The Project: July 3 – 8

Next week The Project commemorates NAIDOC Week with special co-hosts Casey Donovan, Aaron Fa’aoso, Mitch Tambo, Tony Armstrong and Ben Abbatalengo.

Multi award-winning Welshman, Taron Egerton returns to our screens with the release of crime drama series, Black Bird. Inspired by actual events, Egerton plays Jimmy Keane, a high school football hero who is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum-security prison. He is given the choice of a lifetime — enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend suspected serial killer, Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) or stay where he is and serve his full sentence with no possibility of parole. This dramatic and captivating story is based on a book written by acclaimed crime novelist, Dennis Lehane. Hamish Macdonald speaks with The Rocket Man star Sunday night before Black Bird premieres globally on Friday, 8 July exclusively on Apple TV+.

On Tuesday, it’s time to wind back the clock to the swinging 60s when we are joined by actor, musician, theatre star and fiancé to our very own Georgie Tunny, Rob Mills. Rob stars in the fabulous new production, Hairspray, which is based on the original Broadway production that won eight Tony Awards. The original, big-hearted musical opens in Melbourne in August with a superb cast including Rhonda Burchmore, Todd McKenney and Shane Jacobsen who plays Edna Turnblad.

British award-winning, multi-platinum singer, songwriter and guitarist, James Bay is back with the release of his highly anticipated third album, Leap, releasing Friday, 8 July. James first burst onto the music scene with the release of his debut album, Chaos And The Calm, and followed up with the highly successful second album, Let It Go. The Chasing Stars singer has since achieved over seven billion total artist streams to date. James joins us for a chat on Wednesday live from London.

Also next week, we mark the launch of Pilot Showcase, featuring six brand new and unique local pilots premiering on Monday, 4 July exclusive to 10 Play. On Tuesday, we are joined by comedian Gen Fricker, host of Time To Die, a devious and down-right evil challenge that dares two comedians to write the worst possible stand-up set for each other to perform in front of an unwitting live audience. Taking on the dare in this exciting new pilot is comedian Tom Cashman who joins Gen at the desk.

Joining us live from London on Thursday is the effervescent Courtney Act to chat about her pilot, Courtney’s Closet, an intimate interview format where Courtney transforms her guest into a drag persona befitting of their personal journey, while teasing out their life story, culminating in a stunning reveal.

Sunday to Friday, 6.30pm on 10.