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“I think they live in a television bubble”

Another presenter takes aim at Seven brass, after being let go from show last year.

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Former Better Homes & Gardens presenter Jason Hodges has described his surprise sacking after 15 years as a “kick in the guts.”

Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle, Hodges said “I just didn’t see it coming.

“I know it’s television and I know people lose their jobs, I know shows finish but I just didn’t see it coming.”

Hodges was let go from the show late last year, telling media at the time he was “absolutely gutted.”

Now he has said nobody in Seven’s senior ranks had reached out to him and taken aim at execs.

“I think that television networks don’t do the market research that they should and especially in this decision… [the Channel Seven execs are] trying to attract a younger audience that doesn’t exist [because] your average 25-year-old doesn’t watch Better Homes and Gardens,” he said.

“[Seven execs] invested 20 years in me and then got rid of me. I think they live in a television bubble where they think that ‘shiny’ replaces ‘authentic’,” he adds.

“He added, “I have nothing but the best memories of the people I was with and the things I got to see and I will never ever let that go.

“But losing my job, it hurt me because I loved my job and I was doing it to the best of my ability and it was a kick in the guts but that’s not going to change my opinion of the people I worked with or what I managed to achieve,” he adds.

15 Responses

  1. even pre internet ‘young people’ didn’t watch these sort of shows, so what makes anyone in their right mind think they would now?? In my 20’s I remember thinking anyone who watched gardening/lifestyle shows must be losers with no life lol.

  2. I loved Jason when he was on BH&G, would have rathered him stay on and he was a very loveable presenter. Hopefully we’ll see him again, either as a guest on 7 or on another network presenting a different show.

  3. Channel 7 are hardly going for the youth market with Charlie Albone – apparently he’s pushing 40, only 5 or 6 years behind Jason. Interesting choice by BH&G, Charlie certainly doesn’t make me want to watch it mor or less.

    David, surely you could have been kinder with the photo you chose of Jason? 🙂

  4. I hope someone else (Gardening Australia? The Living Room? ) picks him up!
    After they got rid of Rob, I only watched (occasionally) because of Jason.
    I don’t like the replacements at all.
    So, I won’t be watching at all.

  5. Channel 7 is losing to Nine and losing buckets of money. Nobody likes to lose their job but 300,000 people are made redundant every year. 300,000+ get a job.

  6. He hits the nail perfectly. People in the younger age group don’t watch these programs – in fact this age group doesn’t watch free to air tv live, period. Seven are living in a fantasy land if they think dramatic reality trying to capture your MAFS and Love Islands is going to save them. ABC & SBS champion local drama/comedy, ensuring their stability, 10 is repairing its image with it’s CBS backing, and Nine is riding off MAFS and some solid programming decision.

    1. Dr. Harry being replaced with a 21 year old blonde female vet assistant, part time model/influencer – but it will be spun that it was his own decision given his age.

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