A bloody retelling of Rudd: The Killing Season set to reignite hostilities

THE Killing Season is poised to be the most explosive political bloodletting on television since the last Labor leadership spill.

EMBARGOED SUNDAY MAY10 EXCLUSIVE Former PM Julia Gillard with ABC journalist Sarah Ferguson as they appear together in The Killing Season. Picture: ABCTV.

In what is poised to be the most explosive political bloodletting on television since the last Labor leadership spill, Walkley-award-winning journalist Sarah Ferguson is set to reopen hostilities between former PMs Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd — in a new three-part interview series The Killing Season.

Provocatively named after the period favoured by politicians just before the winter or summer parliamentary breaks — the ABC program (to premiere at 8.30pm, Tuesday, June 9) has been likened to an episode of Game Of Thrones by the woman charged with pinning down and drawing out the brutal details of the Rudd-Gillard leadership overthrows.

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Ferguson told me fans of political dramas such as Got and House Of Cards would see similarities in this docu-drama, which follows the template laid out by the 1998 series Labor In Power and The Howard Years in 2010.

“The language throughout these new interviews goes to those dramas … lots and lots of people talk of Greek tragedy, blood on the floor, Game Of Thrones, House Of Cards, all those dramas that everybody is watching,” she said, with Rudd and Gillard casting themselves as the heroes in this historical, event television.

“You can’t help it,” Ferguson said, “you have dynamic, strong, intelligent people who are engaged in a fight to the death effectively.”

Setting the bar high, the sometime Four Corners and 7.30 reporter said “the heightened intensity” of the Gillard-Rudd interviews “were at a level that I don’t think I’ve experienced elsewhere.”

“You could ask the make-up artist, the cameraman, the second unit cameraman, the producer, the series producer sitting in and they would give you exactly the same account. There was extraordinary intensity on each occasion.”

Despite being criticised for her combative interviewing of treasurer Joe Hockey last year, Ferguson continues to pull no punches here. “(Politicians) can’t win the day over an interview that extends over three days.

“You can’t have studio combat that lasts for that long, so it becomes something richer and their guard has to come down.”

MasterChef Australia judge Matt Preston models his latest fashion statement, flashy pants as favoured by garish golfer, John Daly.

Pants down, Preston can still shock

THEY didn’t cause quite as much stir as Rihanna’s omelette dress at the Met Gala in New York, but MasterChef Australia judge Matt Preston remains defiant about his decision to mix up his on-air wardrobe and parade a set of argyle-printed pants.

The cravat king revealed his unlikely inspiration for the designer duds was golfer John Daly, who shares Preston’s penchant for outrageous fashion and has earned a lucrative endorsement deal for wearing the same
label, appropriately named, Loud Mouth. Preston told me his fondness for argyle was not only a way to add extra shock value to this year’s resurgent series but they were cheap too. “They’re only $60 a pair, so I’m saving the producers money really — aren’t I an amazing human being? I’m wearing these for the good of the show.”

And the bad news for those who attacked his dacks? He has “eight pairs and a frock coat to rock” come finale time.

Mark Mitchell as Con the Fruiterer.

TV Gossip: Spooky claims or big Con job?

CON the fruiterer, aka comic Mark Mitchell, sees dead people. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write, but the Comedy Company favourite is set to confess all about his conversations with the other side in an exclusive report on tomorrow’s Studio 10 (8.30am, Ten). Apparently Mitchell saw his first apparition — of his dead aunt, Mary — when he was a child, but has never felt the need to reveal his spooky skills until now. It’s been about 25 years since the actor introduced his most famous character to TV, with few big hits since. Could this be his shot as Australia’s Ghost Whisperer?

Real Housewives of Melbourne's Season 2 cast. Picture: Martin Philbey

Don’t Miss: Housewives at bitchy best

AFTER last week’s explosion of F-bombs between Gina Liano and Jackie Gillies, hostilities continue during part one of The Real Housewives Of Melbourne reunion. Is it dignified, classy or even coherent? None of the above, but bloody hell it’s entertaining, with this season’s newcomers Gamble Breaux and Pettifleur Berenger saving their bitchiest, batshit craziest behaviour until the next-to-last episode. Here’s hoping host Alex Perry pocketed extra bucks for danger money, because he earns every bit of his pay cheque herding these alley cats.

Tonight, 8.30pm, Arena