‘Playing For Keeps’ cast (L-R) Cece Peters, Isabella Giovinazzo, Olympia Valance, Madeleine West and Annie Maynard.
Unveiling its 2020 schedule today, Network 10 is betting heavily on renewals of Australian dramas, reality and light entertainment shows.
While there are no new drama commissions, there will be second seasons of Hoodlum Entertainment’s Five Bedrooms, Pablo Pictures and Princess Pictures’ comedy How to Stay Married and, as flagged last November, Screentime’s Playing for Keeps.
The line-up also includes Lingo Pictures’ previously announced psychological thriller The Secrets She Keeps, which stars Downton Abbey‘s Laura Carmichael, Jessica De Gouw, Michael Dorman, Ryan Corr and Michael Sheasby.
The network tells IF no decisions have been made on the future of CJZ’s Mr Black and My Life Is Murder or Screentime’s The Secret Life of Four Year Olds.
Not returning are ITV Studios Australia’s Chris & Julia’s Sunday Night Takeaway or Endemol Shine Australia’s Changing Rooms.
Yet to be revealed are the commissions for the 2020 Pilot Week, which in 2018 led to a series orders for Big Yellow Taxi Productions and Kinne Productions’ Kinne Tonight, which continues next year.
Eureka Productions’ Drunk History, another 2018 pilot, which saw Rhys Darby and Stephen Curry re-telling Australia’s rich and often surprising history, is proceeding to series.
The factual/light entertainment slate includes new seasons of Screentime’s Trial by Kyle and Hughesy, We Have a Problem, ESA’s Gogglebox and Ambulance Australia, Essential Media’s Todd Sampson’s BodyHack and Working Dog Productions’ Have You Been Paying Attention?.
‘One Born Every Minute Australia.’
Based on a UK format, ESA’s One Born Every Minute Australia premieres at 8.30 pm on Tuesday October 22. The obs doc chronicles life in Westmead Hospital’s busy birthing unit, using remote-controlled, fixed-rig cameras to follow first-time mums and anxious fathers from the reception desk to the maternity ward and operating theatre.
In the reality space, Warner Bros Australia’s The Masked Singer is trailing the Nine Network’s The Block in the ratings but performing well enough to be renewed for 2020.
The new season of ITV Australia’s I’m A Celebrity…Get Me out Of Here! launches on January 5, followed by the fifth series of WB’s Australian Survivor, this time in an All Stars format with the participants drawn from about 100 previous contestants. There will be another edition later in the winter.
Also in February, Amanda Keller and Grant Denyer will star in Dancing with the Stars, filmed live in Melbourne, a co-production between WB and BBC Studios.
Counter-programmed against the Olympic Games will be WB’s Bachelor in Paradise, The Bachelor Australia and The Bachelorette Australia, again hosted by Osher Günsberg.
Post Easter, ESA’s MasterChef Australia returns for its 12th season with three new judges in Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen plus guest judges.
Network 10 chief content officer Beverley McGarvey said: “In 2020, our content will be everywhere – across all platforms – creating a playground that will ensure our shows connect with Australians like never before and get all of Australia talking.
“A year ago we talked about cementing our position as leaders in escapist entertainment and promised we would have differentiated flagship content targeting our key target market of under 50s 50 weeks a year.
“We delivered on that promise and Australians responded. We’ve seen year-on-year TV share growth in all key demographics since August. 10 Play and 10 Daily have delivered record audience numbers. 10 All Access is an out-of-the-box success.”