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Axed: The Roast

News parody gets the chop while ABC2 original content could be next under budget cuts.

2014-11-04_0024aABC2 comedy series The Roast will not be returning in 2015.

The show, which began in 2011, appears to be the latest victim of ABC budget cuts.

Described as “a daily ten minute comedy news show that promises to destroy every bastion of journalism known to man” it is the only comedy show that writes and produces news parody to air the very same day.

On their Facebook page, the young team said: “We would like to thank you for all the support you’ve given us over the years. Especially those tax dollars you didn’t have a choice about giving to us. We appreciate everyone who has watched the show, shared our videos or dropped us a line to let us know that tonight’s episode isn’t up on iView yet. We’d also like to wish young, promising comedians like Shaun Micallef and The Chaser the best of luck as we pass the torch down to them.

The axing will raise further concerns about the future of original primetime content on ABC2. Shows like Soul Mates and Back Seat Drivers have attracted modest ratings this year -but some such as Please Like Me and Dirty Laundry Live could potentially move to ABC.

A more dire outcome could even see the channel move online, which has also been speculated in recent months.

This is the last week on air for The Roast.

19 Responses

  1. sadly, I wasn’t a fan of The Roast, but is still sad to see local content getting the axe.

    I just hope that the underrated Dirty Laundry Live remains on ABC2 in 2015. It’s actually good.

    I’m not a fan of Please Like Me, but it should be promoted to ABC1, as it seems to be winning (or being nominated) for many awards, and its underselling itself on abc2.

  2. @Mr_AJ, I don’t really get ABC2 either. It’s very focused on British factual programming with little educational value. The Australian stuff on it is great though. Perhaps with the demise of the 31s, it could boost it’s Australian content by airing the sort of very cheaply made Australian material it currently premieres on iView. It could film more of Triple J (and Double J and RN).

    @s5000, Australians with a cultural affinity outside the Anglosphere have their own TV channels these days. Most of them aren’t on Foxtel – there are other pay TV providers.

    ABC News 24 is a nice idea, but serves no good purpose. It’s unique material is rubbish compared to the ABC1 originated news and current affairs programs. It’s a real case of quantity over quality. When there’s a disaster and people need information, radio and online are the best ways of getting the information out. Watching…

  3. IMO the Roast is the best Australian comedy series on TV at-the-moment. I will miss it’s passing – presuming that The Comedy Channel doesn’t pick it up again. (Then I will just miss being able to watch it).

    I can only hope that the ABC will commission a weekly version, or that it will be incorporated into The Feed.

  4. Can I ask; would anyone really lament the ABC losing one of their 4 channels? Considering ABC2 is now full of endless reality shi… shows – and, worse yet, the Twilight films.

  5. Marvelous decisions! now the abc can just be a mirror site (very very slow ~ 6 months lag) for the BBC. Since I watch BBC direct from i-player (slow ~ 1 hour lag) it’s good bye aunty (sigh) 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁

  6. Surely David on the ratings we have so far Soul Mates would be a more likely to move to ABC1 than Please Like Me which would be better suited to iview only. Backseat drivers did well for the money that was spent on it which seemed to be one “studio” set and some go pro cameras.
    No one will miss the roast.

  7. Yes as some have mentioned – and their own twitter feed proves – little more than an undergraduate political rant masquerading as comedy, as journalists they made very good comedians and as comedians they seemed to lack any natural talent at all. The Chaser team and Micallef have more comedy in their little toes than this bunch of untalented has-beens.

  8. Please Like is me safe because the Americans are funding the 3rd series.

    They ABC seem determined to cut everything but the Corporate Division in Ultimo as their own report and the Government’s recommended. Being the people making the cuts has its advantages.

    I found the Roast funny at times, other episodes were little more than political rants. It’s major problem was nobody watched it. Go! and Eleven have the target market stitched up repeats of US favourites.

  9. A real bastard decision-it can’t have been a very expensive show to make-little in the way of sets or special effects and a small cast-not always a winner but it was cutting and funny most of the time.

  10. I never like to see people lose their jobs, but I never once found this show funny. It was always a channel turner.

    Also, with exception to NITV and News24, and at a stretch ABC3, there is absolutely no reason for the public funded multi channels. Stop buying programs in for ABC1 and move all of the local content from ABC2 over. SBS is the Special Broadcasting Service, for those who want news from ‘home’, in today’s Australia, seemingly more needed than ever. No, it’s not a ratings winner. But this latest push to try and make it a contender with the commercial networks is ill-fated and a waste of tax money, and a lavish misuse of the funds from their advertising revenues. Lets see if they actually acknowledge Chinese New Year with a film catalogue this year, or they ignore it with more 30 Rock and Parks and Rec reruns, or gosh-forbid Amelie again.

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