0/5

Airdate: Carols by Candlelight 2016

Performing are Dami Im, Sheppard, Marina Prior, Anthony Callea, Hi-5 and Ol' 55.

Lisa Wilkinson & David Campbell will return to co-host the 79th Vision Australia Carols by Candlelight on Nine.

Live from the Sidney Myer Music Bowl it features a host of talent show graduates, crowd favourites, the first official public appearance by the new Hi-5, an a reunion by 70s rockers Ol ’55.

“This is my ninth year co-hosting Carols by Candlelight, which promises more outstanding performances and a few surprises this year to get Australians of all ages into the spirit of Christmas,” Wilkinson said.

“What better way to wrap up and finish 2016 than with a huge big bow, lots of tinsel, your loved ones by your side and Lisa and me, with our Carols family entertaining you while Father Christmas loads up the sleigh. I cannot wait to share Christmas Eve with everyone again,” Campbell added.

Internationally acclaimed singer Dami Im and indie-pop band Sheppard will join a star-studded lineup of artists making their Carols by Candlelight debut on Christmas Eve, including winner of The Voice 2016, Alfie Arcuri, and crooning trio The Koi Boys, in addition to Rohan Browne alongside his wife Christie Whelan-Browne – both stars of the stage and screen.

Returning Carols favourites include Anthony Callea, Tim Campbell, Kate Ceberano, Shane Jacobson, Lucy Durack, Marina Prior, Silvie Paladino, David Hobson, Denis Walter, Darren Percival, legally blind opera singer Michael Leonardi, plus Ol’55, who will be returning to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

 

Carols by Candlelight is Vision Australia’s biggest fundraiser, with 100 per cent of profits from ticket sales going towards services for children who are blind or have low vision. This year Vision Australia has one ultimate mission for Carols by Candlelight – to raise one million dollars in one Christmas.

8.00pm Saturday, December 24 on Nine.

9 Responses

  1. It’s all a bit same-old, same-old … they could re-run the same ones each year and most people wouldn’t notice, although I agree that the Melbourne show is way better than the Sydney offerings. It has a little more class.

  2. A staple every year for me…I watch it on Christmas eve and again on Christmas day…
    Returning Carols favourites….happy to see most of those names…..

  3. It’s kind of crap that networks are running down their coverage of local carols in favour of national broadcasts from Sydney or Melbourne. Shows how much they “care”…

    Nine’s ‘coverage’ this year of the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols was a joke. Sure, in the past we mostly snarked at them – who can forget the year the Dreamworld Dancers included a sniper in their “12 Days of Christmas” spot? – but at least there used to be more than a token hour hosted from somewhere else…

    1. The problem with the Brisbane Carols, between 2006-2014: was that the people calling the shots for the event (inc. telecast, and even what carols were sung) weren’t the broadcasters: but the organizers (who was a BNE Baptist church until 2014’s event, who probably saw offering a telecast as a community service), which led to the instance of 2014’s telecast (the first run with the “Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols” name since Seven dropped the telecast in the early 00’s) actually not include Santa Claus on the broadcast.

      BNE Carols heyday was when Seven had the rights to it in the 90’s: able to attract top tier, recognizable talent back then.

      As for Melbourne: I hope Humphrey comes back unannounced, and gets a louder cheer than the “new and improved HI-5″… just like 2009.

Leave a Reply