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TEN confirms variety show scoops

Updated: Dancing with the Stars, Sunday Night Take Away & Celebrity Name Game hosts all confirmed.

Sunday newspapers have today confirmed TV Tonight‘s exclusive that Grant Denyer & Amanda Keller will host Dancing with the Stars.

The show is revived by TEN early next year, produced by Warner Bros. Studios Australia.

They have also confirmed Julia Morris and Dr. Chris Brown as hosts of a local version of Saturday Night Take Awayas reported exclusively by TV Tonight back in May.

They will front Sunday Night Take Away produced by ITV Studios Australia. The studio-audience show includes musical numbers, hidden camera pranks and prize giveaways.

“It’s not like anything else we’ve seen in this country,” Julia Morris tells Fairfax. “It’s feel-good stuff. I think we just want to sit down with family and friends and not watch nastiness any more.”

A planned attempt to stage the variety series by Seven in 2016 did not eventuate.

Grant Denyer will also host Celebrity Name Game, first reported last month.

In case you’ve lost track of TEN’s dance card here’s where we are at:

2018:
Game of Games Grant Denyer
Blind Date Julia Morris

2019:
I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Julia Morris & Chris Brown
Sunday Night Take Away Julia Morris & Chris Brown
Dancing with the Stars Grant Denyer & Amanda Keller
Celebrity Name Game Grant Denyer

Updated:

Network Ten Chief Content Officer, Beverley McGarvey, said: “Chris & Julia’s Sunday Night Takeaway with Chris Brown and Julia Morris will be an exciting addition to our Sunday night line-up. There is nothing like Chris & Julia’s Sunday Night Takeaway on Australian television. It is live and dangerously shiny family entertainment at its best.”

Julia Morris said: “I absolutely love Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and can’t believe my luck that I get to stand alongside my beloved Docteur and host our very own local version of the show.

“Takeaway is the ultimate combination of hilarious, exciting, heartwarming and completely nuts. The Docteur and I are a natural fit!”

Chris Brown added: “This is such an exciting and dynamic show to be a part of. But best of all, it’s got a massive heart that will deliver such a huge hit of warmth into Australian lounge rooms. Just like Takeaway should.

“Julia and I have forged such a delightfully unique and fun friendship in our jungle treehouse so the thought of bringing that to an Australian studio that isn’t a major lightning hazard is incredibly exciting.”

Chris & Julia’s Sunday Night Takeaway is an ITV Studios Global Entertainment format from the UK based on Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway which was created by hosts, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly. It has been airing on ITV since 2002, as well as being made locally in a further 10 countries including the US and Germany.

ITV Studios Australia CEO, David Mott, said: “Takeaway is simply the biggest global entertainment format around. The perfect marriage of Julia and Chris’ incredible talent, along with the format will be the ultimate variety show.

“Chris & Julia’s Sunday Night Takeaway is going to be the most fun night in you’ve ever had. Big fun, live and dangerous television is back.”

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Amanda Keller said: “I can’t wait to be part of the spangley madness that is Dancing With The Stars. Having been a terrified, uncoordinated contestant, it will be fun to lend a sympathetic ear and a spare sequin or two, to a new batch of amateur hoofers.

“My own brand of dancing failed to the impress all those years ago. Hopefully I’ll have more success this time around – off the dance floor.

“I’m so excited. And let’s face it, this is the only way I’m guaranteed to get to the grand finale.”

Grant Denyer said: “The worldwide success of Dancing With The Stars is simply phenomenal and the show has never been stronger, including a stunning 26 seasons in the US and now 15 in the UK. It’s such a much-loved show and it’s incredible to be part of its triumphant return here in Australia.

“This series will be much bigger, more glamourous and dazzling than ever. Australia has never seen dancing this spectacular. Get ready for something truly outstanding. I’m so happy I’m crying sequins down my fake tanned cheeks.”

Network Ten Chief Content Officer, Beverley McGarvey, said: “Dancing With The Stars is feel-good family fun and we are thrilled to have such an iconic series on TEN early next year.

“Amanda and Grant are firm favourites with viewers so we are delighted to have them together as co-hosts for the first time. They will bring all the glitz, glamour and fancy dance moves that viewers will expect – with a few laughs thrown in too.”

Warner Bros. Managing Director, Michael Brooks, said: “We are incredibly excited to partner with TEN and BBC Studios in what will be the most ambitious series of Dancing With The Stars to ever hit Australian TV screens. We’ve assembled a star-studded creative team with experience across the US, UK and Australian series of Dancing With The Stars. This will be a spectacular, must-see TV event in 2019.”

BBC Studios ANZ Managing Director, Jon Penn, said: “Australia was the first country to launch Dancing With The Stars outside the UK in 2004 and we’re delighted that TEN and Warner Bros. will be reinventing it for a fresh generation of fans.”

38 Responses

  1. I can see Dancing with the Stars working especially with CBS having the Franchise in the US, perhaps like I’m a Celeb we’ll get some US stars on the show as well. I can even imagine them doubling down, like say James Corden coming for it while also recording his Late, Late Show here, well maybe not him as I think he has dance experience, so maybe Colbert or someone.

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