It's Ricky Nixon and Brendan Fevola versus Logies and MasterChef

CHANNEL 7 has secured interviews with Ricky Nixon and Brendan Fevola to take on the Logies and MasterChef in a TV war.

masterchef

CHANNEL 7 has splashed big money to secure interviews with controversial AFL identities Ricky Nixon and Brendan Fevola to take on the Logie Awards and MasterChef in a Sunday night TV war.

Former player manager Nixon will break his silence on the so-called St Kilda schoolgirl affair on Seven's Sunday Night, which has also paid for interviews with fallen Coleman Medal winner Fevola, his estranged wife Alex and the footballer's mother.

In one of the biggest TV viewing nights of the year, Seven's big hit at 6.30pm will try to trump rival networks - an hour before MasterChef Australia makes its season debut on Ten and Nine's Logies telecast kicks off.

It further steps up a battle that escalated in March when Nine launched a Sunday night edition of A Current Affair.

Seven Network news and current affairs head Peter Meakin said the network had not paid Nixon for the interview, but had paid an independent documentary producer.

"I can confirm that we paid a fee to an independent documentary producer for her material and her assistance in arranging the interview," Mr Meakin said.

The interview is reported to include a number of fiery exchanges between Nixon and Seven reporter Ross Coulthard.

"I am told it is emotional, even heated," Mr Meakin said. "Mr Nixon walks out a couple of times, then returns to continue his defence."

TV experts predicted MasterChef's season debut would cook the Logie Awards, but said it was unknown how Sunday Night would rate.

Media specialist Mark McCraith predicted MasterChef would attract between 1.9 and 2 million viewers.

"People can't wait for MasterChef. They're looking for good family TV," Mr McCraith, chief operating officer for Maxus media buying company, said.

If the prediction is correct, it will be bad news for Nine's Logies.

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