Green Light For Ambulance Australia

Network Ten is thrilled to announce it has commissioned the compelling and insightful Australian documentary series Ambulance Australia, Produced by Endemol Shine Australia.

The gripping fly-on-the-wall series will take an unprecedented look at the NSW Ambulance frontline. Taking viewers on a journey from the high pressure NSW Ambulance Triple Zero Control Centre, to the race against time of NSW paramedics on the road.

Each extraordinary episode will provide an honest look at the everyday demands on call takers, dispatchers and on road paramedics, who are forced to make split second decisions that can mean the difference between life and death.

Network Ten Chief Content Officer Beverley McGarvey, says, “We are delighted to bring the Ambulance format to Network Ten. The engaging and emotional human drama has made this show a huge hit in the UK and we are sure Australian audiences will find the amazing work of the NSW Ambulance service equally compelling.”

Endemol Shine Australia CEO, Mark Fennessy, explains, “Through a combination of ground- breaking production techniques and inspired storytelling, Ambulance Australia reveals the incredible synchronicity between paramedics in the field and call takers and dispatchers in the emergency control centre as they face a diversity of challenges on any given shift that is nothing short of staggering. Their compassion and selflessness is breathtaking”.

NSW Ambulance Commissioner, Dominic Morgan, adds, “The series is an amazing opportunity to showcase the critical work of paramedics within the community. To be a paramedic is a very unique job, it's tough and equally as rewarding depending on the day. This series is about honesty and transparency and the reality of what our very extraordinary workforce does every day."

Ambulance Australia has commenced production in Sydney and will air on TEN and WIN Network later this year.

Nine Commissions Lego Masters® For Australia

If you can dream it, you can build it. Nine today announced it has commissioned LEGO MASTERS®, where your only limitation is your imagination. Mind-blowing, brick-building brilliance will be on display, delivering family entertainment loaded with fun, action, drama and humour.

LEGO MASTERS will pit eight pairs of Brick heads against each other in a quest to impress with their creativity, design and flair, driven by their unparalleled passion for the possibilities that will start with a single LEGO brick.

LEGO MASTERS comes from producers Endemol Shine Australia, who brought you Australian Ninja Warrior, MasterChef Australia and Married at First Sight.

Casting for the program is now underway, with the search on for the country’s most passionate and creative LEGO builders.

Michael Healy, Director of Television for Nine, says, “We are excited that LEGO MASTERS will capture the imagination of all generations, delivering appointment family viewing.” 

Mark Fennessy, CEO, Endemol Shine Australia, said: “LEGO MASTERS is pure, addictive family entertainment that all starts with a single brick. Together with our partners at Nine we’re super excited to bring this much-loved phenomenon to life - introducing a new world of extraordinary characters and mind-blowing creations.”

LEGO MASTERS will bring to life the universal appeal of LEGO and amplify it to create the biggest and funniest battle of the bricks Australia has ever seen.

Originally created by Tuesdays Child Television, LEGO MASTERS launched in the UK on Channel 4 in 2017, winning an average audience of 2 million viewers. The launch episode was the number one programme of the day, exceeding the primetime average by 68%. An extended second series will air on Channel 4 later this year. 

Endemol Shine Group is the exclusive distributor of the format across all platforms outside of the U.K. and has the rights to produce local versions of the show around the world. Endemol Shine International is the exclusive distributor of all finished tape of all versions produced including the British version.

LEGO MASTERS will debut on Nine and 9Now in 2019.

Dr Andrew Rochford and Mark Humphries Make A Point In Addictive New Quiz Show

Pointless Australia is coming soon.

Network Ten is pleased to announce that it has commissioned an Australian version of the highly immersive and subversive UK quiz show, Pointless.

Premiering on TEN and WIN Network soon, Pointless will be co-hosted by registered medical practitioner and author, Dr Andrew Rochford, and comedian and writer, Mark Humphries, and sees three teams of two contestants each compete for a jackpot by finding the most obscure answers they can across a variety of topics.

The aim of Pointless is to score as few points as possible. The contestants with the highest scores after each round are eliminated.

Dr Andrew Rochford says, “I’m very lucky to be forming a team with a talent like Mark and genuinely excited to be back at TEN but I’m even more excited about the fact my dressing room has a couch and Mark’s doesn’t.”

Mark Humphries says, “Who said twitter is a waste of time! After an extensive social media campaign (two tweets) TEN had no choice but to give me the dream role as host of Pointless.”

Network Ten Chief Content Officer, Beverley McGarvey, says, “We are delighted to commission such a successful and entertaining game show as Pointless. This is fantastic entertainment for the whole family, as contestants try and find the most pointless answers.”

“And we are absolutely thrilled to have Andrew and Mark co-host the show. They are smart, funny, and engaging and will make a brilliant duo.”

Produced by Endemol Shine Australia for Network Ten, Pointless has been a standout success since its launch in the UK in 2009. It has been adapted internationally for broadcasters in 11 other territories including Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy and Poland.

Network Ten Executive Producer, Rick Maier, says, “Pointless is funny, challenging, defies all traditional quiz logic and completely gets you in. Even if you don’t know the answer, it’s impossible not to play along.”

CEO of Endemol Shine Australia, Mark Fennessy, says: “Pointless is a rare piece of TV inspiration. Universally loved and an international smash hit for over 10 years, it’s brilliantly inventive, highly entertaining, humorous and stupidly addictive.”

Pointless is coming soon To TEN And WIN Network.

Get Ready For The Biggest Judging Panel Australia’s Ever Seen!

99 judges will join captain Ronan Keating on brand new show, All Together Now.

Seven’s brand new singing show All Together Now is going to be HUGE.

With 100 judges, a six-storey high set and Julia Zemiro as host, it doesn’t get any bigger. Headed up by singing superstar Ronan Keating, The 100 is made up of singers and industry professionals with big voices and even bigger opinions.

In fact, there’s so many of them, here’s just some of the names to get this party started:

ALEX REID – Music Talent Manager
AMANDA HARRISON – Musical Theatre Star
ANDREW DE SILVA – Boyband Star
BRENDAN DE LA HAY – Cabaret Performer
DEAN RAY – Rock Singer
ELLEN REED – Powerhouse Vocalist
GOSPO COLLECTIVE’S BEN GILLARD & CHARMAINE JONES – Gospel Choir Directors GREG GOULD – Viral Popstar
JASON JACKSON – Michael Jackson Impersonator
JESS & MATT – Popstar Couple
JORDAN RASKOPOULOS – Musical Comedian
KELLIE CRAWFORD – Award Winning Entertainer
LARA MULCAHY – Comedy Actress & Singer
LUCY HOLMES – Kylie Impersonator
MARIA MERCEDES – Singer/Actress
MARK GABLE – The Choirboys Frontman
MICHAEL DALTON – Cabaret Performer
MINNIE COOPER – Iconic Drag Queen
MISSY LANCASTER – Country Pop Star
RHONDA BURCHMORE – OAM & Music Industry Icon
SHAUNA JENSEN – Seasoned Backing Vocalist
SILVIE PALADINO – Musical Theatre Icon
SISTERS DOLL – Glam Rock Trio
TAKE TWO – Rapping Twins

The aim of the competition is simple. Each act is hoping to get as many of The 100 singing along as they can, because the more of the 100 who join in, the higher they score!

But since The 100 are a broad mix of ages, music backgrounds, interests and opinions, getting them all joining in is no easy task.

There’s singers across every genre from indie, soul, country and jazz to folk, dancehall and indigenous music; A&R and talent managers; DJs; jingle and tribute artists along with vocal coaches. The performers will also have to impress opera and musical theatre stars along with a singing belly dancer and celebrant as well as a karaoke host among others.

Ronan says: “As any great Captain would, I'll be there to support, encourage, motivate, advise, laugh and cry along as The 100 see if they have what it takes to come out on top.

The winner will take home $100,000.

All Together Now, coming soon to Channel Seven.

Cameras roll on dark gothic tale - A four-part Original Foxtel drama event Lambs of God with All-star international cast

Foxtel today announced its next landmark event drama series commission, LAMBS OF GOD, which will premiere in 2019.

Lambs of God is a dark, gothic tale about three nuns, each a generation apart, living in an isolated convent by the coast, and an unwelcome visitor who enters their lives and changes their world forever. It has commenced production at Fox Studios Australia.

The nuns, who live in solitude from the rest of the world on a remote and rugged island, have their lives turned upside down when an ambitious young priest, Father Ignatius, accidentally stumbles across the three Sisters as he arrives on a mission from the Church.

Based on the captivating Australian novel Lambs of God by Marele Day, the twisted and macabre tale will be brought to life on screen by an international all-star cast, led by Emmy Award- winning actress Ann Dowd (The Handmaids Tale, The Leftovers).

She will be joined by Australian stage and screen star Essie Davis  (Game of Thrones, The Slap, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Babadook, and the upcoming The True History of The Kelly Gang), and UK actress, Jessica Barden (The End Of The F*****World, The Lobster) who, as the three Sisters of St Agnes, must defend their lives, existence and beliefs when the handsome priest, played by actor Sam Reid (The Railway Main, Belle, Anonymous) attempts to sell their dilapidated monastery. What unfolds is an epic and fantastical tale of faith, love and redemption.

Foxtel Head of Drama Penny Win said: “Lambs of God is a lush, evocative drama that is both ancient and incredibly modern, with its timeless message of resilience, and the power of story-telling as a redemptive force.

Marele Day’s unique novel stayed with me long after I’d finished reading it, and screenwriter Sarah Lambert has taken the story and enriched it in ways that are fresh and engaging. At every creative level, the talent attached to this project is world-class, and we are very proud to be working with Lingo Pictures to bring to life this truly unique series.”

Lingo Pictures Producer Jason Stephens said: “There are few stories as original as Lambs of God. Pitched to Foxtel as "Feral Nuns in a Monastery,” this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to deliver something that is truly different to any other drama produced before in Australia.

Lambs of God is already generating an enormous buzz thanks to its compelling script and the prestigious cast and crew that it has attracted. It’s a joy to work with Foxtel and have their unwavering support as we start to roll cameras on this moving, thrilling and often darkly humourous tale.”

Sky Vision Scripted Acquisition Manager Moreyba Bidessie said: "Lambs of God is such a unique and distinct story - and with Lingo Pictures and Foxtel at the helm, will be beautifully realised. And we are nothing but delighted to be representing the show internationally.

We feel, that with the incredible line-up of international cast - alongside the top notch creative team - will have huge appeal to many markets around the world.”

The provocative four part series has been adapted for the screen by Writer/Showrunner Sarah Lambert (Love Child, A Place To Call Home, Dance Academy, Love My Way), and will be directed by Jeffrey Walker (Modern Family, Ali’s Wedding, Dance Academy, Super Fun Night, Rake, Jack Irish)

Cinematographer and Academy Award-nominee Don McAlpine (Moulin Rouge, Romeo and Juliet, X Men Origins: Wolverine, The Dressmaker) will make his first foray into television drama as Director of Photography, with the series filmed on locations across Sydney, The Blue Mountains, the NSW South Coast and Tasmania.

Produced by Jason Stephens ,Lingo Pictures, Lambs of God will be helmed by Australia’s most prolific, television drama executives: Lingo Executive Producer, Helen Bowden (The Slap, Devils Playground, Wake in Fright); Foxtel Executive Producer, Penny Win (Picnic at Hanging Rock, Wentworth, A Place To Call Home); Endemol Shine Australia Executive Producers, Carl and Mark Fennessy (INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, Blue Murder: Killer Cop, Peter Allen: Not The Boy Next Door, Catching Milat, Offspring,) together with Producer Elisa Argenzio (Fighting Season, Wolf Creek, Underbelly) and Producer Sarah Lambert (Love Child).

Lambs of God received production investment funding from Screen Australia in association with Create NSW, the Tasmanian Government (through Screen Tasmania), and Endemol Shine Australia. The series will be distributed internationally by Sky Vision.