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MasterChef, The Voice pulling back episodes (blame COVID).

Networks forced to stretch TV seasons due to an array of production delays.

More scheduling changes are afoot as networks endeavour to factor production delays into their scheduling.

After next week MasterChef Australia will screen Sunday – Tuesdays for the remainder of the season.

Whilst this “stretches” out the season it is largely due to upcoming titles that have been affected by COVID-19 production shutdowns. All networks have seen their plans thrown into disarray and need to take a long view with their programming.

Nine also moves The Voice back from 3 to 2 nights in a similar move next week. Blind Auditions will conclude in mid-June as it then moves into Battles stage. Kath & Kim reruns will screen next Tuesday night.

Next week 10 premieres Celebrity Gogglebox USA at 8:40pm Thursday but here’s how things play out from there.

Wednesday 17
7:30pm Bondi Rescue new
8:00pm Bondi Rescue rpt
8:30pm Tommy (now premieres Wed 10)

Thursday 18
7:30pm Celebrity Gogglebox USA
8:30pm Law & Order: SVU new

Phew!

Updated.

22 Responses

  1. I believe the schedule is changing to Sunday eliminations (still), Monday mystery box, Tuesday immunity. Kinda makes sense because team challenges are difficult with social distancing (and pressure tests too I guess in terms of getting a pro chef to come in). Plus one elimination a week means they can stretch out the show and fill 10’s schedule in the place of other shows that had to halt production.

  2. I’m guessing no more masterclass then. I will miss it on wednesdays and thursdays. But in current times I understand why shows have to do this.

  3. Hill Street Blues would be another good one and from 9:30pm on they could do Oz, could do it as a nostalgia of “When TV Got Gritty” thing, or do a history of John Munch from Homicide: Life On The Street to The Wire and all up 10 different TV shows.

  4. what does this do to the run of the show each week? If the show was produced knowing it is four nights a week with the Sunday night being the elimination cook off, does that mean that now that could happen on a Monday night or Tuesday night if they’re no longer having four nights a week surely that’s going to make it difficult when Jock says “you’re playing for immunity from Sunday elimination cook” because after the first shorter week that’s no longer a necessarily gonna be the case?

    1. I would’t be surprised if this decision was made for Masterchef back in early April when they were filming so it’s possible the eliminations will still add up. Even if not– it would be really easy to edit the audio to remove references to particular days/episodes with immunity challenges, etc.

      Did anyone else feel that the past week of Masterchef (Top 11 cooking in heats, one person goes through to a final) could’ve been used as a replacement final if the show had to be closed down for a longer period of time? With some different audio it could’ve easily been a ‘rushed’ final, especially with how Thursday was a ‘mini-final’ in its style.

  5. Maybe Monday-Wednesday might be better for MasterChef…might give the new episode of Bondi Rescue a better lead in and not as many people are likely to watch on Sundays as there would be on Wednesdays.

  6. Speaking of Covid interruptions apparently Holey Moley is back on track. I wonder where it’s being filmed now (Melbourne or Sydney I would assume), the US clearly isn’t an option.

  7. I’ve always felt that the Australian version of MasterChef suffered from fatigue having episodes striped across the week. The US MasterChef is only two episodes a week and works really well in my opinion.

  8. was the format of MC changed due to covid? social distancing started and there has only been one elimination in the last 9 episodes. definitely feels like its slammed the brakes to drag the season out.

    I suppose its not like the staff of restaurant owners and tv production crew had much else to move onto.

    1. If we are going to have repeats then lets repeat the popular shows of 70s ,80,s and 90s!
      Put on shows like Love Boat, LA Law, or Aussie shows like Flying Doctors, The Sullivans, etc. What about all the great mini series we made like Bangkok Hilton and Bodyline? Shows we haven’t seen in ages!!! We don’t need more Bondi Rescue repeats or Kat and Kim that have been done to death

      1. Good idea, but I think the issue here is rights, like some of the Australian shows you cited such as The Sullivans are owned by WIN Corporation (which is the owner of 10’s regional affiliate WIN Television, and I think it has been brought up here is very tough to get the rights for those shows thanks to WIN). I don’t know who owns the rights to the US shows you cited such as The Love Boat or LA Law.

    2. I’d be curious to know when its finishing , it does feel a bit dragged out and we are nearly at episode 40 i think on Sunday night and 11 contestants still in play ,maybe the end of June.

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