Australia Day Live
Thursday 26 January 7.30pm
Australia Day Live at the Sydney Opera House and spanning Circular Quay showcases our nation’s best musical stars with tributes to our country, combined with a fireworks and maritime show.
As the sun sets on our national day, Australia Day Live from the Sydney Opera House forecourt and spanning Circular Quay is just getting started with an inspiring and uplifting finale to the day featuring powerful storytelling, moving tributes and sensational entertainment on both land and water.
Australia Day Live showcases musical performances from our nation’s best talent complemented by a dazzling watercraft extravaganza of yachts, jet skis, fly boarders, and parachutists dropping in to join the fun. All this along with Sydney’s iconic landmarks and harbour create an incredible backdrop for a brilliant fireworks and light show.
The two-hour spectacular is produced by the NSW Government and Australia Day Council of NSW with creative direction led by music maestro and Creative Director John Foreman OAM together with Creative Consultant, the multi-instrumentalist, composer and vocalist William Barton.
Australia Day Live will be hosted by John Foreman, Casey Donovan and Jeremy Fernandez. Further information about the talent line-up will be available in January 2023.
Since it began in 2016, Australia Day Live at Sydney Opera House has proven much more than a concert; it reflects a nation coming together to reflect, respect and celebrate the Australian spirit and the best of this vast nation; our mateship, our sense of community, and our resilience.
Production credits: ABC Executive Producer: Matt Scully
Australian of the Year Awards
Wednesday 25 January 7.30pm
From Canberra’s National Arboretum, hosted by Hamish Macdonald and Susie Youssef, the Australian of the Year Awards recognise the achievements of extraordinary Australians.
ABC proudly presents the Australian of the Year Awards on Wednesday, January 25, live from Canberra’s National Arboretum from 7.30pm AEDT on ABC TV, ABC iview, ABC NEWS channel, and ABC Radio.
The Australian of the Year Awards celebrate the achievements and contributions of outstanding Australians throughout the last year. There are 33 people in contention for four prestigious award categories:
• Australian of the Year
• Senior Australian of the Year
• Young Australian of the Year
• Australia’s Local HeroThe evening’s celebrations will be hosted by Hamish Macdonald and Susie Youssef with the Prime Minister, the Hon Anthony Albanese presenting the four category awards as they are announced, culminating in the announcement of the Australian of the Year 2023.
The event will include performances by singer-songwriter Budjerah.
ABC Canberra’s Adam Shirley will broadcast live on ABC Radio from 7.00pm-10.00pm AEDT, bringing you the behind-the-scenes colour of the event.
On January 26, at 8.30am local time in each state and territory, the first feature length interview (30 minutes) with the recipient of the Australian of the Year will air on ABC Radio local stations.
Production credits: ABC Series Producer, Marie Davies.
Bradman and Tendulkar
Monday 23 January 8.30pm
Bradman and Tendulkar – two of cricket’s greatest players from different corners of the world, are the subject of a new television documentary which compares their early lives, stellar careers and dreams.
In May 2022, ABC reporters Ben Knight and Paul Kennedy began work on a television documentary project comparing the lives and careers of two of Cricket’s greatest players – Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar.
On the face of it, their backgrounds could not have been more different. Bradman grew up in 1920s rural Australia, Tendulkar in the crowded chaos of Bombay.
Yet the more Ben and Paul looked into their lives, the more they found. Both cricketers were the youngest in large families, growing up in loving and supportive environments where art was as much encouraged as sport.As batters, their styles were not particularly similar. Yet Bradman clearly saw something he recognised – perhaps more than he said at the time.
Their aggression, their hunger for runs, their mental ability to maintain focus for hours on end, their deep love of the game for its own sake… everywhere you look, the connections are there.They famously met only once: on Bradman’s 90th birthday. The photograph of that meeting was front page news in Australia and India. For the first time, we find out what happened in the room that inspiring day
Production credit: ABC International and ABC NEWS collaboration