Ray Martin.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, ABC and Screen Australia have partnered in a comedy initiative designed to culminate in eight-part series, At Home Alone Together.
Dubbed a “lifestyle show for a world in which nobody has a life”, At Home Alone Together will be produced by the ABC and gather comedians and actors to give audiences advice on how they can live their best life in the time of COVID-19.
Hosted by Ray Martin, each half-hour episode will feature regular contributors, including comedians Anne Edmonds, Ryan Shelton, Becky Lucas, Christiaan Van Vuuren and Adele Vuko, who will share their knowledge, inspirations and advice on how to achieve self-improvement during the corona crisis, covering a range of topics, including D.I.Y, wellness, parenting and personal finances.
Martin said: “I’ve worked in journalism for over 50 years, but it’s always been my dream to front a lifestyle show. 60 Minutes was all well and good, but it never gave me an opportunity to build a pergola. Australians are experiencing a difficult time and I believe I’m the right person to step up to hold the country’s hand through it – just so long as that hand has been thoroughly sanitised.”
ABC head of entertainment and factual Josie Mason-Campbell said: “We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the comedy industry into crisis, so as well as making a great show that will encourage Australians to do what they do best in a crisis – laugh – the ABC also wants to support the writers, performers, producers and technicians who are the life blood our of industry. We’ll commission ideas from teams across the country who will write, produce, edit and deliver sketches and bring them to a mass audience. It’s no mean feat to go from concept to screen so quickly – At Home Alone Together is an extraordinary project for this unprecedented time.”
Screen Australia online investment manager Lee Naimo said, “The entire comedy industry has been impacted by COVID-19, but it’s emerging writers and performers who have been the hardest hit. This project presents an opportunity to give these creatives experience with a broadcaster and help them develop their careers during this time. At Home Alone Together will entertain a nation hungry for relevant content while employing a sector of the industry hungry to flex their comedy muscles. I can’t wait to see what these teams bring together in these unique circumstances.”
At Home Alone Together will be produced following strict COVID-19 OHS guidelines, using modern production techniques requiring minimal crew for broadcast standard results. Much of the series will be recorded in the contributor’s homes, either using their own equipment or a single person crew.