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Thank God You’re Here returning to 10

No foolin', this time a revival really is happening with a new look and new host on 10.

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No foolin’ this time, check the date… April 2!

Much loved comedy improvisation series Thank God You’re Here is being revived by Network 10.

10 has teased its return with a mysterious door during on air promotions during the Australian Grand Prix, designed to ignite an audience guessing game.

TV Tonight can confirm that tease is indeed for the show frequently requested by fans to return.

Casting has been underway recently for actors with improvisation skills, as the show opens a new door with a new host, Celia Pacquola.

The Working Dog series ran for three seasons on 10 from 2006 – 2007 before being poached by Seven for a final season in 2009.

Host Shane Bourne famously welcomed performers such as Tony Martin, Hamish Blake, Rebel Wilson, Julia Zemiro, Anh Do, Stephen Curry, Shaun Micallef,  Glenn Robbins, Frank Woodley, Adam Hills, to enter a door where actors greeted them with the catch-cry, “Thank God You’re Here.”

The guest performer would then stumble their way through an improvised scene without quite grasping the scenario or the challenge at hand. Tom Gleisner judged performances, choosing a weekly winner.

It drew bumper ratings for both networks and spawned international editions including in the USA, UK, Russia, China, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Mongolia, Vietnam, Sweden, Turkey, Israel, Indonesia and more.

Daniel Monaghan, Senior Vice President Content & Programming, Paramount ANZ said, “The much-loved comedy program is walking back through that door and onto our screens later this year.

“Thank God You’re Here holds a special place in our hearts at Network 10. It was one of the most talked about shows on Australian television and was responsible for launching and celebrating a wealth of intelligent, lively and hilarious Australian talent.

“The show’s fast-paced and quick-witted format resonates, captivates and engages viewers. We’re so excited for the show’s return to our screens and we can’t wait to see what we’re about to walk into next! To put it bluntly… thank God it’s back!”

Michael Hirsh, Working Dog said, “Thank God a new generation is here! We loved making Thank God You’re Here a few years ago, and feel the time is right for a new bunch of comedians to go through the blue door. We have brought the show back for 2023 and beyond with a new host, the wonderful, multi-talented and funny Celia Pacquola along with new judges, new ensemble, and new guests. We can’t wait to see this new crop of funny people bullshit their way out of sticky situations.”

Celia Pacquola sai, “I’m so excited Thank God You’re Here is coming back, and I’m thrilled to host because that means I’ll be in the best position to watch it. I can’t wait to send comedians through the big blue door and not have to go through it myself.”

In 2014, co-creator Rob Sitch told TV Tonight, “It took us a couple of years to work out the difference between (the show) and improv. It’s actually about ‘bullshit’ and we worked out that bullshit is really funny. I guess it’s an arm of improv, but a very specific one and maybe Australians are particularly amusing when they do it.”

9 years ago Sitch also indicated the show would be best suited to a revival when there were a new wave of young comedians to incorporate.

“…you could almost do it again now because there are a lot of new people that are available,” he said.

It’s taken until 2023 for that time to arrive, with Have You Been Paying Attention? and The Cheap Seats proving there are more than a few fresh comedians at the top of their game, finding new audiences.

And for the record, nope this is not a belated April Fool’s gag.

36 Responses

  1. Semi-hopeful for this with the following caveats;

    1) I know the original show had an hour long slot but it was never able to satisfactorily fill its run time. 30 minute time slot once a week only please.

    2) If Dave Hughes appears you have lost me.

    3) Try to avoid the same hideously overexposed comedy names, please?

  2. Can we also get TAYG & Good News Week? To compliment TGYH, HYBPA & Taskmaster.

    They can buck the trend and do panel/game shows at 7:30 nightly for 2×13 weeks a year while reality runs on other networks. Replacement for Batchelor/ette/Im a celebrity.

    The Panel/The Chaser can replace The Project.
    There you go 10 I fixed your network.

  4. That’s amazing news! Loved Thank God You’re Here! Fantastic show. Can’t wait to see how Celia goes as host. I wonder if they can get Ed Kavalee to walk through the main door because he used to be one of the support actors on the show.

  5. Cant believe it has taken so long to bring this show back. Was always a funny show when it was on and will be a ratings winner.
    I remember going out to the studio’s in Nunawading to be in the audience for the filming. Hamish Blàke had the audience in hysterics.

  7. Kept seeing the blue door and it didn’t click….very happy to have it back, Celia a great idea for host but please Channel 10 don’t put the very unfunny Dave Hughes on it.

  8. Such great news. It has long. Such a great show when it originally aired. So glad it’s back on 10. So glad it’s not an April Fool’s joke 😊

  9. What a great way to start the week. Great choice of host in Celia. Started watching some of the old episodes when they were on 10Play over summer a little while back…think it was 2021-22. Still very funny, and interesting to compare some years later, who is still prominent and who who don’t hear much of anymore.

  10. I was literally thinking the other day that this was ripe for a reboot. It was essential viewing in its time on Ten.
    Interesting to see how it goes in the era of stripped reality as competition. Sunday night at 7pm perhaps?
    Whilst Working Dog are feeling nostalgic can we ask for a return of The Panel?

  11. Calling this an improvisation show is awfully generous. True impro has performers responding to and building upon offers that their fellow improvisers give. This show was always: cast gives scripted line, player improvises one-liner, cast ignores improvised one-liner and steers the scene back to the next scripted line.

  12. Great news, loved this show previously on 10, interesting setups and reactions, will be good to revisit it again with new generation of comedians.

  13. I say this with love towards TGYH … but to quote Mr G: “Thank god you’re here, (b-word), where have you bloody been?”

    Thinking about this the other day, and I am very glad it is back.

  16. Kudos to 10 and this is my personal opinion – I think they have a good track record of broadcasting entertaining comedy-type shows such as Have You Been Paying Attention, The Cheap Seats, Gogglebox, Taskmaster and now Thank God You’re Here. Add in Hunted and Traitor and they are fast becoming my personal No.1 network in Australia.

  18. Imagine if you’d done this yesterday! 😀 This is fantastic news though, a fave of mine back, might be my new favourite which has been The Masked Singer in recent years, after MasterChef ditched Gary, Matt and George.

  19. FinallY – hopefully this means an access to old episodes somewhere. (I do have seasons 1-3 on DVD…but who wants to change discs every 3 episodes)

  20. I’ll be watching as the show cracked me up. 😆🤣😂 Tom Gleisner also pushed a buzzer to signal the end of the scene. Each skit would start with the words “Thank God You’re Here”. When is Have You Been Paying Attention returning?

    1. I would’ve said that 15-20 years ago, but it could easily be produced in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth or even Canberra nowadays.

    1. I think the actors who weren’t the staring contestant had an outline for the skit to keep things on the rails. So it was scripted to some extent.

  23. Omg this is incredible!! Josh Lawson, Shaun Micallef, Bob Franklin, Akmal Saleh and Angus Sampson have to return in particular as they were always my favourites. I also want to see Marty Sheargold make an appearance too.
    I can’t believe how amazing this news has made me feel!! Imagine seeing fantastic regular HYBPA contestants like Kitty Flanagan, Luke McGregor, Anne Edmonds, Celia Pacquola, Tim and Mel from the Cheap Seats and of course Sam Pang walking through the door !!!

  24. This is an easy choice for revival. This is because Tom Gleisner has said previously on a podcast that the show ended because of lack of available talent and not ratings. I think they didn’t want to cycle through Shaun Micallef and Glenn Robbins every week. The show rated well. A universally good show and concept. You can try it at home or with friends.

  25. Wow this is a pleasant surprise. Working Dog will have a lot on their plate this year – with Have You Been Paying Attention, The Cheap Seats and now Thank God You’re Here.

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