In a late programming move, ABC TV will show this afternoon’s state memorial service for the late Olivia Newton-John at 4pm local time in all states, in addition to the live broadcast on ABC News channel.
Hate to break it to you but Sophie “Chopper” Elsworth has apparently decided that the coverage wasn’t impartial enough, whatever that means. Was she expecting ABC to interrupt Mardi Gras coverage with a straight pride parade or something? (btw I didn’t even click on the link in the tweet the headline is ludicruous enough. I had to check it wasn’t from the Sky News Parody account!)
https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/1630176737563688964?s=20
Possibly comparing the air time given to NSW Labor that included the first PM to walk in the parade and the NSW Libs air time ???
Also not falling for the bait 
were the NSW Libs there?
Yes
Rainbow Labor NSW
Liberal Party NSW – Friends of the LGBTQIA+ Community
According to ABC’s online TV guide, this will be the Australian FTA premiere of the first season of Acorn/TVNZ drama Under the Vines, starring Rebecca Gibney.
They should be promoting this hard, like they do with British series even if they’ve been on a subscription service.
Van der Valk - Season 3
Friday 24 March at 8:30pm
Amsterdam’s famous detective is back. Set in Amsterdam, the series follows the work of Commisaris Piet Van der Valk – a street-smart and unapologetic Dutch detective who navigates the lively and enigmatic city, solving mysterious crimes using astute human observation and inspired detection.
Episode 1 – Freedom in Amsterdam - Friday 24 March It’s a new day and a new dawn as Van der Valk (Mark Warren) welcomes two new Sergeants to the team – impulsive hotshot Eddie Suleman (Azan Ahmed) and technical whizz Citra Li (Django Chan-Reeves). It’s a baptism of fire as the tragic murder of a charismatic young freerunning star reveals a dark heart of corruption and rivalries beneath the surface of this dynamic sport.
Episode 2 – Redemption in Amsterdam – Friday 31 March The use of an Indonesian ceremonial sword as a murder weapon takes Van der Valk and the team deep into the world of colonial museum artefacts and the thorny issue of restitution – with an unlikely link to the cold case (and Piet’s very first) of an apparently vicious juvenile child killer.
Final is 17 March 8:30 pm
Updates
Saturday 4 March
9:40pm Traces Rpt
10:30pm Time Rpt
11:30pm rage Guest Programmer
Saturday 11 March
8:20pm Under the Vines FTA Premiere
9:10pm Grantchester Rpt
9:55pm Traces Rpt
10:40pm Time Rpt
11:40pm rage Guest Programmer Rpt
Week commencing 12 March 2023
Sunday 12 March
7:30pm Death In Paradise
8:30pm Vera: The Darkest Evening Season Final
10:00pm Queerstralia: Gender and Identity Rpt
11:00pm Finding Alice Rpt
11:50pm Last Tango In Halifax Rpt
Monday 13 March
7:30pm 7.30
8:00pm Australian Story
8:30pm Four Corners
9:15pm Media Watch
9:35pm Q+A
10:35pm China Tonight Rpt
11:10pm ABC Late News
11:25pm The Business Rpt
11:40pm Vera Rpt
Tuesday 14 March
7:30pm 7.30
8:00pm Back In Time For The Corner Shop: 1920s - 1940s
9:00pm Queerstralia: Community and Belonging Series Final
10:00pm Kweens of the Queer Underground: Lesbians On The Loose Series Final
10:15pm Catalyst: Forever Young? The Rise Of Injectables Rpt
11:15pm ABC Late News
11:30pm The Business Rpt
11:45pm Four Corners Rpt
12:30am Media Watch Rpt
Wednesday 15 March
7:30pm 7.30
8:00pm Hard Quiz: Battle of the Duds
8:30pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering
9:00pm QI: Thrills & Spills
9:35pm Celia Pacquola: All Talk Rpt
10:35pm Adam Hills: The Last Leg
11:15pm ABC Late News
11:30pm The Business Rpt
11:50pm Frayed Rpt
Thursday 16 March
7:30pm 7.30
8:00pm Foreign Correspondent
8:30pm Grand Designs: The Streets: John & Julia
9:20pm Griff’s Canadian Adventure: Frenchness Rpt
10:10pm Art Works Rpt
10:40pm ABC Late News
10:55pm The Business Rpt
11:10pm Back In Time For The Corner Shop: 1920s - 1940s Rpt
12:10am Q+A Rpt
Friday 17 March
7:30pm Gardening Australia
8:30pm Endeavour: Exeunt Series Final
10:05pm Van der Valk: Payback In Amsterdam Rpt
11:35pm ABC Late News Rpt
11:50pm Adam Hills: The Last Leg Rpt
Saturday 18 March
7:30pm The Larkins
8:20pm Under The Vines
9:10pm Grantchester Rpt
9:55pm Traces Rpt
10:40pm Time Rpt
11:45pm rage Guest Programmer
Close To Me
Sunday 26 March 9.30pm FTA Premiere + BINGE
After a fall, Jo’s (Connie Nielson) lost all memory of her last year. On return home from hospital she begins to have flashbacks that make her question if the fall really was an accident.
Connie Nielsen and Christopher Eccleston lead a star-studded international cast in this adaptation of Amanda Reynolds bestselling novel, which explores how deception can lie below the surface of a seemingly perfect life.
This knotty psychological thriller follows Jo (Connie Neilson), a woman who seems to have it all; a perfect house, a loving husband and two grown-up children. But after an accident, Jo suffers memory loss and finds she has forgotten the last year. With a growing sense of unease around her husband, family and friends, she must play detective in her own life and piece together what really happened the night of the accident.Production Credit: ALL3MEDIA International Ltd
Melbourne International Comedy Festival The Gala
Wednesday 29 March 9.00pm
Hosted by ABC and Melbourne International Comedy Festival favourite Luke McGregor, comedy’s night of nights The Gala brings the stars of the Festival together on stage for one super special night of laughs.
ABC is once again proud to partner with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to deliver the two biggest nights on the Australian comedy calendar – The Gala, proudly supporting Oxfam and the Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow. Recorded live at the iconic Palais Theatre, audiences around Australia will be able to enjoy both extravaganzas on ABC TV and ABC iview.
Hosted by ABC and Festival favourite Luke McGregor, comedy’s night of nights, The Gala brings the stars of the Festival together on stage for one super special, spectacularly funny event.
On Wednesday 5 April, the Allstars Supershow, hosted by our own international award-winning Hannah Gadsby will air at 9:00pm on ABC TV and on ABC iview. The two-hour special will feature a dazzling line-up of some of the biggest names and brightest stars of comedy, dressed to impress for the special event which officially kicks of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Production credits: Broadcast produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in association with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Event produced by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Festival Director Susan Provan. ABC Executive Producer Rachel Millar.
The Gala will take place on Wednesday night, March 22.
The Allstars Supershow will be held on Wednesday night, March 29.
According to Comedy Festival website, both shows are sold out, but limited final release tickets may be available closer to the events.
The Q&A special with Lin-Manuel Miranda will be shown on Saturday, March 18 at 6pm. The ABC’s online guide currently has a repeat of Back in Time for the Corner Shop in the timeslot.
UPDATE 10/3: the Lin-Manuel Miranda special is now in the schedule, with Back in Time for the Corner Shop repeat moved forward to 5pm.
Tonight’s QI at 9.30pm is a special episode celebrating the 100th anniversary of the BBC. Sandi Toksvig and regular panellist Alan Davies are joined by Zoe Lyons, Greg James, Richard Osman and extra special guest Basil Brush.
Week commencing 19 March 2023
Sunday 19 March
6:30pm Compass: It Can Happen to Anyone Season Premiere
7:00pm ABC News
7:30pm Death In Paradise
8:30pm In Our Blood: Grid Series Premiere
9:20pm Rampant: How A City Stopped A Plague Rpt
10:20pm Queerstralia: Community and Belonging Rpt
11:20pm Finding Alice Rpt
Monday 20 March
7:30pm 7.30
8:00pm Australian Story
8:30pm Four Corners
9:15pm Media Watch
9:35pm Q+A
10:35pm China Tonight Rpt
11:10pm ABC Late News
11:25pm The Business Rpt
11:40pm Celia Pacquola: All Talk Rpt
Tuesday 21 March
7:30pm 7.30
8:00pm Back In Time For The Corner Shop: 1950s - 1960s
9:00pm Knowing The Score Premiere
10:00pm Solar Storms: A Warning From Space: A Catalyst Special Rpt
10:55pm ABC Late News
11:10pm The Business Rpt
11:25pm Four Corners Rpt
12:10am Media Watch Rpt
Wednesday 22 March
7:30pm 7.30
8:00pm Hard Quiz
8:30pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering
9:00pm QI: Testing
9:35pm Tom Gleeson: Joy Rpt
10:50pm Adam Hills: The Last Leg
11:30pm ABC Late News
11:45pm The Business Rpt
12:00am Frayed Rpt
Thursday 23 March
7:30pm 7.30
8:00pm Foreign Correspondent
8:30pm Grand Designs: The Streets: Ben & Jo
9:20pm Griff’s Canadian Adventure: Niceness Rpt
10:10pm Art Works Rpt
10:40pm ABC Late News
10:55pm The Business Rpt
11:10pm Back In Time For The Corner Shop: 1950s - 1960s Rpt
12:10am Q+A Rpt
Friday 24 March
7:30pm Gardening Australia
8:30pm Van der Valk: Freedom In Amsterdam Season 3 Premiere
10:00pm Jack Irish
10:55pm ABC Late News Rpt
11:15pm Adam Hills: The Last Leg Rpt
11:55pm Traces Rpt
Saturday 25 March
Vic, Qld, SA, WA
7:30pm The Larkins
8:20pm Under The Vines
9:05pm Grantchester Rpt
9:55pm In Our Blood: Grid Rpt
10:45pm Traces Rpt
11:30pm rage Guest Programmer
NSW
5:30pm ABC News: NSW Votes
6:00pm NSW Votes: Election Night Live
8:00pm NSW Votes: Election Results Live
10:30pm The Larkins
11:20pm Under The Vines
12:10am Grantchester Rpt
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Wednesday 5 April 9.05pm
International award-winning Hannah Gadsby hosts this two-hour special featuring a dazzling line-up of some of the biggest names and brightest stars of comedy, dressed to impress for the special event which officially kicks of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Production credits: Broadcast produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in association with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Event produced by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Festival Director Susan Provan. ABC Executive Producer Rachel Millar.
Gardening Australia Easter Special
Friday 7 April 7.30pm
Costa is bowled over by terrific turf; Clarence traces a green web of gardens; Hannah tours a downsized productive patch; Jerry shares bulbs for the subtropics; Millie renovates a wheelbarrow; we meet bird-loving ecologist.
Happy Easter gardeners! Our basket this week is filled with beautiful blooms, community, plant-lovers, a DIY project, and the most majestic of birds.
Costa visits a bowls club that has become a centre for family, friends, and gatherings, with its community garden, tool library, and of course, perfect turf.
Clarence learns about a program growing a network of native plantings throughout public and private property to create wildlife corridors in a stunning part of Sydney.
Jerry shares his favourite bulbs for warm climate gardeners to enjoy fantastic flowers and foliage, all year round.
Hannah tours the garden of a couple who have downsized, but still managed to squeeze heaps of productive plantings into their small garden.
Millie converts a clapped-out rusted wheelbarrow into a flatbed that is perfect for transporting punnets of plants.
We meet Simon Cherriman, an ornithologist who has tracked wedge-tailed eagle populations to expand our understanding of these apex predators.
Tammy recommends plants for self-watering pots; Josh shares tips to attract frogs; Jane explains the difference between edible and ornamental pomegranates.
Production credit: Executive Producer, Gill Lomas.
Grand Designs: New Zealand - Season 7
Thursday 6 April 8.30pm
Tom Webster presents the New Zealand version of the architecture programme that features fascinating stories of ambitious and innovative homeowners who are trying to create the house of their dreams.
EP01 Chatham Islands
After twenty years of renting their poorly insulated, repurposed school house John and Bridget Preece are finally in a position to tackle the massive challenge of building a new home. And that’s no underestimation, they’re building on the Chatham Islands – the remote archipelago 800 kilometres east of New Zealand with a population of just 600.
John, a commercial fisherman of Moriori descent, has deep connections with the land as his family have lived there for generations, while Bridget grew up in Australia and New Zealand. They have a blended family of four children and, because there’s no secondary education on the island, Bridget moved to New Zealand for their children’s education while John stayed on the Chathams and ran the business.
Now, with the children off their hands, the time is right to dedicate money and energy to building their own home.
Shipping costs aren’t the only thing that need to be factored into their build budget, they also have the added cost of flying in, housing and feeding their Queenstown-based builders who will be doing three weeks at a time.
With a projected budget of around 950 thousand dollars, and building timetables dictated by the weather and shipping schedules, will John and Bridget’s home be the happy ever after they so deserve, or will it test them at every turn?
Production credit: Based on the format “Grand Designs” devised by Talkback Thames, a Fremantle Media company.
With the four-part Australian mini series “In Our Blood” starting on Sunday night, does this mean that the ABC will air various Australian Dramas on consecutive Sunday nights from this Sunday until towards the end of the year, like they did last year?
Yes. They’ve been doing that for a number of years.
Traces - Season 2
From Friday 14 April 8.30pm
Passions run high in an explosive return of this critically acclaimed crime series. Based on an idea by best-selling novelist Val McDermid.
Lab assistant Emma Hedges (Molly Windsor) is now training to be a forensic chemist, and on the cusp of seeing her mother’s murder case finally resolved. Daniel (Martin Compston) is to give evidence against his father in the High Court. Will Emma and Daniel’s relationship withstand the pressure? Will justice be served?
Meanwhile, Emma’s friends and mentors at The Scottish Institute of Forensic Science and Anatomy are investigating a deadly bombing campaign. A series of homemade devices are going off in and around Dundee, with critical clues hidden inside the bombs themselves.
The city is on edge. Body parts wash up in a nearby loch. With only bomb fragments surviving each blast, the forensic work is exacting, and public expectation is high.
Professors Sarah Gordon (Laura Fraser) and Kathy Torrance (Jennifer Spence) need all the tenacity and self-belief they can muster to get to the truth. Professional and personal allegiances become entangled. When a bomb fails to detonate it must surely offer a forensic gift. Will the team track down the bomber before their identity goes up in smoke?
Production credit: Red Production Company for BBC Studios and UKTV