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Hey Hey likely for 2010 specials

Controversy, what controversy? The Nine variety show is likely to return with 8 - 10 seasonal specials next year.

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hhoHey Hey it’s Saturday is expected to return in 2010 as a series of specials across the year, The Australian reports.

The Nine variety show is likely to return with 8 – 10 seasonal specials next year to capitalise on its popularity following the two reunion specials.

Last week Daryl Somers repeatedly said it was the last show. Seemingly unhappy that the future was not secured he told viewers, “Whether we go beyond tonight in some form or other…. what the future holds we don’t know at the moment.”

Nine’s top brass David Gyngell and Programming Chief Michael Healy were at MIPCOM in Cannes at the time. Somers is said to have rung and asked for the first reunion special to be dropped from its repeat just hours before it was due. Nine bore the brunt of the fury unleashed from Somers’ own fans through angry phone calls and emails.

Last week’s “Jackson Jive” skit is unlikely to weigh into Nine’s decision making on the show’s future.

It’s a mosquito bite compared with the popularity of the show,” one executive told The Australian.

Sources said there could be a live stadium event of the show, and it could travel the country  -just as it did during its 28 year reign.

But a return is not expected to include Molly Meldrum, released by Seven and Foxtel for the two specials. Red Symons is on a series contract for Australia’s Got Talent, previously produced by Hey Hey’s longtime producer, Pam Barnes. Who knows what it means for Ossie Ostrich or Jacki MacDonald…

With the production expenses, and the huge audience it pulled, the show is unlikely to ever reside on Saturdays anymore either.

The Hey Hey Facebook page is currently topping 357,000 members.

A deal on the show’s future is tipped by the end of the week.

Source: The Australian

34 Responses

  1. @ John Jackson – re US stars appearing on other channels (and yes I’ve noticed this too esp with the late night programs) I think that’s because the stars are not contracted to the network but rather the production company that makes their show – USTV doesn’t inhouse to nearly the same extent as we do here!

  2. What I don’t get is – why is it so costly? Is it just because of the bloated cast – surely you could just keep Sommers, Blackman, Symonds and Gilbert and still have a show.

    The other annoyance is the scheduling, in one respect it’s understandable not going for Saturdays because Nine is the only commercial net with a Saturday lineup that consistently rates – really the onus is on Ten and Seven to come up with an alternative for the under-served night.

  3. did anybody else get the impression that it was all too much for Ossie (and Ernie) last week?? I actually though he was falling asleep. And yes i know he is 86 or something,,,,apart from a few ones liners there was not much point in Ossie being there. But it was good to see him.

  4. I’m glad they’re not bringing it back as a regular show, but 8-10 shows a year is just too much.

    They should only do four shows a year, if that! Yes, it’s a rating hit, but who knows what next year might bring. Too many shows with too many of the same jokes will just bore audiences and they’ll turn off. What’s most important is that too many shows will destroy the nostalgic nature of that these two reunion specials had going for it.

    Let’s see if there’s a slow downfall for the show when it returns next year….

  6. this is what i expected them to do, similar to these reunion specials only a proper season over 10 wednesdays instead of 2. i think that would work really well. but the major concern is the cast. it would have to be mostly new faces.

  7. ‘Reunion’ kinda suggests a one-off arrangement.

    I watched the repeat on Sunday for a little while and I personally found it quite lame and I didn’t really go for Darryl’s bragging. Of course, I’m too young to remember much of Hey Hey in its Heyday so maybe that may have influenced my reception of it. If they do come back for every other occasion, we’ll have to see how far nostalgia can carry them.

  8. Woohoo! Sad about Molly though.. although I always hope something can be figured out, but Red you would think should be alright, as he isn’t tied to 7. It really needs Red too, as he plays a double act with Wilbur and then there’s Red Faces.. it will really lack without Red not so much without Molly though as mostly he just makes one quick appearance.

    It is so strange though as I think in places like the UK or US, other channels are fine for their stars to be appear on programs of other networks from time to time, I guess it could be seen as cross promotion. Yet… there seems to be issues with it here.

    Whilst specials are ok.. I hope there can be something a little more regular. Once every two weeks or so, perhaps.

  10. I suggest maybe 6 episodes in total.. and drop the “Saturday”
    Hey Hey it’s Spring!
    Hey Hey it’s Summer!
    Hey Hey it’s Autumn!
    Hey Hey it’s Winter!
    Hey Hey it’s Christmas!
    Hey Hey it’s Easter!

    Give the producers time to organise better guests, and won’t lose that many viewers over the year…. and it also doesn’t have to be on a Saturday night. Molly provides 5 minutes of mumble, and Red can be replaced by Anybody. So no loss with either of them…..I should be in Television.

    @ Neon Kitten…. on the top right hand corner of your remote, i’m guessing there’s a red button that turns your television on and off?….. Have you tried using it? Cheers!

  13. The second show showed how tired it had become… same recycled jokes, same Daryl struggling to get a sentence out… they should have kept it as a one-off reunion special and went out with a bang.

  14. I always thought that if Hey Hey was to return, it would be best as a monthly format. 2 hours on the first whatever day of the week of the month. A weekly show would be unfeasible. Maybe in 2011 if the monthly specials are successful. It has to slowly build.

  15. yes bring back Kingswood Country (mite set up a facebook page)
    well its at least on Foxtel (Comedy Channel) and still very funny
    Just dont take it all seriosuly – its called humour !!!

  16. Harry Connick Jr had to cancel a number of public appearances because he received threats from Hey Hey fans!

    I didn’t think the sketch was particurlarly racist – but the reaction of Hey Hey fans definitely is disgusting.

    Bring back Hey Hey in 2010 – but without Molly, Red, Denise, Jacki or Ossie – all you are left with is Daryl and his colossal ego and not much else.

  18. Good luck to them but this format and presenters were well past their useby when it went off air all those years ago. The nostalgia, and not so good will due to controversy, created by the specials would quickly be lost as would the ratings should it return. The big question is ‘How desperate is Nine for cheap Oz content?’

  21. 8 to 10 more?

    The world is now laughing at the thought that this is Australian TV at its finest.

    What the hell. Let’s bring back Kingswood Country. Why bother pretending it’s the 21st century any more?

  23. That’s what I expected – a series of specials. A return to a weekly format would have been far too costly for the cost conscious Channel 9.

    I’d very suprised if either Jacki or Ernie Carrol (Ossie) return again. I’d imagine Hey Hey would return with a mostly new cast…but in TV as in life you never know!

  24. David, I think you mean Michael Healy not Michael Gyngell – although that would explain how Michael keeps his job given Nine’s poor programming record of recent times.

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