involvement,” he said.

Donations will go to the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund. To make a donation go to www.redcross.org.au, call the toll free number 1800 811 700, or donate via the Commonwealth Bank.

69 Responses

  1. It seems to me that the varing opions of the comment here have highlighted what tthe real problem is. The $20 mil channel 9 claims riased in the telethon would make this the most succesfull telethon of all times. I heard Carl on the today show claimed he raised $32mil as though he and 9 had done this personelly. I email Carl to corret his statement but it was a purpose attempt to put them selves on a platform. Channel 9 only motive is to out do the rival chanels for ratings. No other pupose for the telethon. The generosity of people how gave to the appeal is commended and the telephon would have motivated people to pledge money wheather it was for a free plug on TV so some contribution to the apeal was made by 9. Its still reamins the fact that 9 motives where purely od self interest.

  3. wow, i dont think i have ever seen so much cross promotion in 1 show before! we all knew it would happen, nine will be licking their lips. i think i heard underbelly more times than i hear the work f**k in gordon ramsey lol

  6. What was with the comment in the phone room, ‘your on fire this year’ addressed to I think it was Miranda Kerr from one of the footy commentators, seriously……dumb as dog crap! Don’t get me started on Eddie, the sincerity of a door knob and if I hear the word ‘underbelly’ once more come out of his mouth…….. all the cross promotion is just really inappropriate. Just because they raised a load of money doesn’t excuse the inappropriate comments and actions.

  8. What the hell’s with all the personal attacks? Ellen, for one, I wasn’t attacking all those “wonderful people in Perth” who raise millions, and frankly, that’s not the issue here. I had an opinion regarding Nine’s extension of the telethon and I expressed it. Kaboom. Done. I’m over it. If you disagree with me, that’s fine, but disagree with the opinion instead attacking me with your insults disguised as lame metaphors. Show a little civility for god’s sake.

    And kudos to all who’ve made donations.

  9. what happens to all the money if the federal and state governments are paying are insured and so are all the individuals what is the money doing???

  12. sillyghost drift off into the ether and let peole who really care do the job they are trying to do.As for the length of time in perth we host a telethon every year which runs for 24 hours!! and many Eastern state celebs come over and millions of dollars raised.And if channel 9 ups its rating who cares!!!!!! Get a life and if you dont want to watch go to bed and catch up on your sleep and improve your negativity.

  13. I just made another donation to redcross.org.au I will not donate through Nine I will not! Print my posts or not David makes no never mind to me. Channel Nine is the pits!

  14. What a big “biffo” we have here!
    Why have one of the most insincere people in Television host a Telethon that is supposedly about “compassion and supporting victims”???
    Yes, money will be raised, but i don’t believe for a moment that many of the 7 “celebrities” that will appear are there for any reason other than self promotion … if it was really about the victims then there would be a united Telethon with personalities from 9, 10 and ABC as well!
    I won’t be watching because Eddie is hosting! He revolts me! (It’s a Boys’ Club!)
    I will continue to give as I have already been through work and other areas that I know are doing it for the right reasons!
    Jack!

  15. Vid, I agree.. stop complaining about how long its running for and whos in it because none of that matters. Its for the victims of our countries worst natural disaster, little kids have no parents, houses and money are gone for these people, stop f**king complaining and donate for gods sake.

  16. It will be interesting to see how much money they raise considering just about everyone including myself has already donated something. I think many millions of dollars has been raised so far therefore the total raised at the end of the telethon may not be that much which would be embarrassing for Nine. Red Cross has raised over $48 million, possibly enough to rebuild all the houses that was destroyed by the bushfire.

  17. To all you negative people who are critical of the nine network for extending their broadcast, may I remind you where it is being telecast from…. GTV9 the home of Mr Brian Naylor for 20 years.
    If his former work collegues and friends wish to make it a 24 hour Telethon ( like they always did in the old days ) then I say – Let them.

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