Fiona Byrne: How Sam Pang and Sam Newman nearly shared a radio show
In Fiona Byrne’s wrap of weekly celebrity news, it can be revealed Logies hero Sam Pang once worked on a secret show with a couple of footy legends and ‘the Boss’ turned down an offer to play at the AFL final.
Fiona Byrne
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Logie hero Sam Pang’s long lost secret radio show pilot with a couple of footy legends has been revealed.
Hawthorn legend Don Scott has told of the pilot episode he and Pang recorded with the headline-prone Sam Newman.
The unlikely trio did the pilot between 15 and 20 years ago – Scott can’t remember the exact date – and came about after he and Pang, who was at that point part of the Triple R Breakfasters show, had done some speaking engagements together.
They hit it off, and the idea of a pilot was suggested. When the thought of adding a third person to the mix was offered, Scott asked Newman, who was at the height of his TV powers on The Footy Show, to be part of the pilot.
“The three of us went at night out to the Triple R studios in Collingwood and did a pilot for a radio show on football and sport,” Scott said.
“I was in the wilderness and still am, John (Newman) was at The Footy Show, but now is off Channel 9, and the only one of us who has taken off is Sam Pang.
“He has gone on to bigger and better things, and Johnny (Newman) and I are doing a podcast.”
Newman and Scott host the You Cannot Be Serious podcast.
The Pang, Scott and Newman show didn’t make it past pilot stage with it seemingly consigned to the bin of history. Scott never heard the finished episode.
“The show never saw the light of day,” he said.
This gun’s not for hire, Gil
Bruce Springsteen has turned down a “money we could not afford” offer from the AFL to play at this year’s grand final.
The AFL is madly looking for a headline act for the pre-game entertainment for footy’s biggest day on the last Saturday in September after Crowded House pulled out last week.
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell on Friday that an offer had been put to a significance act on Thursday night and the league was waiting with bated breath to see if it was accepted.
But whoever takes to the MCG on September 30 will do so knowing they are, at best, the third pick for the pre-game gig.
Springsteen was McLachlan’s first choice, but the US superstar passed.
“My wish list is always Springsteen,” McLachlan told Mitchell.
“I can rule him out.
“We offered him the kitchen sink and he is not available. We are working back from Bruce Springsteen.
“He was certainly sounded out and I offered him money we could not afford and that still didn’t tick the box.
“For me, he would be the person or the act who I think would be the perfect act (for the grand final).”
Kath and Kim O.V.A.H
Kath and Kim fans hoping that new content of the foxy ladies from Fountain Lakes might miraculously appear will be crying into their dippity bix with Glenn Robbins delivering bad news.
It is over; o-v-a-h.
Robbins, who played Kel Knight on the much-loved comedy, revealed Gina Riley, who played Kim, had retired.
“Of course, I worked with the great girls of Kath and Kim – Jane Turner and Gina Riley –who are absolutely phenomenal,” Robbins said at the 3AW Rumours Feast on Friday.
“Gina has officially retired. She will never work again. Jane lives in Italy, and so we had our time together.
“I can say there are great minds that I love, but I love the great minds I get to work with.”
Robbins, Riley and Turner last worked together on the Kath and Kim: Our Effluent Life and Kath and Kim: 20 Preposterous Years specials which aired on Channel 7 in November 2022.
Meanwhile, Robbins opened up about the inspiration for the unique power walk, a trademark of his famous Kel Knight character.
“The real answer is it is based on the Michael Jackson moonwalk done backwards,” he said.
The Rumours Feast raised funds for the Kids First Foundation.
Two strong hearts: John Farnham’s son to marry
Australian music legend John Farnham will be centre stage once more in the new year.
An important family celebration has been pencilled into the beloved singer’s diary – the wedding of his eldest son, Rob.
Rob and his fiance, Melissa Kelly, will tie the knot in a private ceremony in February. Without giving away too much detail, the wedding will be in the shadow of Valentine’s Day – four years almost to the day since the couple started dating.
Among the first to receive one of the elegant save the date invitations were John and his wife, Jill. Rob and Melissa announced their engagement in November 2022.
“My best friend and love of my life said ‘Yes’ to marrying me. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you,” Rob posted at the time. Melissa posted: “Whatever the future holds for us, I know we’ll get through it together. I can’t wait to marry you, my babes. I love you with all my heart forever and ever.”
A family wedding will bring abundant joy to the Farnham family after facing the shock and fear of John’s mouth cancer diagnosis last year.
John underwent 12-hour surgery on August 23, 2022, to remove a cancerous tumour. As part of the procedure part of his jaw needed to be reconstructed.
Farnham has been recovering privately over the past 12 months with the support of his loving family and closest friends.
His tremendous career was celebrated earlier this year with the release of the documentary John Farnham: Finding The Voice which was a hit in cinemas and hugely popular when screened on Channel 7 last month.
Buyer’s remorse? Block social swipe deleted
Long-time interiors judge Neale Whitaker has quietly deleted his stunning social media swipe at the production team behind The Block in which he blasted the show for what he saw as shoddy editing.
Is this the social media equivalent of buyer’s remorse?
Whitaker accused The Block of cutting out footage where he explained to fellow judges Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer, in the first episode of the 2023 series, that he would be stepping back to a part-time judging role as his partner was battling health issues.
The social media shot was out of character for Whitaker, who has been a judge on the show for 17 seasons, and a rare example of a show regular publicly criticising their TV vehicle.
“There’s nothing more frustrating than an unexplained decision or an incomplete narrative, especially where health and family are concerned,” Whitaker posted on Instagram after the episode aired last week.
“I broke the news to Shaynna and Darren that I would be unable to join them each week and explained my reasons. It was an emotional conversation for all of us.
“Unfortunately, those important reasons didn’t make the cut, so here goes.
“This year I’ve chosen to put family first. David, my partner of 20 years, has been experiencing some serious and ongoing health issues and we knew my place was at home.”
The blast at the Block has now disappeared from Instagram and it is understood that the production was very surprised by his claims.
Jock’s joint for rent
The property that Jock Zonfrillo called home in Melbourne is up for rent.
The celebrity chef and his family rented the stunning home in Drummond St, Carlton, for several years when they were based in Melbourne before moving to Italy.
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom house with the famous former tenant is back on the rental market with an asking price of $2500 a week.
The kitchen of the home, with its Gaggenau fittings, Carrara marble benchtops, two dishwashers, oven, microwave, warming draw, coffee machine and wine fridge was the backdrop for many of Zonfrillo’s cooking videos.
He and his family had moved last year and were looking to base themselves in Italy when the talented chef was found dead in a Carlton hotel room on April 30. He had returned to Melbourne to promote MasterChef when he suddenly and unexpectedly passed.
Woodbridge aces Eddie
Todd Woodbridge is swapping tennis for trivia as the new Eddie McGuire.
Woodbridge is understood to have been tapped for the hosting role on Tipping Point, Channel 9’s bold choice as the new lead-in program for the weeknight news bulletin as of next February.
Tennis champion Woodbridge is one of Nine’s leading tennis commentators across TV and radio and is one of the reporters on Postcards.
He was at the launch of The Block in Hampton East last week which was heavy with Nine executives.
Industry site TV Blackbox was the first to name Woodbridge as the Tipping Point frontman.
Tipping Popping is based on a UK quiz format.
An Australian version of the show will be filmed in Melbourne from October and while Nine is yet to comment, it is openly spoken about in TV circles that this is the show that will fill the void left by the retirement of McGuire’s Millionaire Hot Seat.
McGuire announced last week that Hot Seat would be axed at the end of January 2024 and revealed that the enduring quiz show’s replacement would be filmed in Melbourne.
A call for contestants for the Australian version of Tipping Point went live on Wednesday.
“UK game show sensation is coming to Australia,” the casting call read.
“We are on the lookout for contestants to take part in the hit UK series filming in Melbourne from October 2023.”
Tipping Point, hosted by Ben Shepherd, has been on air in the UK since 2012.
It features three players answering general knowledge questions and winning counters which they use on a large arcade-style machine.
The UK version of Tipping Point is seen on Nine at 3pm weekdays and has proven to be surprisingly popular.
Nine is expected to announce Tipping Point and its host at its Upfronts in early September.
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