Todd Woodbridge secretly films Channel 9’s quiz show Tipping Point in London
From king of the court to quiz king, Todd Woodbridge is moving into Eddie McGuire’s seat as Channel 9’s new TV quizmaster.
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After being dubbed the “New Eddie” by quiz fans, it can be revealed former tennis great Todd Woodbridge has already filmed episodes of Channel 9’s Australian version of Tipping Point.
The Australian version of the British quiz show will replace McGuire’s Hot Seat show as the all important lead-in to Nine’s weeknight news bulletin early next year and while Woodbridge is yet to be announced by Nine as host, he most certainly has the gig.
Nine filmed episodes of the Australian version of the show in London earlier this year. When the network announced this usual move no host was noted, but it is understood Woodbridge hosted that block of shows.
Woodbridge is one of the most versatile, professional and talented media performers around having honed his skills across sport, news reading, reporting on Postcards and appearing as an expert commentator on radio.
Tipping Point Australia is casting now and episodes are expected to start filming in Melbourne in October.
Woodbridge is expected to be officially announced as the host of the show at Nine’s Upfront 2024 programming reveal next week.
His Tipping Point gig will see him join a select club of Australian quizmasters which includes Tony Barber, Glenn Ridge, Larry Emdur, Tom Gleisner, Adam Hills and McGuire.
Friends, family remember Barry Humphries
The life of comedic genius Barry Humphries was celebrated by his close friends and family at a private memorial in Melbourne on Sunday.
Guests were invited to “An afternoon of music and memories celebrating the life of Barry Humphries” at Camberwell Grammar.
The Camberwell Grammar String Quartet played as guests arrived and Steve Vizard as master of ceremonies led the invited throng through various chapters of Humphries’ enormous life.
Speakers included Geoffrey Rush and Peter Rowsthorn along with a video of Humphries performing with cabaret artist Meow Meow and many snapshots of his life and the memorable characters he created.
His daughter, Tessa Humphries, spoke and recited the poem Wattle Park Blues written by her father.
Humphries passed away in Sydney in April aged 89 and he was farewelled at a private funeral in the Southern Highlands region of New South Wales.
Humphries was born in Kew in 1939 and grew up in Camberwell. He attended Camberwell Grammar before moving to Melbourne Grammar and then going on to study at Melbourne University.
His greatest character creation was Dame Edna Everage.
James Brayshaw, Tony Jones Footy Show feud
Fresh from the revelations that a “p---ed off” Tony Jones refused to speak to him for “about five years” after being bumped as host of the Sunday Footy Show, James Brayshaw has clarified why he was absent from the filming of a Footy Show special last week.
Famous faces of the show were asked to contribute pieces to camera recalling memories and moments of the prime time Footy Show and the Sunday Footy Show.
Brayshaw was asked to be a part of the filming, and while believing the recording was just to be focused on the Sunday Footy Show, told Triple M he was happy to do it as long as the production company cleared it with his TV employer, Channel 7.
He did not take part and it is unclear if he maybe available at another time to film.
Brayshaw’s revelation on Saturday that his elevation to the host of the Sunday Footy Show in 2009 had caught then host Tony Jones unawares and resulted in the pair not speaking for years, exposed a Footy Show feud that few had known about.
Brayshaw hosted the Sunday Footy Show from 2009, taking over from Jones, until the end of 2011. He co-hosted the prime time Footy Show from 2006 to the end of 2016.
“The problem was that Chompers (Jones) was the host and no one had told him, so suddenly Chompers thought I had backdoored him and Chompers did not speak to me for a good five years,” he told Triple M.
Jones confirmed he had been blindsided when he was bumped by Brayshaw from his Sunday Footy Show role.
“It was a bit of a bruise to the ego,” Jones said.
He said while he and Brayshaw did not talk for years, he didn’t think he’d been “backdoored”.
“I was just p---ed off with the fact that he had replaced me.”
But they did patch things up with beers on a flight back from Canada a couple of years later and “we have been really chummy ever since.”
“Anyway, it was all sorted a long time ago and we have absolutely no issues whatsoever,” Jones said.
Sam’s back after he ‘fled the country.’
In the words of his mate Tom Gleisner, Sam Pang “fled the country” after the Logies.
But after a couple of weeks in Europe – Italy was one of his stops – Pang was back on Have You Been Paying Attention on Monday firing off one liners and observations.
“I just had a little break, Tom,” Pang said.
“Hanging out with you and Ed (Kavalee) every week takes a toll.”
The best line of the night however went to Kitty Flanagan.
“Some of us host them, some of us get them,” she said.
Pang may have hosted TV’s big night but Flanagan, the star of the ABC series Fisk, has won Most Popular Actress two years in a row.
No d**khead policy creates a MAFS star
Clinical sexologist Alessandra Rampolla is shaping up as the secret weapon of the new season of Married At First Sight, thanks to her blunt assessment of d---heads.
Rampolla, who is one of the relationship experts on the hit Channel 9 show, will have a larger role in the season that is currently filming in Sydney and will air in early 2024.
“Alessandra’s role will be elevated further this year,” Adrian Swift, Nine’s Head of Content, Production and Development, said.
“All three of them (the experts) bring something and they do something different.
“John (Aiken) is the enforcer, Mel (Schilling) is warm and lovely, and Alessandra, she calls people out because she doesn’t have our white Anglo Saxon preconceptions of the world.
“She just looks at things through that fabulous latin lens and goes ‘what the f—k are you guys talking about’ and I find that incredibly healthy and challenging.
“They have really worked out what their lanes are and it is great.”
Melbourne furniture salesman’s key role in Geldof’s Live Aid concert crusade
A man who was the unsung hero behind Australia’s involvement in Bob Geldof’s legendary 1985 Live Aid concert has broken his silence on the 40th anniversary of the famine relief global fundraiser.
Lights, Camera, Melbourne: Iconic movies and TV shows filmed across the city
From the beloved Ramsay Street of Neighbours to the dramatic landscapes of Mad Max, Melbourne has served as the backdrop for numerous notable films and TV series, leaving a lasting impression on audiences worldwide.