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Audiences ready for something new, says 10.

10 is gambling on 4 new shows offering something different to audiences in the second half of 2022.

EXCLUSIVE:

As 2022 moves into the second half of the year, 10 is gambling big on new formats to entice viewers.

Hunted, Shaun Micallef’s Brain Eisteddfod, Traitors and The Real Love Boat are all new shows that will join returning titles such as The Masked Singer, The Bachelor.

“The way audiences are tracking this year, I feel like audiences are really ready for something that feels properly new,” said Beverley McGarvey executive vice president and chief content officer of Paramount Australia and New Zealand.

“When you watch Hunted, what you get is the excitement of an action movie. It is hold-your-breath exciting. Even with big, phenomenal challenges that we have in shows like Survivor are really exciting but they’re five minutes long. These people could be on the run for eight episodes and they’re nearly caught. So it has that energy and excitement that you normally don’t get in a TV series.”

Participants are pursued throughout Victoria, not allowed to stay in the same spot for 24 hours, and chased by hunters who have access to their bank accounts and phones.

It will be joined later this month by Shaun Micallef’s Brain Eisteddfod, testing Year 11 students on their knowledge.

“One of the things we really liked was that they’re 17, they aren’t cynical yet …but they’re not kids. So they’re really smart and articulate. It’s not like they’re ten. So we’re really excited about that. Shaun’s funny, the show is smart, and it’s different.”

Filming is also underway in Robertson in the NSW Southern Highlands on whodunnit Traitors, with host Rodger Corser.

Traitors has a Downton Abbey-esque vibe of the set. If you know games like Mafia, or Cluedo if you’re older, there’s a murder mystery but again, the format is unlike other formats. There’s ‘beats’ built into the format that you normally don’t see. And because it’s in a country manor, it looks really different. It has that country house vibe, and the people, the participants are amazing. There’s some super, super interesting people that you normally don’t see on reality shows. They’re the type of people that I imagined do Sudoku and crossword puzzles, they’re super clever.

“Effectively there are traitors and in the middle of the night you could be ‘murdered’ or you get up the next morning, come to breakfast and somebody doesn’t turn up for breakfast. So it’s very Agatha Christie. So we’re really excited to be putting content on the back of the year, along with The Real Love Boat that is properly different.”

The Real Love Boat, hosted by Darren McMullen, sees singles sail the Mediterranean looking to find their perfect match.

The Real Love Boat definitely has that happily ever after ambition. But it’s so fun. You know the iconography of the original show, but also, we’re in Santorini, Barcelona -you couldn’t have a bad day in Venice. We want to play it for fun and aspiration.”

The cast also features Cruise Director Hannah Ferrier, Head of Entertainment Daniel Doody, and Princess Cruises’ Captain Paolo Arrigo and is one of two versions being filmed by Paramount globally.

“CBS are also shooting, which is important as well for us as a business. The cruise ship does a one month tour of the Mediterranean, and then the CBS team come on, and they take over and they do one month,” said McGarvey.

“We have our own production team and our own talent but the same crew, and then their production team and their talent.”

Hunted premieres 7:30pm Sunday July 17 on 10.
Shaun Micallef’s Brain Eisteddfod 7:30pm Wednesday July 20 on 10.

17 Responses

  1. Congrats to the TEN network for trying something different. I will have a look at them all. I had a look at the Pilot week shows. I will have to go back and have a second look, as I have not made any decision.

    1. Agree – at least trying a few different things which is great. Not all will work of course and that’s the nature of the business.
      The real weak spots remain (to this viewer) the weakest of mid-evenings Fri and Sat most weeks when after circa 8.30pm tend to be stacks of repeats.
      Having a marquee sport or two might help (with the weekends issues, too) if they can get the numbers to stack up and win some of the rights to, notably, the next cycle of AFL footy. I think the Melbourne Cup deal for about four days of top racing for serious dollars remains questionable and I’d be very surprised if this doesn’t revert to Seven at the end of the current cycle – think its year 3 or 4 of a 5 year deal. Jury’s also out in my opinion on the Ten/Paramount+ soccer acquisition… however that feels like more of a long-term proposition and might yet work out OK. If the Socceroos have a decent World Cup come Nov (on SBS here) that’s likely to give the round ball game here a decent boost.

  2. Yes, audiences are ready for something new, but they’re not going to find it here. The Real Love Boat? Really? And if Hunted is just like watching an action thriller, why not just commission a good, scripted action-oriented TV show?

  3. Think Ten would do well to bring back a new version of Brian Nankervis’ Pictures of You, it’s been 10 years since it’s one season was on Seven and it was quite a nice little show. It’d be a good on after The Dog House Australia on Thursday’s I feel and be a fit for Ten like Have You Been Paying attention and The Cheap Seats are.

  4. I’m definitely in for Hunted and Brain Eisteddfod (expect countless variations of that spelling in commentary moving forward). Good on 10 for mixing it up.

  5. Really looking forward to watching all four of these shows, plus The Masked Singer & TAR Australia!

    What’s happened to The Challenge: Australia? The American version is currently airing on CBS…

    1. It hasn’t started filming yet although there are some rumors floating around about who’s invited. Should film next month, roughly the same time as the next Australian Survivor.

  6. I feel Bev lives by the motto of doing 100% of shows at 80% effort instead of reducing the output to 80% and ensuring 100% effort.

    For example the length as well as editing of Would I Lie To You made it an 80% product and the ratings reflected that it didn’t appeal to viewers. The Pilot Showcase is yet another example of concepts of show completely mismanaged.

    Here’s hoping 10 have the Brains to find Real Love with the audience and not be Traitors!

    1. Most commercial networks push 30 min panel shows to 60 mins because it means they don’t have to commission another. ABC sticks to less, although some are pushing to 40 mins. Pilots would have been good on air, but maybe they are planning that for later. During Comm games would be an alternative. I think it’s good 10 is offering some new ideas. You have to take a few risks to find new hits.

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