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Nine backs Elton for third week

Nine's David Gyngell yesterday set the record straight on the state of play for Live From Planet Earth.

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Nine Entertainment CEO David Gyngell yesterday set the record straight on the state of play for Live From Planet Earth.

“Like everyone involved, of course I’m disappointed with the ratings for Ben’s show, but certainly not the energy and talent he and his team is putting into it,” he said.

“We continue to support local and international comedy, and it’s always better to chance you arm and have a go than to take the safe way out and do nothing.”

He confirmed the show for next week and almost certainly the week after despite bookies taking bets on the show being pulled before next week.

46 Responses

  1. I’ve watch Ben Elton once or twice and both time it was unfunny Hey Hey was always so much better they stopped Hey Hey but keep this on and other cheap programmes, what a waste

  2. If Channel 9 are going to axe a show that had more than double these ratings and was winning the timeslot, but decide to keep this drivel on the air, then they must be contractually obliged to do so. There’s no other explanation.

    We can only hope that the moment they can get out of the contract, they do, and that they put back on our screens quality family entertainment that has been hugely popular for 40 years.

    I wonder if even the haters can think of any other show with those kind of stats? Numbers don’t lie… And while we’re on the subject of numbers, if the show is too expensive, you can cut costs by only having one band on a night, not having overseas trips, etc… You don’t need to replace the show with something nobody wants. I for one have not watched Channel 9 since Christmas Eve and will not be watching again until Hey Hey is back on our screens!

  3. I’m a great fan of Hey Hey It’s Saturday as I am one of its supporters of the 600,000 plus people on Facebook, who wants the show to come back this year.

    Except trying to tell Daryl his show will get axed, you should put it back on Wednesdays six shows a year. Spread the six specials over the year and put them on when the top ratings shows aren’t on, such as Master Chef and My Kitchen Rules.

    Also another idea to get ratings, you should discuss with Daryl how to revamp the show to attract the younger demographic, as well as the loyal viewers.

    With these changes in place, you should air Hey Hey It’s Saturday on Wednesday. Then replay it on Saturday at 6.30 on your main channel, to work out what night pulls the highest ratings.

  4. I have no interest in watching Ben Elton…… that show is not one that you can sit down with your kids and watch like Hey Hey it’s Saturday. Channel 9 states here they are not worried about ratings and are happy to support local and international comedy…. well after saying that they can bring Hey Hey back. Until then, I am not watching the Channel.

  5. No probs David! – as for @hey hey gone… .. Hey Hey not gone yet. its making a big impact to Channel 9’s Viewing situation and its ratings.. its just starting.. 🙂 Hey Hey all the way 🙂

  6. @PD, im not too sure if its a conspiracy .. but i can tell you that 600,000+ Hey Hey Fans plus other Viewers are not wanting to watch Channel 9 because they want their show back its plain and outright simple. so close to 700,000- 800,000 hey hey fans in total.. thats quite a lot of viewers..

    So Speaking in General, Dont Blame Us… Blame Channel 9.. we are just doing our job supporting the show that we want back on.

  7. Get over Hey Hey its Saturday! No one cares about it anymore!

    Its old news and they have already spent the money on new shows like hamish and andy. Just the same few fans here begging for its return. It had Two chances and it failed Both times. what makes you think it will get better a third?

    suck it up and find another interest in life.

  8. Channel 9 looks at their ratings situation. so that means Hey Hey didnt do well at all when Michael Healy said Hey Hey did better than Masterchef overall but now that Ben Elton has hit a big time low of 384,000 viewers they are not looking at the Ratings???? talk about Channel 9 contradiction….

    Lol.. bunch of clowns and Channel 9 being the circus..

  9. People should give this a chance.This may be no Benny Hill which was actually funny but without it or another Ladette to Lady or Airline/Airport type show at that time of night we would be subjected to gasp horror 2.5 men or even worse Underbelly or more disgusting crime shows or some outdated 80’s sitcoms

  10. I watched some of the re-run on Go! last night after Fringe and thought it was much improved. I will watch next ep to see what happens. The Julia Gillard sketch was hilarious.
    Nine’s problem is not committing for more than a week or two without rescheduling and then when a programme gets some interest they flog it to death a la 21/2 men, Top Gear, CSI etc. and then people get sick & tired of it.
    Ch7 did the same with Scrubs, The Amazing Race & How I met your mother.

  11. “He confirmed the show for next week and almost certainly the week after”

    So……is the same timelsot confirmed? It can still be shoved to later at night.

  12. Oh yes @PD, @Phoenix99 is deadly serious.

    The 17-odd protesting HHIS fans also caused the recent floods and cyclones don’t you know?
    Please Nine, please bring back Hey Hey before the fans unleash Rivers of Blood, Flaming Comets and Pestilential Sores on us!!
    Please save us, Oh Great Darryl, Save us Oh Mighty Ostrich!

  13. @ phoenix99 totally agree, i have stopped watching 9, to be honest hey hey is all i watched on 9. Axe Ben Elton show now and bring bach Hey Hey its Saturday.

  14. @Phoenix99 – I can’t tell if you’re being serious or if this is a joke, but are you suggesting some kind of nation wide conspiracy by Hey Hey fans to abandon all Channel 9 programming until Daryl & co are back on television?

  16. Until Channel Nine listen to the people and bring back Hey Hey nothing on the channel will work for them. Not only has Ben Elton flopped but Top Gear, Farmer Wants A Wife, Underbelly, Two And A Half Men, Getaway, RPA and even ACA are all down. I can assure you that is no coincidence. Their hopes of being Number 1 this year are all but gone. Channel Nine listen to the people before it’s too late.

  17. @Secret Squirrel – Forget about the actual numbers. Forget about what you think of the show (I hated it). Quite clearly it’s a ratings disaster, but we’ve groaned on and on for years that we want Channel 9 to change their tune, to support a show for once in their lives, and when they do we mock them for it.

    Look at George Negus, his show is a ratings failure, but because nobody hates his show we’re okay with Ten supporting it.

    We’re not happy with what Nine is doing but only because it’s Ben Elton’s show, the next time they may do it with a show we actually like. I have to actually agree with Ben Elton on this one, I’d rather have an Australian show that I hate on television than more repeats of Two & A Half Men.

  18. There is so much negativity in the world at the moment and it seems every time you read a review or a story everyone is slamming it for the sake of it. Ben Elton and his team are busting their bums trying to deliver good comedy and are getting better each week. Yes the first week was terrible but he took it on board and changed things for the next week and it really showed. I don’t see any of you putting yourself out there like Ben has so give the guy some time and see where it goes before you get all snobby and demanded it be taking off the air. How the hell is anything ever going to succeed in this country when people are acting like this?

    As for Twitter, it has its place but the way the media breathless runs to it to prove a point is pathetic. As I said before, everyone is so negative just for the sake of being negative and it doesn’t prove a thing.

  20. I think after the last 2 episodes have been shown that appears to be already “paid for” so to speak. Ben Elton needs to go away and make some changes to the show and maybe come back later in the year. As much as I don’t like the show, watching Adam Hills in Gordan Street Tonight made me realise how much I miss having a good and likeable light entertainment show with guests/music acts etc. Please note this does not include Hey Hey!!!

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