Footy Show: Eddie McGuire signals AFL series return after Hot Seat axed

Just weeks after Hot Seat’s axing, Eddie McGuire has a new show on the horizon with work underway on a secret Footy Show project.

Just a matter of weeks after the shelving of Hot Seat, is Eddie McGuire about to add another TV show to his plate?

McGuire is expected to be part of a Footy Show mini comeback.

Tapping into the nostalgia vein, a special celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Grand Final Footy Show Spectacular is in the works and is expected to air on Channel 9 in the lead up to this year’s AFL Grand Final.

Footy Show originals Eddie McGuire, Sam Newman and Trevor Marmalade. Picture: Ch9

The special will be packed with highlights plucked from Grand Final specials – no doubt there will be plenty of footage from the legendary ‘players revue’ that saw of-the-moment footy favourites perform dance routines and mime songs. It was a major ‘switch on’ factor for the show.

The first Footy Show Grand Final Spectacular aired on 9 in 1993 as an extension of the Sunday Footy Show. When the prime-time, midweek Footy Show launched in 1994 the end of season spectacular became a fixed and celebrated part of that show.

Production has started on the special with many of the favourite faces of the Grand Final spectacular over the years expected to offer their recollections of the show’s heady times.

Shane Crawford as Elton John at the 2019 Footy Show Grand Final special. Picture: Ch9

Sam Newman confirmed he had been approached.

It is understood plans are also being formulated for a special to mark the 30th anniversary of the prime time The Footy Show next year, which would likely take the form of a best of clip show.

Milestone or nostalgia driven ‘best of’ specials have rated well for commercial networks in recent years with the Young Talent Time reunion drawing a good audience for Channel 10 and the Hey Hey It’s Saturday and Kath & Kim specials pulling big numbers for Seven.

Danielle Laidley’s big reveal

The much anticipated documentary on Danielle Laidley’s extraordinary life will premier on Stan next month.

Revealed – Danielle Laidley: Two Tribes, will give unprecedented insight into Laidley’s journey from childhood to the heights of the AFL, to her battle with gender dysphoria and finding herself.

“It’s with nervous anticipation that I share my story with Australia,” Laidley said.

Danielle Laidley and Donna Leckie. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“It hasn’t been the easiest path, but I’ve made some treasured memories along the way, and met some incredible people. This story won’t pull any punches; you’ll see me at my lowest points and at my highest, surrounded by those whom I care about most who stood by me through it all.

“My truth is becoming an increasingly common one in today’s society, and highlights the need for greater inclusivity, understanding and acceptance.”

Laidley said in the trailer for the documentary: “There is no doubt that the people around me and the AFL saved my life. Now that I can tell my story in my own words, that must revolve around me just being me, nothing more, nothing less.”

Eddie McGuire’s JAMTV has produced the documentary.

It drops on Tuesday, September 19 on Stan.

Married At First Sight shock move

Channel 9’s ratings hit Married At First Sight is getting an overhaul with a greater focus on love and less “screechy” cast members.

“We have tried to move away from the screechy and the shouty,” Channel 9’s content, production and development head Adrian Swift said.

“We still give it all the drama that it needs, but we’ve tried to absolutely make sure all the relationships we see genuine potential in.

“This year what we have tried to do really carefully, exhaustively, is go ‘is this right?’.

MAFS is promising less drama in its 2024 season and contestants that are paired to find love.

“There will still be those moments when they (contestants) take one look (at each other) and it all goes south, but we are hoping that there is a lot of love in this season.”

The reality dating show, which is a controversy magnet each year, is filming at present with the new season expected to launch on Nine in February.

Production started in early July, about a month earlier than usual, to give more time for the episodes to be edited.

“You don’t want to rush post (production) because you have to tell the stories respectfully,” Swift said.

“That (MAFS) is the show that has more conversations in the room about what we do and what we don’t do, than any other show we make.

“Why are we doing that? What actually happened? Does this honour what happened? Are we properly representing? Is it fair? There is this constant conversation around that and we felt we needed more time in post to have those conversations.”

Denyer’s game show twist

Gold Logie winner Grant Denyer is developing game shows.

Denyer has made a career move from hosting shows to trying to create new formats and hopes to have one of his concepts produced by Channel 9.

“I love hosting, but I am creating now, I am creating different TV shows,” Denyer told Jess Rowe’s Big Talk podcast.

Grant Denyer wants to create his own game shows. Picture: Mark Stewart

“I have always been too busy making them to create them, and now I am creating shows.

“I have just done a couple of deals with production companies.

“I have a show at Channel 9 now, hopefully they will say yes to that, so (I am) creating shows for others to shine in.”

Former Neighbours star’s Love Island US bid

Former Neighbours actor Harrison Luna is making a bid for international reality TV stardom having landed a role on the American version of Love Island.

Luna, a model and Chapel Street identity, is in Fiji filming the show at the moment.

Melbourne model Harrison Luna is in Love Island USA. Picture: Instagram

Harrison Luna in the Mister International pageant. Picture: Instagram

Luna had a small role on Neighbours in 2019 and also represented Australia in the Mister International competition in the Philippines in that same year.

A highlight of the Mister International pageant was the national costume segment, in which Luna took to the stage dressed in a distressed silver gladiator ensemble with a shoulder pad and wristlets inspired by the Sydney Opera House sails. A crested silver headpiece completed the homage to one of the world’s great architectural achievements.