Audiences thought that they had heard the last of 4KQ’s breakfast show hosts Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare, and Mark Hine when they signed off for the final time on June 24th. However, in a lifeline for Brisbane’s longest continual running breakfast show, the Laurel, Gary and Mark show has found a home on Nine’s 4BC 882, switching their mics on from 5.30am on Monday, July 11. 

Radio ratings survey four marked the last survey under ARN for Brisbane’s 4KQ, selling the station to SEN after the acquisition of Grant Broadcasters to ensure compliance with Australia’s media ownership laws.

See More: Hutchy spends $12m on ARN’s 4KQ as SEN completes east coast metro network

Speaking to Mediaweek after the survey four results, ARN’s chief content officer Duncan Campbell said that he was pleased to see the trio find a new home.

“It’s an interesting move with Laurel, Gary and Mark heading across to 4BC. I take my hat off to those guys at 4BC, it’s quite a clever move, I think. We’ll wait and see what happens there.”

Nine Radio‘s head of content Greg Byrnes told Mediaweek that 4BC hadn’t planned to take on Lauren, Gary and Mark, but when the opportunity arose they couldn’t pass it up.

“We didn’t see it coming. It wasn’t part of our planning, but when it became available, we had to move pretty quick because of the timeframes around things. We did our research and are confident it’s the right way to go.”

“It’s been a matter of weeks. It literally came out of the blue when SEN purchased 4KQ. That team had previous contractual arrangements in place which they needed to honour, and we totally understand that. It’s happened very, very quickly and there’s still much work to be done.”

Naturally, Laurel, Gary and Mark taking over Breakfast has led to some other changes in the 4BC lineup. Previous Breakfast host Neil Breen will now be heading to Drive, hosting Brisbane Live 3pm-6pm each weekday. Byrnes says it’s a move that works for both Breen and 4BC.

“He’s established himself in that market over the last two years. He’s popular, and we were very happy with how that program was sounding and the direction the program was going in. He understands the opportunity that’s arisen. He gets it. As he said publicly, he’s looking forward to passing on the alarm clock and moving into Drive.”

By definition, the content produced for Drive radio will differ from the content that goes to air on Breakfast. Byrnes says that this won’t be a problem for Breen, who is one of those people that can tackle both ends of the day.

“The beauty of Drive is that you can pick the eyes out of the best stories of the day. In Breakfast, you are really setting an agenda. This is why Neil has been so good at it – he has that wonderful news sense and he can see where a story will evolve and develop throughout the day. 

“People are sitting at home having been working all day, and they are in a different frame of mind. They might have heard a story first thing in the morning, and they don’t just want to hear it again. They want to hear about how it has evolved throughout the day, and Neil’s news brain is perfect for that.”

The domino effect continues, with previous Drive host Scott Emerson now taking up a new role as a political contributor across 4BC and Nine Radio’s talk stations.

“That is probably the best thing out of all of this,” says Byrnes. “All those teams and people that have been working so hard for us for the last couple of years are all staying on in some capacity. They all understand the opportunity that’s arisen. Together, we can all make it work. Everyone is committed to it, which is a wonderful position for us to be in.”

As the year reaches its halfway point, the three major commercial networks have released their TV ratings audience reports for H1 2022. Using OzTAM television ratings survey data, each network has highlighted its strengths of the last six months, and taken a sneak peek at what is to come.

Seven

So far this year Seven has brought shows like The Voice (and The Voice: Generations), Dancing With The Stars: All Stars, SAS Australia, and the current run of Big Brother to Australian screens.

TV ratings highlights for Seven so far include The Voice Grand Finale (Five city overnight: 751,000, Winner announce: 779,000, Total TV: 1,388,000) The Voice: Generations (Five city overnight: 505,000, Total TV: 942,000) and the Dancing with the Stars: All Stars finale (Five city overnight: 564,000, Total TV: 989,000) 

As big as H1 was for Seven, H2 is being advertised as even bigger with the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the AFL Grand Final, and the return of MKR – this time around with Nigella Lawson and Manu Feildel. Also coming up is Farmer Wants A Wife, the new season of AGT, Kitchen Nightmares, This Is Your Life, and The Best Of The Best And Worst of Red Faces.

Seven is claiming the title of #1 in the capital cities for total people so far, and the only commercial network to have increased its audience shares in total people and 25 to 54s. It is also claiming most-watched network in Australia, ranking #1 in total people and people 16 to 39. It is also claiming dominance across all age groups in regional markets.

On 7plus, Seven says the platform increased its audience 27% year-on-year and is up 66% in live streaming. Across the 12 months to 30 June this year, 7plus was #1 with a 43.4% share.

Seven West media managing director and chief executive officer, James Warburton, said: “Since the acquisition of Prime, Seven is the #1 leader in total TV nationally so far this year. We are #1 nationally in all people and in the key younger 16 to 39 demo, and less than half a point from #1 in 25 to 54s. We are #1 regionally in all people and key demos, and #1 in metro markets in total people.

“We deliver large and engaged audiences to our clients more consistently than any other network, with Seven ranking #1 in more weeks nationally and in metro markets than any of our competitors in 2022.

“Our continued growth and momentum in 2022 has proved that no other network has the powerful mix of premium sport, entertainment and news content that brings Australia together and we are set to remain #1 across the rest of the year.”

The Voice coaches

Nine

So far this year, Nine has run shows like Married At First Sight, Underbelly: Vanishing Act, Lego Masters, and Celebrity Apprentice Australia.

TV ratings highlights for Nine so far include the Married At First Sight finale (Five city ovenrnight: 1,207,000, Total TV: 2,357,000), the first two State of Origin matches (GAME I Five city overnight: 1,771,000, Total TV: 2,963,000 / GAME II Five city overnight:  1,797,000, Total TV 3,028,000) with the decider coming this Wednesday, and the Lego Masters series finale (Five city overnight: 669,000, Winners announce: 702,000, Total TV: 1,209,000).

Still to come for Nine this year are The Block, Beauty and the Geek, and Love Island Australia – as well as the NRL Grand Final.

Nine is claiming the #1 position in people 25-54, people 16-39, and total people.

In the BVOD space, Nine says 9Now has over 50% share in demos across the commercial FTA’s and 49.7 in total people.

Hamish Turner, director 9Now and programming, said: “We are proud to be the home of unique, genre-defining content that challenges, excites and engages millions of Australians. 2022 delivered Ash Barty’s historic win at Rod Laver Arena. With 3.835 million viewers it is the highest rating program of the year and the highest rating Australian Open Women’s Final of all time. 

“Nine is home to the most watched series in the country in Married At First Sight and the most popular reality series in Lego Masters. And we have only just begun.”

MAFS

10

H1 has seen 10 air shows including I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Gogglebox Australia, Australian Survivor, Have You Been Paying Attention?, The Cheap Seats, and MasterChef Australia.

TV ratings highlights for 10 so far this year include the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! finale (Five city overnight: 576,000 / Winner announce: 617,000 / Total TV: 900,000 ), the Survivor: Blood V Water finale (Five city overnight: 551,000, Winners announce: 631,000, Total TV: 944,000), and the Melbourne Grand Prix (Five city overnight: 534,000, Total TV: 886,000).

Still to come in H2, 10 will be bringing Hunted Australia, Shaun Micallef’s Brain Eisteddfod, The Real Love Boat Australia, The Masked Singer Australia, The Bachelors Australia, The Amazing Race Australia, and the 2022 Melbourne Cup Carnival to screens.

10 is continuing to claim its title as youngest network, with five of the top 10 shows in under 50s and key demographics, and says that the average 10 viewer is up to five years younger than its commercial competitors.

In BVOD, 10 says that 10 Play is enjoying its biggest year ever, up 23% year-on-year.

Daniel Monaghan, SVP content and programming, Paramount ANZ, said: “Australians are consuming more content than ever before, across a plethora of platforms.

“Our continued focus on the under 50s and key age groups is also reaping benefits with 10 securing five of the top 10 shows in under 50s, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s so far this year – more than any other commercial network.”

“I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! was unfailingly #1 in its timeslot in total people and key advertising demographics in January, initiating 10’s 2022 success as the youngest network.

“This success and momentum continued with Gogglebox Australia, Australian Survivor, Have You Been Paying Attention?, The Cheap Seats, and MasterChef Australia which conquered the key advertising demographics, while also enjoying phenomenal growth on 10 Play.

“The second half of 2022 affords us with an incredibly strong line-up of brand-new content and returning Aussie favourites. And, it all kicks off in July with the gripping and adrenaline fuelled fugitive series Hunted Australia. Get ready to run!”

I’m A Celebrity… 2022 winner Dylan Lewis

Across Networks 

It’s not often that the playing field is levelled with all networks airing the same content, but that situation has played out twice this year: once with Australia Unites: Red Cross Flood Appeal on March 12, and again for Shane Warne‘s memorial service on March 30.

The five city overnight TV ratings for each were as follows:

Australia Unites: Red Cross Flood Appeal
Nine: 233,000
Seven: 189,000
10: 117,000

See More: Australia Unites raises more than $25 million for the Red Cross Flood Appeal

Shane Warne Memorial Service:
Seven: 829,000
Nine: 403,000
10: 161,000

There is a huge gap in the TV industry now that Neighbours has finished production after 37 years. Neighbours was a show you could start watching as a kid, and then grow up to work on it, just like executive producer Jason Herbison did after he wrote in with some storyline suggestions while still in high school.

Neighbours enjoyed his ideas so much, that producers brought him on board when he finished school. After Jason Herbison became the show’s executive producer in 2013, his journey inspired him to keep looking for fresh talent, especially when it came to female directors.

“Without taking anything away from the experienced male directors who kept Neighbours running for as long as they did, we recognised that there was an imbalance,” Herbison told Mediaweek. “Training up more female directors was long overdue and I’m so glad we got the chance to do that.”

For some, that meant going from acting to directing. Kate Kendall played Lauren Carpenter for four years before training as a director, and during Covid, she also filled in as a producer who helped oversee the new protocols for filming. It’s directing, however, that has proved to be her dream job.

“The directing bug was always innate in me, but because of the history of the Nunawading studio we filmed in, I developed a massive curiosity about how everything melded together,” Kendall told Mediaweek.

“Two of the directors I adored, Tony Osicka and Jovita O’Shaughnessy, took me under their wings. I would be acting, and they would flip me an occasional scene to direct. Then I started going out on location and watching everything from a director’s perspective.

“When my character went on hiatus, I just kept going back there every day, walking around with a manila folder looking busy. Eventually, they gave me an episode to direct, and then a whole block. Neighbours was a great place to ask silly questions because people always gave me honest answers and supported me.”

Kendall continued: “My advice to anyone wanting to direct is, be prepared to be terrified, be prepared to fail, and get up when you fall over. Fear can be an overwhelming responsibility, especially when every person is looking at you for the answer.

“Jovita O’Shaughnessy also gave me the best advice because she said you’re an actor, so pretend you’re a director. And when you don’t know, pretend again. That really resonated with me and I will forever be grateful to her.”

Grace Feng Fang Juan, who is known in the industry as Grace Feng, came to Australia from China to study film and TV at RMIT. After making the web series Girl Interpreted, which was inspired by her own career as a professional Chinese interpreter, Feng got a director’s placement on Neighbours.

“I knew Neighbours was an institution and pop culture phenomenon, so it was a privilege to be accepted into that family,” Feng explained. “Everyone went above and beyond to make me feel welcome and supported, and I greatly appreciated that.

“Their ability to work at such a fast speed was truly incredible to me. Everyone is so experienced at their game, but the ability to do that on an ongoing basis amazed me, because it is such a physically demanding gig.

“I did one round with director Chris Adshead where I followed him everywhere. I had to pick up my own walking speed to keep up, then we’d wrap early and Chris would say he was off to play tennis! I couldn’t figure out how he had the energy.

“I also worked with Scott Major [another actor who has moved behind the scenes], and one of the things I picked up from him was a positive attitude, because everyone around you feels it too. Scott and Chris also taught me how to handle tough situations, where maybe you have to step away and re-set. Having that level of preparedness, but then having the freedom to let it go, was a real eye-opener.”

Emerald Chan, who signed with an agency to model and then found herself being asked to play Neighbours bad girl Sadie, found it inspiring to discover so many women working behind the scenes.

Chan told Mediaweek: “It was very empowering to have a little girl gang there. I was terrified on my first day, but we did drama classes with Eve Morey [the Gold Logie nominated actress who played Sonya] and that was absolutely incredible. They built up our confidence and that definitely helped me.

“Given I had no plans to be an actress, it has been great to learn that maybe I could go into directing or some other position. It shows how diverse the industry can be, and I will be forever grateful to Neighbours, because it’s genuinely made me think about my future.”

• Neighbours Episode 8877 directed by Grace Cheng screens Monday 11 July at 7pm on 10Peach and will be available on 10play.

• Neighbours: End of the road also goes behind the scenes Monday 11 July at 9.35pm on ABC and iview.

See also:
Brian Walsh reveals: Free TVs and Daily Mirror saved second Neighbours axing

Singles

Kate Bush has taken the #1 spot for a second consecutive week, her fourth in the top spot in total on the ARIA charts, with Running Up That Hill (Deal with God). This comes after the recent finale to season four of Stranger Things, in which the song played a big part.

After being featured in Stranger Things, Bush has earned three Guinness World Records for its success on the UK charts.

Japanese-Australian artist Joji stays on in #2 with Glimpse Of Us and continues to be the highest-ranked Australian track.

Meanwhile, As It Was by Harry Styles claimed the #3 spot, Vegas by Doja Cat in fourth and About Damn Time by Lizzo rounded out the top five. 

Interestingly like Bush, American heavy metal band Metallica has also seen a resurgence in the charts, with their 1986 track Master of Puppets climbing up to #24 thanks to Stranger Things.

Albums

Harry Styles reclaimed the top spot in the ARIA album charts from Australian band Spacey Jane. The British pop sensation bumped the Fremantle indie rock foursome’s sophomore album Here Comes Everybody down to #3 on the chart.

Spacey Jane debuted at #1 last week. The band said of their milestone: Spacey Jane said: “Thank you so, so much for the love and support we’ve received for this record. Making this album was a massive journey for us all, we poured our hearts into it.

“From seeing your tags and mentions, meeting you in person and hearing you talk about what Here Comes Everybody means to you and to having a number 1 album… We are all so deeply grateful for everything”

This is the fourth week Harry’s House has been #1 since it debuted at number one back in May.

American country artist Luke Combs continues to hold on the #2 with his album Growin’ Up. Sour by Olivia Rodrigo takes the fourth spot while Honestly, Nevermind by Drake rounded out the top five albums on the ARIA charts.

2022 ARIA Chart Toppers

Singles

January 3 Mariah Carey All I Want For Christmas Is You
January 10 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
January 17 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
January 24 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
January 31 The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber Stay
February 7 The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber Stay
February 14 The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber Stay
February 21 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
February 28 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
March 7 Glass Animals Heat Waves
March 14 Glass Animals Heat Waves
March 21 Glass Animals Heat Waves
March 28 Glass Animals Heat Waves
April 4 Glass Animals Heat Waves
April 11 Harry Styles As It Was
April 18 Jack Harlow First Class
April 25 Jack Harlow First Class
May 2 Harry Styles As It Was
May 9 Harry Styles As It Was
May 16 Harry Styles As It Was
May 23 Harry Styles As It Was
May 30 Harry Styles As It Was
June 6 Harry Styles As It Was
June 14 Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
June 20 Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
June 27 Joji Glimpse of Us
July 4 Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
July 11 Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)

Albums

January 3 Adele 30
January 10 Adele 30
January 17 The Weeknd Dawn FM
January 24 The Weeknd Dawn FM
January 31 Meat Loaf Bat Out Of Hell
February 7 The Weeknd Dawn FM
February 14 Korn Requiem
February 21 Huskii Antihero
February 28 Midnight Oil Resist
March 7 Gang of Youths Angel in Realtime
March 14 Encanto Soundtrack
March 21 The Wiggles ReWiggled
March 28 Charli XCX Crash
April 4 Machine Gun Kelly Mainstream Sellout
April 11 Red Hot Chili Peppers Unlimited Love
April 18 Wet Leg Wet Leg
April 25 Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia 
May 2 Northlane Obsidian
May 9 Future I Never Liked You
May 16 Daniel Johns FutureNever
May 23 Kendrick Lamar Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
May 30 Harry Styles Harry’s House
June 6 Harry Styles Harry’s House
June 14 Harry Styles Harry’s House
June 20 BTS Proof
June 27 Jimmy Barnes Soul Deep 30
July 4 Spacey Jane Here Comes Everybody
July 11 Harry Styles Harry’s House

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OMD Sydney has announced changes to its leadership team with the addition of a ‘head of group’ layer across its entire client base.

The changes will deliver greater executive leadership and capability across the agency’s clients and will support the sustained growth the agency has built up over many years.

The Sydney leadership team will consist of six newly appointed ‘heads of group’ who will lead the business director community and their teams.

In line with OMD’s commitment to invest in its people, five of the appointed ‘heads of group’ have been elevated into their roles from within, providing professional growth for many across the agency.

Kim Hamilton, managing director, OMD Sydney said of the appointments: “We are thrilled to have so many brilliant OMDers who have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to our business.

“Expanding the ‘head of group’ structure across our entire client base strengthens our strategic leadership capability to deliver best in class partnerships for our clients,” she added.

The sixth member to join Sydney’s ‘heads of group’ structure is Rob Maddison, who commenced July 4. Joining from Google, Maddison will further bolster capability within the well-regarded leadership team.

Maddison said of his appointment: “I’m excited to be joining such a strong leadership team, bringing my experience from client-side into the agency. The culture and values that OMD embodies align perfectly for me, and I look forward to contributing to that, for our people and clients.”

Laura Nice, co-CEO, OMD Australia added: “We welcome Rob into the OMD family and look forward to seeing the impact our expanded ‘heads of group’ structure will deliver for our Sydney office.

“Having such a strong leadership team working alongside the OMD Executive team will help deliver our evolved Performance with Integrity ambition to drive partnerships of value, sustainable ways of working and purpose for both our people and our partners,” she added.

All appointments are effective immediately with the ‘head of group’ team reporting into OMD Sydney’s managing director, Kim Hamilton and general manager, Amanda Watts. The team will come together in person when OMD Sydney opens the doors of its new South Eveleigh office location today, Monday, 11th July.

–

Top image from left to right: Daniel Clark – head of group, Emily Bosler – head of McDonald’s, Rob Maddison – head of Group, Kim Hamilton – managing director, Amanda Watts – general manager, Helen Guard – head of Telstra (returning from parental leave in August), Corinne Moth – head of Group, Dorothee Gomez – head of Suncorp

Foxtel and Hoyts have announced a new partnership offering Foxtel Rewards members exclusive value on cinema tickets. All Foxtel Rewards members can access $11.50 movie tickets and $27 Hoyts Lux tickets, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at any Hoyts cinema.

Members will be able to enjoy blockbusters on the big screen like Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder, Elvis, Minions: The Rise of Gru and more. Looking ahead, Foxtel Rewards members can gear up and take a front row seat to movies set to hit screens soon including Where the Crawdads Sing, Bullet Train, Marvel Studios’ Wakanda Forever, and Avatar Way of the Water, which are already trending worldwide pre cinema release.

Jo Bladen, director of brand and content marketing said: “We’re always looking for ways to provide more value than ever before for our Foxtel Rewards members, and through this partnership with Hoyts, our members can enjoy leading rates to unlock even more great entertainment experiences at the touch of a button.” 

Hoyts director of sales, marketing and content, Stephanie Mills says: “There is no better way to watch these new releases than on the big screen at Hoyts. The slate of movies this year has been phenomenal with plenty more blockbusters on the horizon. Our partnership with Foxtel Rewards allows members to settle into a big screen experience in our standard or Hoyts LUX sessions for less.”  

Last week, Val Morgan announced that cinema admissions reached a record two and half year peak, with over 3.05 million admissions delivered from Thursday last week, to Wednesday this week.

The success was driven by a line-up of content that has released over the last six weeks: Minions: The Rise of Gru, Top Gun: Maverick, Elvis, Lightyear, Jurassic World: Dominion, as well Thor: Love and Thunder. The latest Marvel instalment helped propel admissions, with 300,000 admissions and $4.5 million delivered at the box office in its first full day.

See More: Val Morgan Cinema records biggest admissions week over two years

The Seven Network has announced the appointment of Kirsty Bradmore as Seven Motorsport executive producer.

Bradmore is an award-winning broadcaster and highly respected member of Seven’s incomparable group of executive producers.

The newly appointed Motorsport EP brings rich experience to her new role after being at the helm of Seven’s award-winning Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 broadcast.

Currently, at the forefront of the 7SPORT team as executive producer for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Bradmore is no stranger to sports production, having also led the team for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Lewis Martin, managing director Seven Melbourne and head of Network Sport, said: “It is with great pleasure that we announce Kirsty Bradmore as our EP of Motorsport.

“Kirsty is an incredible asset to the Seven team and brings a fresh perspective to Seven’s unrivalled motorsport coverage, paired with award-winning sports broadcast credentials.

“As we look ahead, Seven is on track for an extraordinary rest of the 2022 Supercars season, including the premier event on the calendar, the Bathurst 1000,” he said.

“With Kirsty at the helm, we couldn’t be better placed to drive audience growth for Australian motorsport, right here on Your Home of Sport,” he added.

Bradmore said of her new role: “While at Seven, I have been lucky enough to work on some of the biggest sporting events in the world and help share the incredible stories of Australian and international athletes on the biggest stage.

“I’m thrilled to dive into the world of motorsport and uncover the stories of some of Australia’s biggest and best athletes, as they draw closer to the final lap of the 2022 Supercars season.

“To be part of a world-class team delivering the iconic Bathurst 1000 is an honour. It’s not called the great race for nothing and I cannot wait to experience the intensity, passion and high-octane action of motorsport, Bradmore added.

–

Top image: Kirsty Bradmore

LiSTNR has announced a long-term podcast partnership with carsales, with the first of four podcast series to launch this month. Called Watts Under the Bonnet: The Electric Vehicle Podcast, the first collaboration delves into everything electric vehicles as interest grows in the category.

carsales is Australia’s largest online automotive, motorcycle, RV, marine and industry classifieds business. It attracts more Australians interested in buying or selling cars, motorcycles, trucks, caravans, and boats than any other online publisher.

Watts Under the Bonnet leverages carsales’ content strengths and will be co-hosted by motor racing journalist, commentator and host of LiSTNR’s Rusty’s Garage, Greg Rust, and carsales’ consumer editor, Nadine Armstrong.

With new episodes each month, Watts Under the Bonnet will keep listeners up to date with the latest developments in the world of electric vehicles. The podcast series allows listeners to stay in the know about the newest releases, put their minds at ease as common EV myths are busted, and hear from people who have swapped the bowser for the battery.

The launch episode of Watts Under the Bonnet tackles the issue of ‘range anxiety’ and features champion Kiwi race driver Simon Evans who won the Jaguar I-Pace e-Trophy title, which is an internationally recognised series for one-make Jaguar all-electric road cars.  

carsales will launch an additional three podcasts on LiSTNR, which will be announced soon.

carsales editor-in-chief, Mike Sinclair, said: “This partnership is an exciting step for carsales to further create insightful and relevant content to assist Aussie car buyers, sellers and owners on their journeys. Podcasts are a fantastic format for us to engage Australians and the perfect way to leverage our experts and the content they create. 

“’Everything you Auto know’, partnering with the experts in audio publishing – carsales and LiSTNR are a great fit. With new developments happening in the auto space on the daily, it’s-important for consumers to be able to tune in and make informed decisions. 

“Our first podcast series is dedicated to electric vehicles and draws upon our own experience through carsales’ editorial team and extensive EV research, as well as bringing in subject matter experts and real-life owners – giving listeners a 360-degree view of this fast charged space.”

LiSTNR head of premium podcasts, Kim Norman, said: “There is an enormous amount of interest in the automotive sector in Australia and also among our LiSTNR audience. So, our partnership with carsales, Australia’s best-known online automotive business, is a natural fit as the destination for everything auto related. The series of podcasts are designed to attract new audiences for carsales as well as offering car enthusiasts more of what they love.”

Watts Under the Bonnet is available from 11 July on LiSTNR.

See More: LiSTNR launches rom-com podcast series The Younger Man

One of Hey Hey It’s Saturday’s most popular segments, Red Faces, will be celebrated over two nights on Channel Seven and 7plus.

Starting Sunday, July 17 at 7.00pm, The Best of ‘The Best & Worst of Red Faces will premiere as host Daryl Somers takes a fun look back at some of the funniest, wild and peculiar acts ever to grace the show’s stage.

Continuing the fun and following the success of Hey Hey It’s Saturday’s 50th and tongue-in-cheek 100th Anniversary specials, The Very Best of ‘The Best and Worst of Red Faces will premiere on Monday, July 18 at 7.30pm.

Daryl Somers said: “We put these shows together with a box of tissues by our side to wipe away the tears of laughter. Re-living so many funny moments of the segment was an absolute blast and I thank the thousands of acts that made it so.”

Red Faces started out as a send up of New Faces, a popular talent show at the time, and soon took on a life of its own.

Each week, a cavalcade of famous faces joined the “Prince of Punishment” Red Symons and his infamous gong on the judging panel to be entertained, shocked and amused by the weird, wonderful and downright crazy acts.

Audiences will hear from the segment’s regulars such as Danni Minogue, Jo Beth Taylor, Paul Mercurio, Rhonda Burchmore and Vince Sorrenti about their time as judges, alongside an endless list of superstars such as Will Smith, Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue, Hugh Grant, Tina Turner, Johnny Depp, Shaquille O’Neal, Sir Cliff Richard, Dame Edna Everage, Ricky Martin, Sir Bob Geldof, Samantha Fox, Guy Pearce, Boy George, Julian Lennon, Jean Claude Van Damme, Mel Gibson, Sir Ian Botham, Fabio, Linda Evangelista, Russell Crowe and John McEnroe.

The episodes will also feature audience favourites such as The Music Men, Chaotic Choir, The Bobsled Team, The Amazing Nigel and Harry and the Vegemite Kid.

The Best of ‘The Best & Worst of Red Faces’ premieres 7.00pm Sunday on Channel Seven and 7plus, followed by The Very Best of ‘The Best & Worst of Red Faces’ 7.30pm Monday.

Heartbreak Island Australia, the new series that explores the hottest singles, raunchiest moments and biggest scandals, is coming soon exclusively on 7plus.

For the very first time, an all-new international cast will send temperatures off the charts as 16 singles from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US arrive on a tropical Fijian island and put it all on the line to find their ideal lover and compete for $100,000.

With love-bombing, benching, cushioning, situationships, betrayals and blindsides, a dating dictionary is advised as Heartbreak Island Australia takes the reality TV genre to juicy new heights.

Navigating the couplings and combustions, TV and radio personality Clinton Randell (Masked Singer NZ, Dancing With The Stars NZ) said: “I couldn’t wait to start shooting Heartbreak Island Australia, this time with our first-ever global cast. I cheered, laughed, teared up, stirred the pot, threw in a few twists, and made life-long friends. I can’t wait for viewers to see it.”

Set against the stunning vistas of Fiji, contestants will pair up, face challenges, choose to stay or stray from their partner during the infamous “passion plays” and fight to avoid elimination. It can’t all be bliss, with disruptors shaking up the game and putting the Heartbreakers at risk.

The Heartbreakers ready to risk it all for romance are:

Amber Yee, 25: Bar manager, Australia
Alexandra Carter, 21: Bar manager, Australia
Kacey Watson, 23: Social media manager and personal trainer, Australia
Tiarne Butler, 28: Hair salon coordinator, Australia
Jake Spinner, 26: Tradesman, Australia
Bailey Neate, 22: Plumbing apprentice, Australia
Maiata Boxer, 20 Professional dancer, New Zealand
Ashleigh Williams, 25: Model and actress, New Zealand
Milly Forbes, 24: Criminology student and preschool teacher, New Zealand
Manaaki Hoepo, 21: Sociology and performing arts student, New Zealand
Mez Tekeste, 29: Singer-songwriter, New Zealand
Kieran Hickey, 24: Postman, the UK
Max Batchelor, 21: Professional footballer, the UK
Holly Barnes, 20: Media manager and stylist, the US
Shamar Sinegal, 21: Chiropractic student and security guard, the US
Chris Burgoon, 25: Real estate agent, the US

Heartbreak Island Australia is coming soon to 7plus.

Warner Bros. Discovery has announced Heavy Tow Truckers Down Under will premiere Wednesday, 3rd August at 7.30pm AEST on Discovery.

The eight-part series follows Australian and New Zealand hardcore towing companies as they battle it out to win the toughest and most lucrative tow contracts in the Southern Hemisphere.

Armed with monster machines and million-dollar hardware, teams winch and tow their way through epic piles of high-risk recovery missions. Their heavy duty rigs are built to handle some of the most volatile weather conditions on the planet, able to haul massive payloads and operate in perilous and inaccessible terrain.

Dealing with all of the dramas and disaster scenarios are high-viz teams of tow truckers, who combine incredible salvage skill-sets with super-sized problem solving abilities. In heavy-duty towing, every mission is time-critical, bringing high-stakes, do-or-die finances and constant dangers to man and machine.

Aussie and NZ teams featuring in this brand new local commission include: Jimmy Cool, Paul Cool and Reece Skews from Wagga Truck Towing (NSW), Mike Clayton, Aaron Del Nido and Jason Wotherspoon from Clayton’s Towing (QLD) Scott Waites and Gerard Brown from North Coast Heavy Towing (NSW), Stephen Gust, Lyle Walton and Timothy Tonkin from Truckworks (SA) and Stuart Gerring and David Gerring from New Zealand based Parks Towing.

About Wagga Truck Towing (NSW): Wagga Truck Towing has been in the heavy tow game for close to 100 years. The family business services a 600 kilometre radius from Wagga Wagga in New South Wales to Victoria, and beyond. Their extensive fleet of heavy-recovery trucks, tilt trays and road clean-up machines enables them to provide fast and immediate response to major trucking accidents and RTA call outs. Their prized custom-built monster Morooka has a winch capacity of more than 70,000 pounds and can attack any job in the most extreme of locations.

About Clayton’s Towing (QLD): Claytons Towing is Australia’s largest towing company. Bill and Mary Clayton hand-built their first tow truck in 1970. In the early days, the business was run out of Mary’s fathers’ wrecking yard in Petrie Creek Road, Nambour in Queensland. Having one of the first tow trucks on the Sunshine Coast with a power-driven winch and revolving flashing lights was an impressive feat at the time. Clayton’s delivers major high-volume recovery jobs.

About North Coast Heavy Towing (NSW): North Coast Heavy Towing was established in 2000 and is located at Woolgoolga on the North Coast of New South wales. The company is committed to using & developing the latest tow technology available. NCHT operates from Port Macquarie all the way through to Grafton. They have contracts with the local police and work closely with the RMS.

About Truckworks (SA): Truckworks specialises in building and detailing monster recovery trucks. They’ve supplied vehicles to almost every Australian team in this series. Owner Lyndon, is well-known and respected within the wider trucking world. For new custom-builds, Truckworks imports Kenworth bodies from the USA and then customizes them to client specifications. Truckworks also operates a major mining and civil tow works business.

About Parks Towing (NZ): Parks Towing is located in New Zealand’s South Island. The company is a major award-winning business, fitted out with the latest towing and recovery equipment. They have exclusive contracts to tow HPMV units up to 60 tonnes. State Highway 1 is the main route for freight transport and is usually where a lot of Park’s Towing biggest jobs come from. Their main tow vehicle is a Kenworth K104 with a tow-loaded combination of close to 70 tonnes. Other gear includes rear-mounted winches and a monster recovery boom for 50 tonne loads. The hero of Parks Towing is Winchy, a mega-machine boasting a winch capacity of 40,000 pounds. Winchy specialises in cliff and ravine work.

Heavy Tow Truckers Down Under premieres Wednesday, 3rd August at 7.30pm AEST on Discovery.

• Big crowd tunes in for Wimbledon Final despite its late start
• Big Brother has a rare Sunday night ep as it kicks off GF week
• Total TV: Mystery Road: Origins has a huge surge

Total TV Ratings, July 3

The ABC’s Mystery Road: Origins was the top entertainment program in the total TV ratings, with a robust audience of 968,000, following an increase in its overnight audience of 53%. 

10’s MasterChef Australia was the top commercial entertainment program in the total TV ratings with 947,000 viewers, an increase of 17% on its overnight viewership. The episode saw the show headed to Tasmania for Finals Week. After pulling on their waders to visit an oyster farm, the cooks headed to the outdoor kitchen.

Australian Ninja Warrior had 835,000 viewers (up 14%) as the show gave away the final Power Pool advantage and introduced the Bowl Cut Ninjas.

On Seven, 7NEWS Spotlight had 732,000 viewers in (up 5%) as the show brought the stars of Strictly Ballroom back together to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic film.

Overnight TV Ratings, July 10

Primetime News
Seven News 974,000
Nine News 866,000
ABC News 588,000
10 News First 266,000 (5:30pm)/ 233,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 168,000 (6:30pm) 126,000 (7:00pm)

Daily current affairs
Insiders 375,000
The Project 255,000 (6:30 pm)/382,000 (7pm)

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 216,000
Today 163,000
News Breakfast 163,000

Nine enjoyed a big win last night in the TV ratings survey, after registering both a winning primary share (29.4%) and network share (37.2%).
Nine’s NRL coverage of the Brisbane Broncos and the St George Illawarra Dragons had 320,000 viewers, with 145,000 of that audience tuning in from Sydney and a further 138,000 watching from Brisbane.
In primetime, Australian Ninja Warrior kicked off Grand Final Week with 599,000 tuning in. 60 Minutes then followed with 449,000 as Tom Steinfort investigates the case of Melissa Oates who drunkenly ran over her boyfriend, and served 8 months in prison.
At 11:00pm, 785,000 watched one of the biggest Australian tennis matches this century as Nick Kyrgios went down to Novak Djokovic in the final of Wimbledon in four sets. This was the top non-news program for the night, despite the late start.

On Seven, 335,000 watched the broadcaster’s afternoon AFL coverage, before 7NEWS Spotlight had 645,000 as it went behind the scenes of new PM Anthony Alabense’s life.  At 8:00pm, a rare Sunday night episode of Big Brother had 278,000 viewers as finals week kicked off with Reggie betraying Taras by eliminating Aleisha.

On 10, The Sunday Project had 262,000 (6:30pm) and 371,000 (7:00pm) as the show covered the protests in Sri Lanka, Micheal Klim’s health battle, Wimbledon, and spoke to Dave Hughes.
MasterChef Australia was then the top entertainment program of the night with 604,000 viewers. The episode saw Keyma sent home after Peter Gilmore of Quay and Bennelong presented a Pressure Test of a savoury dish – raw Abrolhos Island scallop, katsuobushi cream and sea cucumber crackling, and a sweet dessert – “Moo”.

On the ABC, Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery had 427,000 viewers before the second episode of Mystery Road: Origin had 309,000 viewers.

The top non-news program on SBS was France: A Journey Through Time with 126,000 viewers. The ninth stage of the Tour de France then had 123,000 viewers.