Not amused. Chaser’s Royal Wedding commentary cancelled
Updated: ABC2's Royal Wedding commentary from The Chaser has been pulled due to restrictions on use of footage in comedy and satire.
- Published by David Knox
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It seems the Queen is not amused. Or at least Clarence House isn’t.
ABC2’s Royal Wedding commentary from The Chaser team has been pulled just two days before the big day.
ABC TV has been forced to cancel their live satirical commentary, due to air on ABC2 from 7:00pm on Friday.
The special has had to be pulled pulled due to restrictions imposed over the Easter break.
ABC TV had initially been advised by the BBC and Associated Press Television News (APTN) there were no coverage restrictions on wedding commentary.
But new conditions of use issued over the Easter break state footage cannot be used “in any drama, comedy, satirical or similar entertainment program or content”.
According to the advisory “the ‘Wedding Ceremony’ shall mean the period from the arrival of the first member of the Royal Family for the wedding service until the last member of the Royal Family leaves the main entrance of Westminster Abbey following the conclusion of the wedding service.”
According to the BBC, all providers of live coverage of the wedding have agreed to the restrictions imposed by Clarence House.
Kim Dalton, Director of ABC TV said “the national broadcaster has acted in good faith in its negotiations around ABC2’s planned coverage with both the BBC and APTN.
“We’re surprised and disappointed at this very late stage to be informed that any satirical or comedic treatment of the marriage of Australia’s future Head of State has been banned.”
As late as this morning the BBC issued a new contract imposing additional restrictions on the use of its material.
“ABC TV had always planned to take the BBC’s full coverage with commentary on ABC1. However like other broadcasters we thought Australians would appreciate an alternative take on this major event,” said Dalton.
“The Nine Network has Dame Edna giving her commentary and the TEN Network has The 7PM Project taking a light-hearted approach to the Royal Wedding. Our obvious choice, for a light-hearted commentary is The Chaser team. Clearly, the BBC and Clarence House have decided The Chaser aren’t acceptable.”
Julian Morrow said, “Everyone loves a royal wedding.
“Except perhaps The Queen, who didn’t even bother going to the last one, but The Chaser couldn’t be more thrilled to be covering the big day.
“And who knows – if it goes well, hopefully they ask us back next year to cover the divorce.”
Chris Taylor said “We’ve been taken off air before but never by the Queen herself. It’s an honour”
ABC1 will still be taking the BBC coverage of the wedding, including its commentary, and ABC News and ABC News 24’s coverage will not be affected by the ban on ABC2 usage.
UPDATE: A TEN spokesperson tells TV Tonight there are no changes to its coverage featuring Fitzy, Wippa and Lucy McDonald. “We are proceeding as planned with our Royal Wedding programming. Our coverage will be respectful though light hearted.”
A Nine spokesperson tells TV Tonight there is nothing in the restrictions that will change plans for Dame Edna Everage.
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97 Responses
It seems everyone here is a Chaser’s fan. Isn’t anyone aware of their repugnant song about the dead Diana (which is reason alone to forbid them from commentating on her son’s wedding) or that beyond tasteless sketch about dying kids? Or is that funny?
i hope the boys were doing the commentary from London so therefore were already there and now with the cancellation they have a free holiday….oh crap what was i thinking…its the ABC…they would have been in a studio somewhere in Sydney with mugs of coffee…. bad luck boys
What a shocker…maybe they can do a post-wedding take-off instead? What a sign of the times, though, that Nine is dusting off “Dame Edna” (I love how we refer to Barry Humphries by this name, as is he really is the woman he dresses up as) for their coverage. Is there a single, outdated, unoriginal dinosaur of a concept they’re not prepared to recycle?
Oh yeah – and it’s a terrible attack on our rights to speech, interference from a foreign government, censorship, reason for a republic, the death of satire, signs of creeping fascism, etc.
But mainly – I wanna see the next ep of Being Human.
So… does this mean I get to see Being Human and Tudors like any normal Friday night on ABC2? 🙂
a disgrace..total disgrace…now that twee, oh so ABC ‘comedy” adam hills gorden street crappo is Real comedy…have you seen his audience, talk about fuglies…i swear the whole audience was smashed with the ugly stick, every week as well. Now thats the ABC..twee, snooty, labor based comedy for ugly people. the royal wedding, what a Bore.
As an ex-POM, this is the perfect reason for us to become a republic. I think Clarence House has watched too many episodes of The Tudors.
This is a laugh. They would have been restricted in their deal with BBCWW. Another example of the slow moving beast getting it wrong.
As for the idea of Chaser coverage, great idea, is it possible via a tv show, probably not. In hindsight should have gone the Roy and HG angle and broadcast the voiceover via triple J….
because obviously there’s no way that Barry Humphries will present it in the context of comedy, satirical or similar entertainment….
The Chaser past there “use by date”,not by a long shot!Those people that think they are,simple solution for you,Don’t watch!
@ohyeah: you make a reference to “moving on”. You’re still harping about a poor taste skit that was done years ago. Perhaps you should get over your outrage and move on? Yes it was poor, yes they apologised.
Anyhow who was going to twist your arm and make you watch? I quote “you’re not funny to me so I will look elsewhere.”
Wanna see poor taste? The media interviewing the 3rd cousin of the bride to be who happens to be a stripper. Or her uncle who’s apparently a tattooed layabout. Or the horrid telemovie. This is the sort of stuff that The Chaser were going to cover. The media circus and the pandering by the commercial networks, and the need for society to know every little detail up to what colour the organists’ knickers are – is the sort of stuff I find offensive.
@ohyeah, to be fair, when something is past it’s use by date, you throw it out. So you did strongly imply The Chaser should disband.
And on the other hand, a famous satirist once said, ‘satire is wasted on the stupid. If you have to explain it, you need a better audience’ 🙂 just a fun quote
@ david.. just for the record.. I dont have any problem with u.. I enjoy this site… and the fact u put alot of time and effort into it… this is the reason why its australia’s number one site for all things TV!
u will always have my support and i know others would do the same.
cheers! 🙂
@ david…. all depends on how u ask he question…
have a good night David….
@ David.. I think your taking this alittle too serious…….and i think your twisting my comments…. yes i said they are past their use by date..never said they should stop or disband…. if your trying to have a go at me….i ask u to please stop. i expressed my option about them… thats is what your site is all about… and there are other ppl who feel the same way as well…..
No issue with you expressing an opinion, and hopefully no issue with me asking a question.
@ David….. I think when they (the chases) start offend ppl who have an illness.. I think its time to move on! and I think there would be a lot of ppl on your website who would 100% agree with that….
yes they are funny and I do like them but I think when u mock ppl who have an illness, then thats a good time to stop and move on…
it saddens me U would even have to ask such a question!
Be sad about social injustice, poverty, the plight of refugees, the state of hospitals, war and homelessness -not about a blogger asking a question about TV. I agree that gag was misplaced, but I don’t think it means they ought to disband. We are very quick to say “you’re not funny so therefore stop all your creativity” rather than “you’re not funny to me so I will look elsewhere.”
When this wedding circus is over, it’ll be a very good thing and can’t finish soon enough.
Of course next there’s the Royal Pregnancy and birth. You.Gotta.See.The.Baby. “Fasten your seat belts, we’re going to see the baby…”
I guess the people at the BBC are secret republicans because only those that want a revolution ban or interfere with things. Or are too stupid to realise that’s how you’d start one.
Unbloody Believable. Now I don’t have to decide between going out with mates and watching the Chaser this friday night. Bloody uptight poms!
…..that sucks! It was the only reason I would watch those stuffy stuck up snobs get married. Boooo hisssss, toughen up queeny. Let the peasants’ play.
What a pity. I’ve heard these boys doing their “Roy & HG’ style commentary shtick on JJJ in the past, and while they are not remotely in the league of those two masters, they would have at least provided some comedy relief for those of us fed up with the royal circus.
Amazing the methods and extent the powers-that-be go to in order to stifle any dissent about the monarchy, be it earnest or in jest.
Well, we’re just ‘commoners’ after all, what do we know about what makes good TV?
I agree with ohyeah, the Chaser Boys style is getting old as presented in “Yes, We Canberra” last year. The humour and “shock value” of them works for a while, but we are now in 2011– not 2006 anymore and it’s just not the same anymore.
No wonder Dame Edna hasn’t been pulled, the ban is on Comedy. This is a travesty!! I was eagerly awaiting the only bearable wedding coverage that’s been plaguing the media for the past fortnight. Fingers crossed for a webcast!
So what exactly is ABC News 24 showing? Live News Updates or the Actual Ceremony as well?
ohyeah – I agree. People keep saying their regular gig ended because of the Make a Realistic Wish skit. No it didn’t. They were no longer hitting the mark on all fronts. You don’t sack a good footballer after one bad game, same with one bad skit. There were just too many so-so skits and the Make a Realistic Wish skit just hightlighted that fact.