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“An absolute honour and a marvellous ride”: The Drum’s last beat

Host Julia Baird signed off on behalf of the team ending 13 years of panel discussion on ABC show.

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The Drum screened its final episode on Friday, ending a 13 year run across ABC.

Julia Baird was joined by Adam Liaw, Catherine Liddle, Toby Ralph and Amy Remeikis plus former host Annabel Crabb, reflecting on some of the show’s major themes and events, including social media, sexual violence, marriage equality and broadcasting during a pandemic.

“On behalf of my team and co-hosts Ellen Fanning and Dan Bourchier, thank you our loyal viewers who all of this was for,” said Baird.

“We hope you felt heard, we hope you found something to make you think, to make you laugh, even to give you hope.

“Now, friend of the show author Richard Flanagan says, despair is always rational but hope is always human. And perhaps it’s the essence of being human and I think he’s absolutely right.

“I want to thank you for sticking with us for 13 years. It has been an absolute honour and a marvellous ride. Goodnight.”

8 Responses

  1. “which would result in the ABC News Channel being disbanded” so somehow I missed this bit….I have ABC News on 2nd screen most of the day when nothing else to watch….and cant get SBS cooking channel on my TV anymore….and no I dont want a smarty pants TV..my phone is bad enough 🙄

  3. I am incredibly emotional…..seriously….very upset….Who do I bill for the tissues…..this is not a joke….One of the few things on TV I could count on….You are not my Aunty anymore ABC.

  4. I am going to miss it. I may not have been a viewer for all of its run but came to look to it and appreciate the subject range and interesting panelists. Julia did a great job wrapping it up.

  5. Axing The Drum is a disappointing choice by ABC. It was usually a calm discussion of varying important topics.

    Unlike the deliberately divisive Q&A which should’ve been cancelled instead

  6. It’s an odd decision. I usually watch the repeat program in the mornings. What is it going to be replaced with? Maybe something university related.

    They definitely need balance though, as it seemed skewed a bit towards Labor. But you can only oppose views and pick them apart when you know what the views are.

    1. That is a good question Solace2021, to my mind the ABC wont be changing its current political preferences, and if you want a broader audience any future production should not look like a midday chat show.

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