MasterChef-interruptus angers viewers
The interrupted finale for MasterChef will also leave a sour taste in viewers' mouths as viewers talk of switching off The Renovators in protest.
- Published by David Knox
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TEN’s split-programming of the MasterChef finale, with The Renovators sandwiched in between, angered many viewers last night.
TEN screened The Renovators at 7:30pm after the first two challenges of the MasterChef cook-off. Viewers were forced to return at 8:30pm for the third challenge and final scores.
The winner wasn’t announced until around 9:45pm AEST -too late for many kids who are fans of the show.
Last night both TV Tonight readers and Twitter accounts were directing their fury at TEN, with many indicating they would refuse to watch The Renovators in protest. It may well go down as one of the clumsiest Programming moves of the year.
The bizarre plot, designed to capitalise on TEN’s finale audience, follows previous criticism that TEN has programmed the new series too soon, expecting viewers to sit through too much reality content.
The Shine Australia series has cost millions but TEN might have endeared more viewers to the show with a more considered programming plan.
The interrupted finale for MasterChef will also leave a sour taste in viewers’ mouths on the back of a season that has already attracted considerable criticism. It was the last in a string of disappointments for viewers.
Last night both “Channel 10” and “Channel Ten” were trending on Twitter, but it wasn’t over who was the best cook:
ElizabHk:
Many friends cranky with Ch10’s decision to split #Masterchef finale with #TheRenovators.
nicchristensen:
We are now getting angry calls on Radio 2GB about the Channel 10 #Masterchef programming decision – people are angry
AZ_HiFi:
mass exodus from tv when The Block started on Ch10. #masterchef #michaelFTW
artsjourno:
Don’t get caught by the pathetic Network Ten #masterchef ploy to make you watch The Renovators. Grand Designs on ABC 1 now.
realityraver:
This break in Masterchef transmission is treating the fans with contempt. #masterchef
stephenmead:
Great story on 60 minutes #masterchef well not masterchef – am watching anything but CH10 until 8:30
CraigCarlyon:
I am glad ch10 split #masterchef I have discovered so many interesting shows on other channels
luisaliving:
Dear Channel Ten, thanks for time to cook and eat dinner in between #masterchef finale sessions.
PipRMB:
Well we’ve switched off the telly between #masterchef finales and having a family chat. Now we’ve got something to thank Channel Ten for!
MichaelByrnes:
This #masterchef finale is so long you could fly to the Noma restaurant in Copenhagen, have a meal and return before it’s over.
robynming:
Channel Ten, do we really need a flashback? I remember what happened an hour ago… #MasterChef
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- Tagged with MasterChef Australia, The Renovators
55 Responses
When will a ‘spokesperson’ appear to carry out the damage control??
Over heard at a Channel 10 meeting . . . “Here’s a great idea. Lets take our highest rating show, a show that has viewers turning on religiously at 7:30, reschedule the finale for 6:30 and then, when most of the viewers tune in at the regular time, we can play an over-the-top DIY show in a desperate attempt to recoup the Millions that we’re losing on this Lemon. (Who would have thought that we could fail when we’re using Exactly the same format and emotional music as Masterchef)
Then we can play the last half of the show when most families have tuned out and gone to bed. Then they can watch the finale on PVR or Tivo and skip through the ads. Brilliant!
Possibly the best move since we replaced Good News Week with a Bag Of Shite, sorry, I mean Can Of Worms”
Seriously, Channel Ten, Seriously.
If Packer and Murdoch bought in to this network so that they could bury it, they’re on the right track.
Seriously ! ! !
I switched to Grand Designs and then went to bed. Watched the announcement on the internet this morning b4 hearing elsewhere. The perfect solution as I only had to watch 3 minutes to get the result. I don’t think I’ll go back next year but if I get sucked in I may.
“I’m going to boycott Masterchef because it made me wait til 9:45″… first world problems. Masterchef was always going to finish at that time, because they would have started it at 7:30pm if they did not split it up.
What a bunch of whingers. If you don’t like the Renovators, then you should of turned off the tv between 7.30-8.30. End of story.
Yes it was an odd decison and yes I would have prefered an uninterrupted final. However it’s not like it wasn’t widely publicised and anyone who is a regular viewer had ample opportunity to watch it, tape it or not bother. It’s not worth getting angry. Also it’s very disturbing that people will comment on a show they claim not to watch and refer to the people who do watch as morons. It seems to be happening a lot on this site lately. Rude and unnecessary.
@steven guy, now I have an image in my mind of drunk monkeys running around the corridors of Channel Ten! 🙂
Bottom line:
1. Unarguably cynical decision.
2. Ran a big risk of alienating viewers from watching Renovators in future out of resentment at the programming decision.
3. It didn’t work, even as a cynical exercise: the audience literally halved for Renovators, then doubled again when it ended.
A poor decision with a poor outcome.
No other rational conclusion to draw, and Ten knows it.
Oh come on people. Was it Really that bad? an extra hour to find out who won a reality show, is it really that big of a deal? I just switched over and watched unbeatable banzuke. I don’t really like Renovators, but surely a ratings boost will mean that it was overall a wise move?
The is the strangest decision by a network so far this year. What is going on at this network. It’s just strange.
Who are the morons watching this drivel and why are they so uspet over a break in the show? Don’t you all have VCR/PVRs? Shirley the kids can watch the end in the morning before they go to school.
IQ didnt record the 3rd challenge…not a very smart system that at all.
I know people posting on this site are more savvy and aware of the tricks networks employ to keep viewers and in the case of splitting the Masterchef final last night, getting an extra program in the top 10 but I reckon even non- tv types will feel manipulated by Channel 10 after their effort.
I was just so bloody angry I didn’t watch bother with Renovators and read the paper instead. And then when the final ‘recommenced’, the first 15 minutes was just filler about the contestants’ road to the final and how many times do they have the ask the finalists how they feel? You have to think that besides decent cooking skills, to succeed in this show you also need to be able to annunciate your every feeling.
Maybe they’re a victim of their own success because ifor Masterchef familiarity does indeed breed contempt.
I too made dinner and ate between 7:30 and 8:30.
But more importantly, where was Hayden on the Friday Masterclass? Conspiracy anyone??
For the first time since Masterchef started three years ago I stopped watching last week. It just got to me, the constant reminder of the kids at home and the father who’s past away and the 3/4/5 judges all with opinions. What also got to me was that in the eliminations the friendliest contestants get the most help from the balcony, why are they allowed to help? And then last night splitting the final, I actually fell asleep just before the end. May be time to shelve with SYTYCD, Big Brother, Biggest Looser etc.
I’m speechless.
I’ve never seen so many angry, frustrated comments about a show by so many people, who – incredibly to me – still watched it!
Why will they fix it if you watched anyway?
I’ve no sympathy for any of you.
It was great I watched a genuine renovation on Kev McClouds Grand Designs on ABC at 7.30pm on ABC and got back to MC in time for the winner. It was good for me…what the hell are people whinging about?
It gave me time to cook dinner. But now I get 6 or so hours of my life back each week, and I haven’t been sucked into watching Renovators.
Pathetic and bizarre programming,
Have 10 lost their minds or are they now using drunk monekys to schedule shows.
Stupid move and may have caused MC as a brand some serious damage.
My original intention was to record the 6:30 hour, watch it at 7:30… then watch the 8:30 hour in line with the tv airing. I wound up getting a little side tracked and didn’t start the program until a little while later, but still managed to catch up to the 8:30 hour by 9:00pm. This is a tactic that has served me well during the series run over the years (also helps with The Biggest Loser!!).
If they’d put it at 6:30 – 7:30 it would all have been fine, and they’d have gotten some viewers who were already tuned in.
But putting it in the middle just caused me to turn off my TV.
This was meant to be one of those rare times when TEN wins a night. Instead they pissed off their entire audience.
I personally enjoyed having The Renovators in between, it made the MasterChef Finale not seem so long.
#firstworldproblems
Seriously. Did anyone not think this was going to happen ?
We have seen the programming of the biggest loser finale and the reasons explained by David
And I thought to myself, a snowballs chance in hell it would finish on time.
As to the Renovators, What’s that ? I watched a NCIS i had on the PVR
‘Won’t somebody think of the children…’