ABC Entertains - Programs and Schedules (formerly ABC ME)

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Operation Ouch! Virus Alert - COVID-19 Special

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Saturday 12 September 6.30pm

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Dr Chris, Dr Xand and Dr Ronx explore the science behind the current Coronavirus pandemic, answering questions along the way about why the outbreak occurred, what the virus does to your body, and how patients are being treated.

Operation Ouch! is packed with incredible facts about the human body and fronted by identical twins Dr.Chris and Dr. Xand who experiment and explore their way through the fascinating world of medicine and biology.

In this special episode, Dr Chris, Dr Xand and Dr Ronx explore the science behind the current Coronavirus pandemic, answering all your questions along the way about why the outbreak occurred, what the virus does to your body, and how patients are being treated.

While Dr Xand has been unwell at home with Coronavirus symptoms, Dr Ronx tells us how her emergency department has been caring for patients. Meanwhile, Dr Chris finds out about the latest advancements with a vaccine, and an exciting medical collaboration with Formula One to create ventilators for hospitals.

And Mini Xand is joined by Mini Chris and Mini Ronx to give you some top entertainment tips for staying at home.

Production details: Executive produced by Simone Haywood (Maverick) and Kez Margrie (CBBC). Produced by Maverick Television and Ian France in the UK.

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On August 23, 26 and 30, normal children’s programming on ABC ME will finish early at 8.25pm (instead of 10pm), due to the channel’s delayed telecast of the A-League finals.

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A second season of Itch has been announced.

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ABC ME farewells Ava, Drew and Pip

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The ABC has farewelled talented ABC ME presenters Ava Madon, Drew Parker and Pip Rasmussen as production on Definitely Not News draws to a close.

Ava, Drew and Pip have also fronted programs such as the daily bite-sized Stacked , the long-form factual series What’s It Like and What’s For Dinner and ABC ME’s broadcast of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. What it’s Like – which showcases the voices and stories of young people who aren’t often seen or heard – won the Prix Jeunesse International Youth Jury Award 2018.

In response to COVID-19 restrictions, the Melbourne-based ME TV production team produced Definitely Not News remotely through to the end of August, to keep ABC ME audiences engaged and entertained. Viewers can still catch episodes of DNN on ABC iview.

Libbie Doherty, Head of ABC Children’s, said: “Ava, Pip and Drew have big futures ahead of them. They are all hugely creative and have brought their own flair and style to multiple shows with great humour and authenticity. Hard working and professional every day, we wish them well and can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

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ABC ME drama First Day has been acquired by US streaming platform Hulu and will premiere tomorrow (September 3).

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ABC Kids’ Hardball scores International Emmy Kids Award nomination

Globally lauded ABC series Hardball has scored an International Emmy Kids Award nomination, celebrating the best children’s content from around the world.

The ABC Kids’ story of fish-out-of-water Mikey and his dream to become the sweetest-bestest-acest handball champ in Western Sydney is the only Australian finalist for the global awards.

Hardball’s nomination for the Kids: Live Action Emmy follows its win in June of the prestigious Prix Jeunesse International Award for the world’s best fiction program for 7-10-year-olds. In the same month, the comedy series, produced by Northern Pictures for the ABC, in conjunction with the ACTF, Screen Australia and Create NSW, also won the Rockie Award for the Best Children & Youth Fiction Series at the Banff World Media Festival in Canada.

Libbie Doherty, ABC Head of Children’s Production, said Hardball ’s Emmy Award reaffirmed the world-class standard of the ABC’s children’s content. “ Hardball represents Australian storytelling at its best – with a diverse cast, cracking story and local cast and crew who aced every element of the production,” she said.

“The ABC is proud to bring such outstanding homegrown programs to audiences, alongside the creative and innovative team at Northern Pictures. This Emmy Award shows that Australian stories, with Australian faces, voices and settings stand proudly alongside the best children’s content in the world.”

This is the second time this year that the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has presented Kids Emmys, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, ABC Kids’ Bluey, Australia’s most popular children’s television show, was awarded the Kids: Preschool Emmy Award.

Programs nominated for the latest International Emmy Kids Awards span 10 countries: Australia, Brazil, Finland, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Bruce Paisner, President & CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, said: “The geographic spread and variety of themes addressed in these nominated programs demonstrate the buoyancy and quality of children’s television throughout the world.

“We congratulate the nominees for their outstanding talent and for setting the standard of excellence we expect for young viewers worldwide.”

The awards will be announced during an online ceremony on 14 October.

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ABC has acquired 26-part CBBC teenage drama Almost Never.

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It’s 12:51am and ABC ME is currently playing a episode of Utopia Falls when they were meant to cease broadcasting at 10:20pm last night.

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Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t they play educational videos (outside of the first/last 30 minutes of shutdown).

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Programming time is extended if they’re playing episodes of rage, so that sounds unusual.

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ITCH Starts Production on Series 2 in WA’s Great Southern region

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ABC, Screenwest, Screen Australia and ABC Commercial are excited to announce that production has commenced in Western Australia on series two of ITCH – a ten part live-action adventure series produced for ABC by independent film and TV producer Komixx Entertainment and distributed worldwide by ABC Commercial.

The first series of ITCH based on the characters created in the award-winning books by popular British broadcaster and author Simon Mayo, is currently on ABC ME iview as part of the Spring BEST FEST and has also been acquired by channels worldwide including CBBC in the UK and BYU in the US. Sales have all been negotiated by ABC Commercial.

ITCH follows the adventures of Itchingham Lofte, a teenager obsessed by science, who pursues the unusual hobby of collecting all the elements on the Periodic Table. In series one Itch gets his hands on a new, previously unknown element but pursued by a malevolent teacher, the government and an evil corporation he has to draw on his science know-how to stay one step ahead of his adversaries.

Series two moves the story into a whole new adventure. Excited to spend their summer holiday by the beach, Itch and his friends are shocked to find dead fish washing up on the shores of Seaburgh after a boat explosion. They suspect foul play involving evil corporation Greencorp, but as the authorities ignore their concerns it is left to Itch and his friends to uncover the truth for themselves. In their efforts to keep the water safe, they make a discovery that threatens Seaburgh with devastation.

The ABC’s Head of Children’s Production, Libbie Doherty said, “The ABC is proud to support ITCH Series 2 that will deliver more of the high octane adventure full of twists and turns, shocks and betrayals, that speaks to the passion Australian kids have for the environment. The world class production values will deliver complex storytelling, all Australian cast and epic WA locations that honours the sophisticated viewing habits of young Australian audiences. ITCH Series 2 is the first ABC Children’s drama to head into production since COVID and we are thrilled to be working again with the original cast and West Australian crews.”

Amanda Morrison Head of Global Production and Managing Director of Komixx Entertainment in Australia explained: “ITCH series one has enjoyed a fantastic reception world-wide. Our BYUtv (US) audience, where ITCH is currently broadcasting, are loving the action-packed on-screen adventure and unique West Australian landscapes, and we are anticipating our UK launch with the BBC. We will be building on the universal themes of science and environmentalism in series two, which will again be produced entirely out of WA; celebrating the talent of our local industry, and showcasing the Great Southern and Peel regions to audiences across the world.”

Screenwest’s CEO, Willie Rowe said, “ITCH series 2 marks the recommencement of drama production for Western Australia and significant job opportunities for West Australians. We are thrilled that through the support of Screenwest and the Western Australian Regional Film Fund our Great Southern and Peel regions will be showcased on screen.”

ABC Commercial’s Head of Content Sales & Distribution, Jessica Ellis said “The first series of ITCH has been a huge success story for us with strong sales across the international marketplace and high rating performances for our platform partners. ABC Commercial has been working hard on expanding our portfolio of children’s and young adult content and ITCH has been a stellar example. We can’t wait to see this next series and are looking forward to having even greater success with Itch’s next adventure.”

Screen Australia’s Head of Content Sally Caplan said, “We are excited to support season two of this intelligent adventure series which showcases Albany in Western Australia. A thrilling journey with science at its core, I’m confident ITCH will continue to resonate with children here and around the world.”

Production credit: ITCH Series Two is a Komixx Entertainment production for the ABC. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with the ABC. Financed with support from Screenwest and the Western Australian Regional Film Fund. ABC Commercial holds worldwide distribution rights.

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NAIDOC WEEK Celebrations

Monday 9 November

ABC ME has curated a huge range of Indigenous stories this November for the delayed NAIDOC Week Celebrations in 2020. METV’s Acknowledgement of Country will continue to open the broadcast channel daily at 5.30am and ABC ME will broadcast favourites such as Thalu, Little J & Big Cuz and Grace Beside Me.

Other METV specials featured during NAIDOC Week include episodes fromWhat It’s Like Being Aboriginal, What’s For Dinner and Dream With Me plus Shame, My:24 and Planet MITS interstitials from the Melbourne Indigenous will Transition School (MITS).

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ABC’s Hardball scores sweet-as Emmy Award

ABC ME series Hardball has won an International Emmy Kids Award celebrating the best children’s content from around the world.

The lively story of fish-out-of-water Mikey and his dream to become the sweetest-bestest-acest handball champ in Western Sydney was the only Australian recipient of the global awards, winning the Kids: Live-Action Emmy ahead of The Walt Disney Company’s Juacas, South Korea’s Extraordinary You and Dropje from the Netherlands.

The win came a day after ABC Children’s short film And Then Something Changed and ABC political drama Total Control received MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards for demonstrating the positive impacts of diversity and inclusion across the global media landscape.

In June, Hardball , produced by Northern Pictures for the ABC, in conjunction with the ACTF, Screen Australia and Create NSW, also won the Prix Jeunesse International Award for best fiction program for 7-10-year-olds and the Rockie Award for the Best Children & Youth Fiction Series at the Banff World Media Festival in Canada.

Libbie Doherty, ABC Head of Children’s Production, said Hardball ’s Emmy Award recognized the world-class standard of Australian kids’ content. “Congratulations to Hardball creators Matt Zeremes and Guy Edmonds, executive producer Catherine Nebauer and series producer Joe Weatherstone for their outstanding win at the International Emmys. At the heart of Hardball is Australian creative excellence, which has again been recognised on the international stage.

“The ABC is proud to be the home of Australian children’s content and to support Australian children’s producers to excel and inspire and entertain audiences around the world.”

Catherine Nebauer, Head of Kids & Scripted at Northern Pictures, said: “Right from the start when show creators Matt and Guy first pitched in the idea there was something unique that was appealing, and so it continued. Everyone responded immediately to this charming but heartfelt series from our wonderful partners at ABC ME, ACTF and our funding bodies, Screen Australia and Screen NSW, and the collective team that came together to bring Hardball to life.

“At a crucial point in the kids’ industry in Australia, this win further seeds that we as an industry produce exceptional stories that are uniquely Australian and which resonate with the global audience.”

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Hardball won a NHK Japan Prize as the best program in the Primary age category.
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More than 500 people have signed a petition calling for the boycotting of the Horrible Histories program, over a segment from a 2015 episode of the children’s comedy series that was aired on ABC Me last Friday evening.

In the show, which was produced by the BBC, a British actress of Asian descent appeared in traditional Chinese costume and ate rats, cockroaches, and jellyfish among other things.

It was part of a section that was explaining the eating culture from China’s Tang Dynasty, which ended over 1,000 years ago.

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