2023 Upfronts: Seven network

• New: Australian Idol live, Blow Up, Million Dollar Island,
• New: Jim Jeffries to host The 1% Club
• New: sketch comedy We Interrupt this Broadcast
• Drama: The Claremont Murders, RFDS, Home & Away
• Women’s FIFA World Cup
• TV Week Logie Awards
• Returning: The Voice, MKR, Big Brother, SAS Australia, Farmer wants a Wife, Kitchen Nightmares
• New channel: 7Bravo with NBCU deal

“Live TV is back!” Seven CEO James Warburton has declared as Australian Idol returns to television with profile judges Harry Connick Jr, Meghan Trainor, Kyle Sandilands and Amy Shark in 2023.

Seven unveiled its 2023 Upfronts at an event at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter this afternoon with a mix of entertainment, reality, drama, comedy, sport and news.

Delayed by two years due to the pandemic, Seven’s rebooted Idol takes on Nine’s Married at First Sight in 2023 while The Voice returns later in the year.

Angus Ross, Seven’s Chief Content Officer, Entertainment Programming, added, “Given the structure of Idol, you’re actually going to see a lot more of the singers. That cliche of the ‘journey’ is back with Idol. Week to week, you’re going to see more of these people.”

American Idol was relaunched by ABC in 2018, which is Ross observes, “It’s now ABC’s biggest demo 18- 49 show. It’s bigger than Grey’s Anatomy. So it’s a huge weapon for them and we’re hoping for similar things here.”

Shooting of auditions is currently underway, with Live shows expected from February.

Newly-announced today was a new sketch comedy We Interrupt this Broadcast, which “takes the piss” out of entertainment shows from all quarters with a cast including Christie Whelan Browne, Bridie Connell, Michelle Brasier, Adele Vuko, Duncan Fellows, Greg Larsen, Ben Russell and Bjorn Stewart.

“In a world where there’s there’s stripped reality there’s opportunity and you can see it quite consistently with shows like The Front Bar or even some of our competitors’ comedies. People quite consistently are looking for a laugh, a weekly appointment with feel-good,” said Warburton.

Aussie Jim Jefferies will host  The 1% Club, based on a UK format in which 100 contestants are whittled down to 2, where the winner must correctly answer a question only 1% of the country would get right.

“It’s a comedy quiz, great play-along. Jim Jeffries is fantastic. And again, it’s an alternative to that stripped reality that’s everywhere at the moment. We’re trying something new,” said Ross.

Also newly-announced are true crime documentary series Con Girl and observational series Animals Aboard With Dr Harry in which animals are transported from quarantine to owners. Previously-announced reality shows include Million Dollar Island and balloon competition show Blow Up.

A brand new channel, 7Bravo, will launch on January 15 through a new deal with NBCU. The female-skewing channel will include reality titles Below Deck Down Under, The Real Housewives, Oxygen true crime, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Judge Jerry, and Live From E! 

Other NBCU content includes the Quantum Leap sequel and Lopez vs. Lopez, both on Seven, and library titles on 7plus.

As yet there is no announcement of Seven partnering with NBCU for a subscription platform such as Peacock.

“It hasn’t obviously come to fruition with NBCU but this relationship, between Seven and NBCU, certainly hasn’t harmed the prospect. We’ve consistently said we want to be with the right partner, and there’s only a handful of partners we would work with in a global powerhouse with content. I certainly think this relationship will bring us closer again, and I think that opportunity remains open. But not for now,”James Warburton told TV Tonight.

In Drama Seven has the two-part series The Claremont Murders with cast including Ryan Johnson, Kate Ritchie, Catherine Văn-Davies, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, Tasma Walton Joel Jackson and Erik Thomson. RFDS is also back mid year with a full cast returning.

Big Brother adopts a “House of Love” theme, Natalie Gruzlewski and Samantha Armytage return for Farmer Wants a Wife, The Voice coaches are yet to be confirmed, SAS Australia will head to a Middle East desert location, two This is Your Life specials profile Rebecca Gibney and Tina Arena, and there are returns for MKR and Kitchen Nightmares Australia.

Seven also has its first Logie Awards presentation since 1995 – a location is yet to be confirmed.

AGT and Dancing with the Stars are yet to be confirmed, while Apartment Rules -originally announced for 2022- remains in development. Also absent were Homicide with Ron Iddles and any Hey Hey it’s Saturday specials.

New:

Australian Idol
After a long absence and some COVID-related delays, the original international star-making phenomenon is back, coming to Channel 7 and 7plus in 2023. The all-new Australian Idol will travel the country searching for wannabe stars, with massive live episodes and results shows as the competition heats up. Helping unearth the next idol to take Australia by storm will be celebrated American Idol judge and multiple Grammy award-winner Harry Connick Jr; powerhouse Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor; unfiltered and unapologetic top-rating broadcaster Kyle Sandilands; and beloved eight-time ARIA Award-winning singer-songwriter Amy Shark – plus original Australian Idol judge Marcia Hines in a special guest role. The unmissable new series will be hosted by Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie, and produced by Eureka Productions for the Seven Network.

Blow Up
Fresh for Channel 7 and 7plus in 2023, Blow Up is a spectacular, one-of-a-kind competition that is sure to leave the nation holding its breath. Hosted by acclaimed actor Stephen Curry and comedian Becky Lucas, alongside resident balloon expert Chris Adamo and a host of celebrity guest judges, Blow Up will see the nation’s greatest balloon artists, decorators and twisters go head-to-head across a variety of challenges to turn ordinary balloons into extraordinary works of art. Blow Up has the wow factor, heart and humour to captivate families across the nation as they discover the astounding world of balloon artistry. This compelling series will take viewers into a brilliant new world bursting with joy, fun and supersized balloon sculptures that must be seen to be believed. From fire breathing dragons, prehistoric dinosaurs, couture fashion, circus acts and even full-size race cars, their creations will completely change the perception of the humble balloon. Blow Up is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay company) for the Seven Network.

Million Dollar Island
Hosted by Ant Middleton, the Australian version of the world’s most exciting new format, Million Dollar Island, is coming to Channel 7 and 7plus next year. A revolutionary social experiment, Million Dollar Island is a ground-breaking concept in which 100 ordinary people try to stay on a remote island, vying for a chance to win $1 million. It was co-developed by John de Mol, the creative genius behind Big Brother and The Voice. But braving harsh conditions with limited means is not the only challenge on an island full of mystery, surprise, hardships and rewards. Each contestant starts the adventure with a wristband worth $10,000. While they are on the island, contestants can gain and lose wristbands by competing in various games. In the end, a nail-biting final game determines who walks away with a life-changing prize. Million Dollar Island is a format created by Talpa Concepts together with Monday Media and distributed by Talpa Distribution. The series is produced by Eureka Productions for the Seven Network.

The Claremont Murders
The disappearance of three young women in Perth in the late 1990s launched a 25-year investigation by the police and one tenacious journalist, all determined to seek justice. From the creatives behind Seven’s compelling drama Catching Milat, this remarkable mini-series stars Ryan Johnson (How To Please A Woman, Doctor Doctor), Catherine Văn-Davies (The Twelve, Barons), Aaron Glenane (Shantaram, Snowpiercer), Laura Gordon (Undertow, Late Night With The Devil), Andrea Demetriades (Pulse, Janet King), Craig Hall (Boy directed by Taika Waititi, and Peter Jackson’s King Kong), Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (Underbelly Razor, Puberty Blues), Tasma Walton (Mystery Road, How To Please A Woman), Joel Jackson (Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door, Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries), Tom O’Sullivan (Molly, Alien: Covenant), Dalip Sondhi (Pulse, Frayed), Erik Thomson (How To Please A Woman, Aftertaste), and actor, radio host and author Kate Ritchie (Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities, Home and Away). The Claremont Murders is produced by Screentime (a Banijay company) for the Seven Network, with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Seven and See Pictures, with finance from Screenwest and Screen NSW.

The 1% Club
A game show like no other, The 1% Club is already a runaway hit in the UK and an all-new Australian version will arrive on Channel 7 and 7plus in 2023. People of all ages and backgrounds can be part of The 1% Club because, unlike most quizzes, they don’t need to brush up on general knowledge to do well. All they need is logic and common sense. One hundred contestants begin every show, but to make it to the end and win the top prize, contestants must correctly answer a question only 1% of the country would get right. The show starts by asking a question that 90% of the country got right (based on a sample of answers given by people across Australia) and then goes on to ask questions that smaller and smaller percentages answered correctly. Hosted by acclaimed Australian comedian, actor and writer, Jim Jefferies, star of the FX sitcom Legit and Comedy Central’s The Jim Jefferies Show, The 1% Club is produced by BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand for the Seven Network.

We Interrupt This Broadcast
Get ready, Australia. We Interrupt This Broadcast is a long-overdue comedy series that makes fun of Australia’s favourite (and least favourite) shows. As the world grows ever more self-serious, We Interrupt This Broadcast promises to reboot and revitalise a long-standing and near forgotten Australian tradition: taking the piss out of everything, including ourselves! With our televisions, computers and phones creating the white noise we now call content, there’s no shortage of stuff for this irreverent, accessible and occasionally absurd series to lampoon. Showcasing some of Australia’s most versatile comedy talents, including Christie Whelan Browne, Bridie Connell, Michelle Brasier, Adele Vuko, Duncan Fellows, Greg Larsen, Ben Russell and Bjorn Stewart, We Interrupt This Broadcast is produced by Helium for the Seven Network.

Con Girl
In 2011, Russian gymnast Emily Sciberras tells her new best friend that her entire family has been killed in a murder-suicide, including her 15-year-old twin sister. In 2013, a distressed teenage girl with no name is found on the streets of Dublin after escaping a human trafficking ring. She is so traumatised she is unable to speak. In 2014, Aurora Hepburn, 14, appears at a clinic in Canada after escaping a terrifying kidnapper. What do these women and their chilling stories have in common? They are all fake identities, convincingly created by one Australian woman – Samantha Azzopardi – a serial con-artist who has amassed more than 75 aliases and repeatedly deceived her victims and authorities around the globe. In this gripping limited documentary series, crossing three continents and built around the world exclusive eyewitness accounts of her victims, viewers are taken on an intriguing quest to find out who is the real Samantha Azzopardi? Con Girl is produced by CJZ Productions for the Seven Network.

Animals Aboard With Dr Harry
Hosted by Dr Harry Cooper, this warm-hearted, feel-good factual entertainment series explores fascinating stories of animals in transit around the globe. Just like humans, they travel for work, play, medical reasons, or family reunions, and each has an incredible tale to tell. Unique access to one of the world’s largest animal travel agencies allows us to follow the excitement, from quarantine centres to the belly of cargo planes, in a unique and entertaining way, ensuring that viewers are right there with our travellers on their personalised journey. Animals Aboard With Dr Harry is produced by Beyond Entertainment for the Seven Network.

Returning: 

The Voice
Australia’s #1 entertainment show returns to Channel 7 and 7plus in 2023 with host Sonia Kruger and our superstar judges. The 2022 series delivered a national total TV audience of 1.4 million, won its timeslot, pulled at least one million viewers per episode, and was Seven’s biggest show on broadcast and 7plus. The Voice is produced by ITV Studios Australia for the Seven Network.

Farmer Wants A Wife
Australia’s most-loved dating show will be back in 2023, with Natalie Gruzlewski and Samantha Armytage helping a new batch of farmers looking for love in all the right places. And the babies of Farmers past make a special appearance. With a national total TV audience this year of 1.05 million, the nation’s favourite bush fairy tale is a popular and enduring success. Farmer Wants A Wife is a Fremantle Australia and Eureka Productions co-production for the Seven Network.

Home and Away
Next year promises to be another unmissable year in Summer Bay, with the lives and loves of Australia’s most iconic beachside community thrown into turmoil in the wake of a tragedy that will send shockwaves throughout the Bay. The high-octane season return will see new arrivals and surprise faces from the past set to shake things up. About one million Australians watch every episode of this iconic television series on broadcast and digital, a testament to its enduring appeal. Don’t miss a second of the sizzling hot drama when Home and Away returns to Channel 7 and 7plus in 2023. Home and Away is a Seven Production.

RFDS
The #1 new Australian drama of 2021 with a national total TV audience of 1.09 million, RFDS will take flight for a second season next year, starring Emma Hamilton, Stephen Peacocke, Rob Collins, Justine Clarke, Ash Ricardo, Jack Scott, Sofia Nolan, Rodney Afif, Ash Hodgkinson and Thomas Weatherall. Based on remarkable real-life stories and filmed on location in and around Broken Hill, RFDS tells the stories of doctors, nurses, pilots and support staff in the Royal Flying Doctor Service as they navigate emergency retrievals across some of the most inhospitable places in the country. RFDS is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay company) for the Seven Network, with Banijay Rights managing international distribution.

My Kitchen Rules
A return to the original recipe of everyday Australians cooking in their homes was a hit this year, with My Kitchen Rules scoring a national total TV audience of 922,000. The country’s most-loved cooking show will return in 2023, with more great food, engaging home cooks and great family fun. The superstar judges for the new series will be announced soon. My Kitchen Rules is produced by ITV Studios Australia for the Seven Network.

SAS Australia
SAS Australia will be back and more extreme than ever on Channel 7 and 7plus in 2023, with Chief Instructor Ant Middleton and his team of DS ready and keen to put a new batch of star recruits through the most gruelling and extreme SAS selection course ever seen, this time in a hard-core international desert location that will have the recruits sweating bullets. From sinners to heroes, those that have fallen from grace, or need redemption, the celebrity line-up for 2023 will be tested physically, emotionally and mentally like never before. SAS Australia is produced by Screentime (a Banijay company), based on a Minnow Films Format, for the Seven Network.

Big Brother: House of Love
Everyone loves love and Big Brother is no exception. Next year he is putting a new spin on his pioneering reality television show with Big Brother: House of Love. Addictive, fun-filled and quite wicked, the new series on Channel 7 and 7plus will feature a house full of singles with Big Brother playing the mischievous cupid. Going back to basics, Big Brother: House of Love promises more character, more laughs and more fun. What will happen when a houseful of singles form romantic connections but then need to vote each other out? Hosted by Sonia Kruger, Big Brother: House of Love is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay company) for the Seven Network.

Kitchen Nightmares Australia
Outspoken, award-winning chef Colin Fassnidge will be back in 2023, lifting the lid on local restaurants flirting with failure in Kitchen Nightmares Australia on Channel 7 and 7plus. Visiting a different struggling restaurant each week, Colin will uncover why they are on the brink of collapse, providing emergency restaurant rescue with a unique combination of practical insight, compelling entertainment and a few expletives for good measure. Kitchen Nightmares Australia is produced by Eureka Productions for the Seven Network, based on a format distributed by All3Media International.

The Chase Australia
After dominating its timeslot in 2022 and winning every week, The Chase Australia returns in 2023. Quiz giants Goliath, The Governess, The Beast, The Shark, The Super Nerd, The Tiger Mum and The Smiling Assassin are standing by to take down a new crew of contestants – and they will be joined by a new chaser, The Professor. The Chase Australia is hosted by Larry Emdur and produced by ITV Studios Australia for the Seven Network, based on the original ITV quiz show.

Better Homes and Gardens
After more than 25 years at the top of the lifestyle television genre, Better Homes and Gardens will again be at home on Friday nights on Channel 7 and 7plus, ready to kickstart the nation’s weekend. Johanna Griggs, Dr Harry Cooper, Adam Dovile, “Fast” Ed Halmagyi, Karen Martini, Graham Ross, Pete Colquhoun, Charlie Albone, Juliet Love, Melissa King and James Tobin will bring viewers the best in cooking, gardening, home improvements, technology, health, fitness, motoring and more. Better Homes and Gardens is a Seven Production.

This Is Your Life
The hit revival of one of Australia’s longest running and most loved television series will continue in 2023, with host Melissa Doyle surprising a new collection of famous Australians, including Rebecca Gibney and Tina Arena. The new-look This Is Your Life celebrates one iconic Australian at a time, offering revealing insights, emotional reunions and never-before-seen footage with their closest colleagues, friends and family, including international names and stellar surprise performers. This Is Your Life is produced by ITV Studios for the Seven Network. The format for This Is Your Life is owned by TIYL 2010, LLC whose authorised representative is Ralph Edwards Productions and is distributed by All3Media International.

Border Security: Australia’s Front Line
The people who devote their lives to keeping Australia safe will again be in the spotlight when the new season of Border Security: Australia’s Front Line arrives in 2023. Since 2004, the arresting and engaging series has taken viewers behind the scenes of Australia’s customs, immigration and quarantine departments. Border Security: Australia’s Front Line is produced by EQ Media for the Seven Network.

Highway Patrol
For more than 13 years, Highway Patrol has followed members of the Victoria Police Highway Patrol (formerly the Traffic Management Unit) as they keep the roads and the people on them safe. Highway Patrol is produced by Greenstone TV for the Seven Network with the cooperation of Victoria Police.

Code 1: Minute by Minute
Returning for a second season on Channel 7 and 7plus, the innovative Code 1: Minute by Minute dissects some of the biggest and most tragic news events to ever impact Australians. The courageous responders who were first on scene talk through the weeks, the days, the hours, the moments and seconds leading to the event. Code 1: Minute by Minute is produced by WTFN for the Seven Network.

Special Events:

For the first time since 1995, the TV Week Logie Awards will be on Channel 7. Seven has struck a multi-year agreement with Are Media to become the Official Broadcast Partner of Australian television’s night of nights. The first new-look Logies will be on Channel 7 and 7plus next year, with the location to be announced soon.

Carols In The Domain will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year and will be seen on Channel 7 and 7plus. Seven recently signed a new, three-year broadcast and digital agreement with the much-loved event’s producer, ActiveTV. Next year will also bring Melbourne’s Good Friday Appeal, which this year raised $22 million for the Royal Children’s Hospital; the 95th Annual Academy Awards; and the Channel 7 Telethon in Western Australia. This year’s Telethon took place last weekend and raised $71.4 million for 97 amazing organisations and children’s charities.

News & Public Affairs:

7NEWS
7NEWS Spotlight
Sunrise
The Latest from 7NEWS
The Morning Show

Sport:

FIFA Women’s World Cup
In July and August, Seven and 7plus will present the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™.
The biggest FIFA Women’s World Cup in history will take place in nine host cities and 10 stadia across Australia and New Zealand, marking the first time it has been played in two nations. Thirty-two teams will compete in 64 matches in the world’s largest women’s single-sport event, with the action and excitement live and free across the screens of Seven. Across the competition, 15 key matches – including the opening match, Quarterfinals, Semi-Finals and the Final – will be broadcast on Seven and 7plus, with Seven’s matches also available to stream on-demand via 7plus.

WBBL, Summer of Cricket,
AFL, AFLW, Brownlow Medal, The Front Bar
Bathurst 1000,
The Everest, the Golden Slipper, the Golden Eagle, the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate
The Big Dance,
Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
NFL season, the Super Bowl LVII, NFL Armchair Experts, AFL Armchair Experts and The Sunday Session

International:

Quantum Leap.
The sequel of the legendary series starring Raymond Lee, Ernie Hudson, Caitlin Bassett, Mason Alexander Park and Nanrisa Lee.

Lopez vs. Lopez
A working-class family comedy about dysfunction, reconnection and all the pain and joy in between, starring George Lopez and Mayan Lopez.

Litvinenko
From ITV comes the story of the determined Scotland Yard Officers who worked to prove who was responsible for the death of Alexander Litvinenko, in one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of the Metropolitan Police;

A Year On Planet Earth
From the multi award-winning blue-chip natural history team of Tom Hugh-Jones (Tiny World, Planet Earth II) and Dr Martha Holmes (Blue Planet, Hostile Planet), narrated by Stephen Fry.

Accused
Chronicles ordinary people getting caught up in extraordinary situations, where one wrong turn leads to another until it is too late to turn back.

Alert
A gripping drama set in the Los Angeles Police Department’s missing person’s unit.

Without Sin
The story of a grieving mother who confronts the man imprisoned for murdering her only daughter.

Starstruck
A reimagined and refreshed version of the classic British series Stars In Their Eyes, hosted by pop star Olly Murs.

7Bravo:

7Bravo, will launch on January 15 through a new deal with NBCU. The female-skewing channel will include reality titles Below Deck Down Under (S1), Below Deck Adventure, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip (S1), The Real Housewives of Dubai, The Real Housewives of Miami, Love Without Borders, Southern Hospitality and Real Girlfriends in Paris, among others. Oxygen true crime will include Snapped, 911 Crisis Center, Buried in the Backyard, Exhumed, Black Widow Murders, Accident, Suicide or Murder and The First Mindhunter. Additionally, the new channel will feature The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Kelly Clarkson Show and Judge Jerry, as well as all the red carpet glamour from the biggest awards shows with Live From E!

Absent:

AGT
Dancing with the Stars
Apartment Rules
Homicide with Ron Iddles
Hey Hey it’s Saturday specials

7mate, 7TWO, 7flix highlights will follow separately.