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Axed: The Circle

Breaking news: TEN revamps its morning line-up by axing The Circle but keeping Breakfast.

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TEN is revamping its morning line-up by axing The Circle and retaining its struggling Breakfast show.

The Circle will air its final episode on Friday, as part of a new line-up of programming from Monday August 6th, including several US titles.

This includes:

· The Talk: US weekday talk show hosted by Sara Gilbert.

· TEN Morning News: Hosted by Ron Wilson.

· Entertainment Tonight: Entertainment magazine institution, part of TEN’s CBS deal after Nine did not renew.

· The Insider: Spin-off of Entertainment Tonight.

From August 6, Breakfast will run from 6am to 8.30am, presented by Paul Henry, Kathryn Robinson and Magdalena Roze. TEN is yet to comment on rumours the show will undergo a further revamp.

In a statement TEN thanks Pam Barnes, the Executive Producer of The Circle, hosts Gorgi Coghlan and Yumi Stynes and show staff.

“The decision to cease production of The Circle is unfortunate and was not taken lightly. But tight fiscal control and cost discipline are a core part of our strategy,” TEN CEO James Warburton, said.

Network TEN Head of News and Current Affairs, Anthony Flannery, said: “We appreciate the efforts and dedication of everyone involved with The Circle, including Executive Producer Pam Barnes.

“Network TEN remains focused on providing viewers with a comprehensive News and Current Affairs line-up from breakfast to bedtime, with Breakfast, TEN News At Five, The Project, TEN Late News and now TEN Morning News,” Flannery said.

The Circle has struggled since the exit of Chrissie Swan and Denise Drysdale in December, using guest co-presenters.

Beginning Monday August 6th:
• 6am to 8.30am: Breakfast
• 8.30am to 9am: Wurrawhy
• 9am to 10am: The Talk
• 10am to 11am: TEN Morning News
• 11am to 11.30am: Entertainment Tonight
• 11.30am to 12: The Insider

This post updates.

94 Responses

  2. I don’t think it was fair for the circle to be axed considering Ten has spent no money on it since its opening months! The poor show lost its famous co hosts and ten didnt even try to find a good replacement, Maybe theyshould have tried a revamp with the circle instead of axing it?they should have found a permanent 3rd host, revamped the look of the stage, new segments, bigger audience and so on but knowone tried!

  3. @swosha – Is it certain that 9am with David & Kim was done in the same place as Breakfast is now? I was certain it took over from when Bert finished on GMA (though I wish he was still there – especially now with The Circle being thrown out), with various crew still on board from GMA. Then when 9am left, The Circle came on board in the same location.

    David, any knowledge? If 9am wasn’t done in the same studio as GMA with Bert, then my mind has definitely been blown!

  4. This will also further alienate viewers with other programs on the network. they wont even bother tuning in. . .

    off topic but whats the most commented on story in the websites history?

  5. they should have left the circle on at ten and had breakfast air 7am to 10am. with Ron Wilson doing the early news at 6 then move breakfast to 6am till 10, then reduce it to 9am followed by the circle. they have made to many changes to channel ten in the last 2 years. another bunch of aussies out of a job…

    to the person who commented on moving all news productions to Sydney, GMA with Bert was filmed in the same studio as the circle, breakfast is filmed in the same studio that 9am was filmed in. they should bring 9am back it would fit in with there am pm program titles. lol.

  7. As sad it is to see The Circle gone, I can’t help but feel its just one more step in moving everything in the news department to Sydney and wouldn’t surprised to see a new mid-morning show begin next year broadcast from Sydney. After-all we were also hearing rumours about moving The Project to Sydney!!

    I’m really happy though to see we are finally getting The Talk here in Australia. Once again IMO we should see Breakfast revamped, then see a mid-morning show, (more than likely in Sydney sharing the new Breakfast (renamed something GMA)), with a new afternoon line up with ET, Dr. Phil, The Talk, Judge Judy and Ready Steady Cook, keep it that way, invest in it, heavily promote and let the audience grow!

  9. Well I am pleased about Entertainment Tonight, as for the Circle it is a shame but I guess it was time , now about Breakfast shows I admit I do not watch much but to me ABC News 24 is the best, at least you do not have Lisa Wilkinson , Seven and Nine breakfast shows, may been or actually have been around a lot longer to gain an audience.
    I sometimes wonder what happened to the old fashioned TV moguls, they may have been larger than life but they knew how to run a TV network. Now it all happens to be knee jerk reactions to a handful of people with ratings boxes, perhaps we should all have them, that would really show the true picture !

  10. Really feel for Pam Barnes who produced a innovative format a few years ago and created a great team that every age group could relate to Have the feeling ten were not prepared to pay swan and drysdale what they deserved so they left The choice of replacement revolving hosts did not work Think this was the last show apart from news and masterchef from the old Managment to get the axe. Think it also means ten in Melbourne does not have to open its doors each day till mid afternoon. Savings indeed. Very sad. The longer breakfast and Henry hangs around the more stupid ten and Murdock looks!!!! Just a joke of a network!! Give us something we want. The circle was it. New different and you stuffed it up!!!

  11. Don’t anyone saw this coming… Doesn’t Breakfast have the smallest audience of any show on Ten Mon-Fri between 6am-12pm?? Sure The Circle was better last year, but instead of fixing yet, why axe it??? If fiscal tightening was a core target, why isnt the money bleeder Breakfast gotten rid of instead. Is this Lachlan’s aim, to direct towards right wing rubbish that is actually bledding money? And shows like The Circle have to suffer for lack of investment. Watch the backlash and see that they have effectively now killed two shows unnessecarily.

  12. @pahmer – I’m not really sure what the ratings meters that are placed in a select few houses say for who watches The Circle, but there is a strong fanbase for it.

    Getting nominated and winning numerous Logies shows that there are people who appreciate it, and enough to have actually voted for it. I myself at the time wished another had won instead, but the fact that they managed to received the most votes in that I think showed a dedicated audience somewhat.

  13. I reckon The Circle has been on long enough to know whether it could build a bigger audience or not, and the answer seems to be no, it can’t. As for Breakfast, I think they need to recast – I don’t think people relate to Paul Henry. And is there enough people out there in the morning watching, to have 3 morning shows running at the same time,with two of those shows, already well and truly established.

  16. Geez louise, can Ten do anything right lately? The Circle was the only morning show on commercial FTA that was genuinely funny, intelligent and original. One of Ten’s few shows that are actually halfway decent; so what do they do? They axe it. (just like GNW and TAYG) in favour of such quality shows as The Shire, Being Lara Bingle, Andrew Bolt and probably most relevantly, Breakfast. Idiots!

  17. Disappointed by this decision from Ten!
    They cite ‘fiscal control’ as a reason for its cancellation, yet I wonder how much they have paid Kelly Rowland and Jason De Rulo to appear in a show that will, almost certainly, flop…?
    I hope that Yumi, Gorgi and Meshel can be slotted into regular spots on The Project..

  18. Disappointed to see a locally made show axed for American rubbish. So many jobs lost.

    The Circle really wasnt the same since Chrisse Swan left. However, I’m stunned it got the axe before the hideous Breakfast.

  21. Wow.. Bit of a shock. I thought this was one of 10s big shows. There has always been something running at that studio too. I used to watch GMA with Bert, then would check out 9am with David and Kim sometimes, then that went and The Circle came. Now the replacement is shows from the US?

  22. Poor Decision!
    Although I dont watch the Circle, im still very dissapointed in TEN.
    There is so many reasons why breakfast doesnt work:
    1. Not unique at all
    2. No chemistry
    3. Poor uninteresting segments
    4. Last but not least… Paul Henry
    Im just not sure what TEN will do now…but if they want something unique then they should look no further than CBS – This Morning that show is brilliant.

    Other than that, im lost for words!

  23. The Circle struggled simply cause chrissy swan has gone to Mix 101.1 fm in Melbourne and that stupid Lachlan Murdoch keeps that crap program called “Breakfast” which rates NIL. Entertainment Tonight was a good move but Shame Lachlan shame.

  24. Really poor form TEN… sounds like a (Sydney executives decision) sacking a Melbourne produced show in favor of a poor performing Sydney breakfast show. ATV10 Melbourne has been producing national morning TV as long as I can remember… (Good Morning Melbourne) followed by Bert Newton’s (Good Morning Australia) and then by (9AM with David and Kim)

  25. I’m gob-smacked by just how dumb this is.. I know TEN like to give shows a chance, but Breakfast has bombed.. no one watches and no one cares. No amount of revamping will save it. The Circle on the other hand offers a true alternative to the other two morning shows, is entertaining, informative and actually has viewers.. something that I would’ve thought a programme actually needs to stay alive.

    TEN’s Breakfast is to breakfast television what Nine’s THIS Afternoon was to daytime’s.. at least Nine had the sense to kill it quickly before it got embarrassing..

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