Executive Producer departs I’m a Celebrity before production wraps
Exclusive: ITV Australia asks renowned producer to return to Australia in the show's biggest surprise eviction.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News, Top Stories
EXCLUSIVE: Renowned producer Peter Abbott has departed TEN’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! in South Africa at the request of production company ITV Australia.
Abbott, who boasts extensive television production credits including Big Brother (for which he was the original ‘voice’), Dancing with the Stars and Top Gear Australia, was hired by ITV Australia in a major coup, along with co-executive producer Lara Hopkins.
Earlier this week ITV Australia asked him to leave the show, two weeks short of its finale, in mysterious circumstances.
TV Tonight understands those reasons were not related to the quality of work nor any workplace relations. Insiders say there were no significant disputes in the lead-up to his exit, but noted “too many cooks” behind the scenes.
It also isn’t clear if ITV, which has a long history of producing the UK production, decided to steer the show internally.
Anita Jacoby, managing director of ITV Studios Australia, told TV Tonight, “Peter (Abbott) was instrumental in setting up the framework for the series, for casting, liaising with celebrities and for shaping post-production. As we are heading toward the end of production, his role on the show has been completed. Peter has done a great job as one of the key architects of the first Australian season of the show.”
The show is currently being produced by Ben Ulm, ITV Australia Director of Content and Executive Producer Lara Hopkins. Former Nine executive producer Karen Dewey, who recently joined the production in South Africa is also back in Australia, in unrelated circumstances.
One source told TV Tonight, “Why would you do that to Peter Abbott? Why would you make him walk the plank?”
Network TEN execs are also understood to be very disappointed in the turn of events of its flagship show. The multi-million dollar production has enjoyed plenty of publicity with a strong response for hosts Julia Morris and Chris Brown. It has lifted TEN’s timeslot share year on year, but drawn upon simulcast audiences in a bid to remain competitive against My Kitchen Rules and The Block.
Next week multiple evictions are looming ahead of its finale on Sunday March 15th.
But the biggest eviction of all was one nobody saw coming.
Peter Abbott declined to comment.
46 Responses
“strong response for hosts Julia Morris and Chris Brown” Yes, my strong response is: Tone it down Julia! You’re getting on my nerves. If the ‘flirting’ was reversed people would scream ‘sexual assault’.
Yes, it does get on the nerves after a while. Playing on the coquettish double-entendre is often very overdone on Aussie television. I think they should have made more of Chris and Flintoff. Set them up with a challenge, pull Chrissie into the host role and drop Chris in with the group for the span of the challenge. ‘Hear’ what has excited your audience and leverage that to your advantage. I feel networks miss opportunities presented to them far too often. Audience feedback is gold in my terms.
Very strange evicting the EP just 2 weeks before wrapping. Sends out very confusing messages…and then the case of flying in another EP who had just left Channel 9…and then she flies out as well. I’d sure like to see their airfares bill on this little African adventure.
Too many cooks ? Throwing more and more highly paid people at a problem is often a sign of desperation. Was it all worth it ? Perhaps a slice of Queensland ” jungle ” next time would be more affordable to the production line and all the business class airfares won’t be as onerous to the bottom line….
Former Nine EP is unrelated, I believe those dates were pre-arranged. I only mentioned her as background context given it would have been an obvious question as to who was remaining in senior roles.
As far as I know, Phil Cullen is still there as Supervising Producer. From my reading of your article David, “too many cooks” is possibly the key to Peter’s departure. With a network EP, multiple ITV visiting management & EPs and an MD (who’s a highly accomplished producer in her own right) to report upwards to, maybe he found himself sidelined a few too many times and he may have taken a “my way or the highway” attitude – an offer which may have been accepted by ITV, anxious for a series 2 option take up by TEN. Just conjecture of course.
I also think somewhere in Aussie would have been far better…for all sorts of reasons. The African element kicked in far too late in the series. However, the news.com.au journo who is there as a guest of TEN’s for the whole series. From what I have seen to date, he offers one piece a week. Is that good use of budget given their airfares, accommodation et al? That kind of spending is simply unwise and I wonder how it really can be justified. There does seem to be a lot of overblown spending here and there. SAfrica offers cheap production crews and facilities hence it being used by ITV/BBC in place of the Caribbean. So, that choice may have been understandable but other wastage seems more than odd.
Have to say this is probably my best show on tv atm, I don’t watch MKR (no thanks) but have watched The Block in the past. Chris & Julia are great together great connection, ok Julia may sometimes go overboard and not be serious most times but that’s ok you can see that she’s happy and having fun and is doing a great job, I think this show will be back next year!
I’ve never watched it. It’s ‘7.30’ in our house which probably helped the ABC beat ‘Celebrity’ in the OzTam ratings as reported this week.
The need to locate a scapegoat following on from a major loss (of some type) is of concern. Sure, there is the executive producer but on shows like this is there, when all is said and done, any real or singular final decision maker? Network producers and producers-for-hire can have very different views about what should be done and when. I bet many readers of TV Tonight would nod at the suggestion that sometimes networks insist on a plan F even though the exec producer is arguing for plan A..or A with amendments. That’s not to say that the networks are the bad guys in the chorus either. Sure, an exec producer may have to accept making some wrong decisions but, there are often three or four very experienced and senior people at work who are being barracked along to perform by another three or four experienced people. In other words, the whole team should maturely take the dive and…
I’ve said it before but….I reckon it will be back because TEN simply have nothing else to replace it with. It’s been going quite well even with the simulcasting. What I don’t understand is why they wouldn’t be extending it for a few more weeks (so there’s less of a gap between MC launching) or was 6 weeks a fixed contract?
I’m a Celeb in the UK is only 3 weeks long, and has lots of arguments and aggro in it.
Maybe Peter Abbott doing it in a more relaxed style with the celebs generally getting on wasn’t to their liking.
Along with other commenters here, I want to add my love for IAC too. I honestly can’t remember the last show I enjoyed this much. The pairing of Chris and Julia was a genius piece of casting. They have provided so many genuinely LOL moments in my household and they have great chemistry. I think the casting of the celebs was also a good mix. I sincerely hope that there will be a 2nd series next year.
Same here.
I’m so enjoying IAC and the great mix of celebs.
Yes, really hope it returns for a second season….so many D grade “celebs” to choose from but would be good to get at least a couple of A grade celebs involved next time if they’re brave enough.
It just doesn’t feel like something that would happen ‘just because’
This isn’t the first ‘elimination’ for this show that’s been a shock to the audience. Julie Goodwin overtaking Andrew Daddo in popularity in one week? Would be interesting to see if she is the next to go.
Yeah, I didn’t get how Andrew went when he was so loved and Julie getting more votes then him either.
Anyway, maybe Peter is going so he can help set up Big Brother again for 10?
I know a lot of people are giving a lot of hate towards channel 10 for IAC but just hold on!
When channel 10 scheduled this show against MKR and the block, they thought they were offering different content. Not every Australian likes MKR or the block so IAC offered a difference.
Now, no show, no matter how good it is, can win against MKR. Look at the block. In 2014 during the block’s second season of the year, it was rating 1mill+ but now against MKR it can do between 700-900k. Are you saying channel 9 are stupid for putting the block against MKR too?
if you compare the ratings IAC is getting now to what The Biggest Loser was getting, at the same time last year, you’ll see the IAC is doing far better and is getting channel 10 off to a good start of the year.
i adore IAC so much and think it’s doing very well in the demos and will most likely come back for a second…
TEN should not be criticised for trying to be competitive. Networks have done it for years.
I gave up on Im a Celeb weeks ago. Ch 10 once again do not learn from their mistakes and I no longer have sympathy for them. This would have made a fabulous 30 min show at 7pm, without the competition of MKR or the Block but instead 10 once again thought dragging out very little content into 690 minute daily episodes would draw in viewers. Surprise surprise, it didn’t. Watching people lie around talking really isnt that interesting, hence Big Brother not returning this year.
They could have even had The Project doing a special broadcast from the IAC site for the first week to promote the show – that would have been fabulous. But no, 10 think they can compete with massive shows on other networks by offerting a substandard product in a competing timeslot. I used to feel sorry for 10,I no longer do.
My favorite show this year. I really hope there is another series next year. Julia and Chris are great together. Just hope they get some a and b grade celebs next year instead of the c and d grade this year. Although I love chrissie and maureen!
I think they should stick with the c and d level celebs….even a few randoms like one or 2 of the cast from the shire ans as previous suggestions of Corey Worthington and the chk chk boom girl…..gotta mix it up witha few not so famous folk
I would not put someone like Worthington in. Many Australians dislike such people who become ostensibly someone via a bad deed. Why does out society always reward such people? Is it because negative people are truly that much more interesting than positive and achieving people? How about young person of the year go, rather than a Worthington? Or do we sit on our seats more interested in a train wreck about to happen than the potential of someone just doing it well (like Maureen has). I think the honest answer – unfortunately – to that last question is largely yes. But I do think audiences are changing.
You’ve missed the point of the show. The Celebs are C-D graders who think they’re somebodies. Most need the cash. No A lister is going to sign on for 6 weeks when they can make a million bucks for simply getting out of bed.
I think Ten stuffed it up by putting it up against MKR and The Block.
Having said that – its done quite well in the demos and some nights beat the Block.
Depending on the cost vs return analysis – I don’t think we’ll see a second series of IACGMOOH.
It’s a shame cos there was a lot of good things about it – just the scheduling and some dubious production problems that stuffed it up.
Hmmm – tell me again who was in charge of production and has now left the show?
All the raving about what a genius Peter Abbott is must be questioned.
I remember all the superlatives and millions of dollars being splashed at another production guru a few years ago. Anyone remember Adam Boland?
p.s. I’ve enjoyed the show. Its the sort of show you can watch with your brain parked in neutral.
why would they go to the hassle of letting him go just 2 weeks out of the final? What’s the point?
Too many stunts, too soon. They didn’t need double evictions and so many intruders.
You’ve clearly never seen the UK production, have you?
I thought Abbott survived the spill motion
Peter Abbott is so well respected in the industry. Why would you rock the boat two weeks out from completion? ‘His role on the show has been completed’?! Hilarious! There are two words the MD really should familiarise herself with – ‘no comment’. I wonder how Ten feel about this. Seriously.
So David.. ya think Ten got there 17 Million dollars worth ??
Don’t believe figures have ever been confirmed.
Could be lots of reasons. There could have been a personality conflict, they may have something else they need him for and S1 is mapped out, or it could be stress leave.
My understanding is no, no and no.
Loving these exclusives David. While you are breaking these stories News Corp journos are writing their daily fluff pieces on the show. This is why you’re the best.
Yep..agree
I’ve really enjoyed watching I’m a Celebrity, a pity ch 10 put it up against Kitchen Rules & Block. It never had a chance against them. When will they learn? They should have either waited till they finished or put it on a later time slot.
If Ten didn’t put it up against MKR and The Block its schedule would have been dire. I’m A Celeb has beaten The Block on several occasions and has drastically improved Ten’s position from the same time last year. Ten’s finally making some traction. Good on Ten for investing in new content. Here’s hoping I’m A Celeb, Shark Tank and Gogglebox continue to grow and are renewed for 2016 and Big Brother returns home to Ten.
Later…in the day or in the year? If it was later in the day, due to time differences, that wouldn’t have been possible. With the way the recording schedule for the day would have played out, I doubt they would have been able to run the live part of the show later.
Once Peter Abbott left Big Brother, it went to poo. It will be I’m A Celeb’s great loss without him.
This is Big Brother, Peter, to the diary room…
Like sands through the hour glass….waiting for the next installment…thanks DK
“I’m a scapegoat…get me out of here!”
Considering the fast turn around of content and pressure for entertaining “live segments”, the output has been fun. The chemistry between Julia & Chris has been gold. The only thing I would change is a “trimming” of episodes to make it more polished. Otherwise, a massive production effort…well done Ten!!
They can easily save 10-15 minutes of the broadcast time by not continually showing what is coming up next after the break or something that will eventually be shown an hour later. That to me is the most annoying part of the show, just like how it is with the other reality shows. There is no need to try to keep viewers hooked in, especially when the run the same thing three or more times during the broadcast.
Shows do this so you know whats coming up later on, so you don’t switch to another channel during ad breaks. Sunrise and Today both do it so you stay watching their program
Umm, every show ever does this. Why would IAC be any different?