Daryl Somers says political correctness has killed TV comedy

Aussie legend Daryl Somers says there is a lack of fun on TV and what would have once been tongue-in-cheek would now get you in trouble.

Australian legend Daryl Somers ­believes “cancel culture” would make it impossible for a show like his iconic Hey Hey It’s Saturday to survive and thrive on commercial television today.

Fifty years since the launch of Hey, Hey, Somers is returning to prime time to host Dancing With The Stars All Stars for Channel 7.

“You probably could not get away with half the stuff you could on Hey Hey now because of the political correctness and the cancel culture,” Somers, 69, said.

“It is a shame because showbiz does not get much of a chance.

“A lot of comics can’t work much because what would have been just tongue-in-cheek previously now can easily get them into trouble.

“I can’t say I am enamoured with it, but it is a changing world in which we live and you just have to work around things.”

Livinia Nixon, Daryl Somers and Ossie Ostrich on the set of Hey Hey It’s Saturday. Picture: Channel 9

Somers said he felt there was a lack of fun on TV because of political correctness and that those restrictions were not prevalent during the height of Hey Hey.

“Our humour was never meant to offend anybody,” he said. “It was always about having fun; good, clean fun, and we don’t have a show like that, that is reflecting the fun any more.

“I hear people who say, ‘What a shame we don’t have a show like Hey Hey anymore that can showcase our artists and international artists when they come out here’.

“There is nothing really for them to go on and have fun. And that is the sad thing. There has got to be television where you can have fun, ­especially in Australia which has got a unique humour.

“Everything is being somewhat dulled down, but that is just the way it is and seemingly you have to roll with it.”

Somers is confident the revamped DWTS will be full of fun, razzle dazzle and the “wow” factor as former winners and fan favourites return to the show, along with four wildcard ­entrants.

Daryl Somers and Molly Meldrum.

Daryl Somers. Picture: Channel 7/Nigel Wright

Somers hosted the first seven seasons of DWTS from 2004 until 2007, alongside Sonia Kruger.

“For me it is a wonderful nostalgic romp,” Somers said.

“I have wonderful memories of hosting this show and the opportunity to work with Sonia Kruger again was lovely. We just picked up from where we left off.”

Somers said he read that he was the hot tip to host the revamped show in the Sunday Herald Sun.

“I thought it was a rumour. It was some weeks after I read it in the paper I got the call.

“I have been busy working on plans to mark the 50th anniversary of Hey Hey and then this opportunity came and I could not say no.

“This has suddenly propelled me back into prime time and I want to give this as much energy and experience as I can muster.”

Somers revealed he would relaunch his HeyHey.tv website this year to mark the show’s 50th anniversary which falls on October 9.

He also said he had been toying with other TV formats.

“I am going to be presenting some of the archives with backstories about how things came about, so it will be kind of a cosy TV environment online and by subscription,” he said.

“It will be great fun to do it and I will be connecting with a lot of the people I have worked with over the years.

“We have so much material from Hey Hey and I think there will be a lot of people who grew up with the show who will also love to look back on its history and special moments.”

Hey Hey It’s Saturday ran from 1971 until the end of 1999. It returned in 2009 for two reunion specials and in 2010 the show had a 20- episode season.

“It was 30 years all up on air, 28 years was the first run and then we came back in 2009 and again in 2010,” Somers said. “So I consider it a 30-year run, with 10 years off for good ­behaviour.”

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