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Report: Hey Hey it’s Saturday axed

Update: Daryl Somers tells Facebook fans he is still in talks with Nine about plans for 2011.

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Nine is expected to announce within days that Hey Hey it’s Saturday will not be returning in 2011.

The Herald Sun reports network bosses decided the show would not be returning yesterday, but many of the cast and crew were yet to be told.

The signs for the show’s return have not been promising.

The show still enjoys solid figures in Melbourne, but elsewhere the numbers do not justify the expense of a live variety project. Yet it still generates enormous passion.

It was absent during the 2011 programme launch, as its status was still under discussion.

Daryl Somers and Nine’s Director of Television Michael Healy were due to meet on its future last week.

Facebook fans will be furious over the death of the show and likely to initiate fervent campaigns.

But it appears likely the show’s final hurrah at Studio 9 Richmond, will be its swansong.

UPDATE: Daryl Somers has posted the following information on Facebook:

You may remember my final line on our last show i.e. “We’ll see you real soon … hopefully … maybe … ask a journo.”

Sometimes there’s no need to ask them, they’ll tell you anyway.

This is what happened in the Melbourne Herald Sun yesterday when Kate McMahon wrote that Hey Hey was done and dusted.

The truth is we are still talking to Nine about 2011 and I will keep you posted as I’ve mentioned previously.

Source: Herald Sun.

93 Responses

  1. Dated Family entertainment which was slightly relevant in the 80’s and 90’s but now…really? I don’t deny it’s success back in the day. To me, the little I saw of it – it became an in joke that only 5 of them were in on. And, how many times can guests appear on one show. I don’t hate Darryl but the network should spend money on “new” talent. I think there’s a reason why Jackie MacDonald remained hesitant to make an appearance. Imagine getting a call and the agent saying ” So…they want you to act like you’re in your 20’s again, frock up in something stupid, oh and you’ll be doing the chicken lotto again…Ain’t you excited Jackie MacDonald”

  2. There are two tragedies here.

    Firstly, Rove’s program on CH10 regularly had figures of 600,000 to 700,000 but it was considered to be successful. To a degree it was. I don’t say that to pick on Rove and his team, just to make the point that on pure numbers Hey Hey rated better but will be now labelled as “failed” or “out of date”. It was neither. Rove will be remembered as being the huge success of the 1990’s despite rarely ever making the top 10 shows.

    The second tragedy is Nine’s handling of the show.
    Channel Nine ran the first series on a weeknight. Silly idea.
    They then ran the second series with an inconsistant timelsot in Sydney and Brisbane. On some nights it had to be played later as they chose to run live telecasts of sporting events. An understandable decision, but then to axe it for not performing without giving it the courtesy of a consistant timeslot is sad.

    I want to thank Daryl and Ossie and the cast and crew for entertaining me though my childhood, youth, teen years and early adulthood. Then allowing me to share it again with my children.

    Somers Carrol own the programs and footage, but Channel Nine own the name.
    A question for the Nine Executives – Now that you have axed Hey Hey twice, would you relinquish ownership of the name so we can see some compilations on foxtel?

  4. Thank god for small miracles!! This show had to be the biggest embarrassment on Australian television!! I couldn’t believe when this show returned from the dead! It was dated, unfunny, dull and boring. Darryl Somers’ return to television was shortlived thank god, as he is the most annoying so-called “celebrity” I have ever seen on television.I’m sure we will now all hear from Darryl how the failure of Hey Hey was only the fault of Channel 9….I mean that’s what he normally does: He blames everyone but the root of the problem….himself!!! Hopefully the justified death of this trash will also ensure that Mr Somers Never returns to television again….perhaps a career as a bus driver Mr Sommers?????

  7. Ummm … could’ve told you that before they started this re-run.
    It’s all out of date.
    Don’t get me wrong .. I loved it all in it’s day … but it’s over now.
    And we all should move on.
    Thanks for the great memories everyone …
    but it should have just been left in the past …
    where we all loved it … then …
    now … unfortunately there are too many cringe factors.
    That’s life.

  8. Very relieved it’s gone.
    I’m a tad sorry for the folks who loved this show – I can understand why they do, because I Did like it 20-odd years ago. But let’s be realistic – the show’s premise is dated, the ‘stars’ are geriatric, most of the acts are past their use-by date, and darryl is a complete & utter tool.

    That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if all this euphoria is a bit premature – HHIS’s demise is based on a lot of non-facts beaten up by a long list of journos on slow news day.

  10. I didn’t watch it anyway, so it’s no skin off my nose. But it’s nice to see sense prevailed, as it was clearly a show that was past its time. If it had kept running all this time, maybe it would’ve grown up as it evolved, but trying to recreate old-style comedy variety was not working.

    Having said that, more comedy variety entertainment (that isn’t a panel show or a reality talent show) wouldn’t go amiss.

  13. The problem with Hey Hey is Darryl himself. Cringe-worthy. Even the crew and management cringed at Darryl’s total belief in himself as an entertainer: perhaps he once was in His hey-day; but his dud humour and blandness is so evident in his repertoire. He needs to find another vehicle: maybe produce a childrens tv series about the adventures of a famous TV star with his side-kick ostrich, and their escapades in a mythical TV land saving bored kids with his wit and cunning by outsmarting stingy TV execs in his quest for TV excellence!! I’d watch it.

  16. I don’t hate Daryl, never have, never will — I don’t know the bloke. I attribute my hated for the show though. So don’t include me in that general observation of yours.

  17. I think why this decision gets such a response from readers of this blog is that there is a lot of hatred out there for Daryl.

    He is a hopeless host who has no idea that the audience just cringes at watching him. I mean he even sang on the final show. He has a huge ego and is clearly a meglomaniac.

    The premise behind the show is sound. It just needed to change with the times. That included chaing hosts.

  18. The format would work with a new team of talent under 60’s who don’t have to delve back to the “good old days” of the 1970’s to find “humour”.

    I’d love a Hey Hey type variety show on air, just as long as it didn’t involve Daryl, John Blackman, Red Symons, Wilbur Wilde, Dicky Knee, Rhonda Burchmore, Jacki McDonald, Jo Beth Taylor, Pluck-a-freaking duck and that Ostrich. Lavinia is terrific eye candy, so she can stay… but the rest… off you go you’ve had your moment in the sun.

  19. I’m really conflicted about this – i admit that Hey Hey was neither rating nor overly ‘working’ as a visble product in 2010 – but it still had a spark and some energy and some great moments. Assigning blame to its demise is not helpful, and like some of the others on this thread, tire of the “i told you so’s” and ‘good riddance’ sentiments that have been expressed not just once or twice but ad nauseam. I know we are all entitled to our opinions, but there seems to be little good grace or allowance for a range of habits and tastes by other people who comment. This is showbiz – light entertainment – adding mirth and levity into our expereince. Good golly there’s enough choice and platforms to find other shows to enjoy. Let an iconic show have some dignity in its demise.

  24. And with this, someone, somewhere has quietly shelved their pitch to revive Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush… But seriously, you can’t base an ongoing television run on pure, blind nostalgia.

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