I’m guessing it will be after both MKR and the Commonwealth games in late April too. I do agree that would certainly be the best place for it after all the exposure it would continue to get during these games with all the extra eyes tuning in; being the first Olympic/Commonwealth games in Australia since Melbourne 2006 12 years ago. House Rules would likely come after this, running from June-August maybe? Is this supposed to be a once a week show or air multiple nights a week?
I don’t know if anyone else has seen the MKR/Australian Spartan cross-promotion promo that has been going around where Pete opens the lid on a plate that has the Spartan logo on it at an instant restaurant table and says something like “let me tell you this teams, no one triumphs alone”. It’s quite neat I think.
1 Like
Speed. Strength. Agility. Endurance.
Only a truly unified team of three can conquer AUSTRALIAN SPARTAN.
Inspired by the world-wide fitness phenomenon Spartan Race, Australian Spartan takes place on the biggest course built in the country.
Teams race across a series of specially designed obstacles engineered to challenge their ability to work together as a group. In the end, only one team will rise to the ultimate glory of being crowned the first ever Australian Spartan champions.
After a series of heats and semi-final, 10 grand finalists will compete in an extended Spartan course. From there, the two teams left standing will race head-to-head in a spectacularly designed Grand Final course with the winning team taking home $150,000.
In the DRY ZONE, water is the team’s enemy.
Iconic Spartan obstacles include the Tyre Swing, a 90kg tyre suspended over a 9-metre-pool where teams must work together to swing each other to the other side, and the Tilting Bridge, a precarious platform where team balance and cohesive coordination are pivotal to success.
In the WET ZONE, water is your enemy in a whole different way.
The Wet Zone includes the Water Gauntlet, a 14-metre long pool forcing competitors to swim through and clamber over a number of water obstacles; and the legendary Spartan Slip Face, a 5-metre high water-wall on a 45-degree incline where teams must form a human ladder to literally climb over each other to reach the top.
Every Spartan obstacle is designed for teams of three to have to work together.
EDWINA BARTHOLOMEW - HOST
Joining Channel Seven 14 years ago as producer, Edwina has worked across many roles at the network before becoming a full- time Sunrise presenter in 2013. Also filing stories for Sunday Night, Edwina has worked with Seven Sport covering the 2012 Beijing and 2016 Rio Olympic Games and Spring Racing carnivals.
HAMISH MCLACHLAN - HOST
One of Australia’s top sporting broadcasters, Hamish McLachlan has covered some of the biggest sporting events in Australia and abroad including the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, The Melbourne Cup Carnival and, for a decade, The Australian Open. Hamish, who also hosts Seven’s popular AFL Game Day, lives in Melbourne with his wife Sophie and girls Indy (3) and Mila (5).
WENDELL SAILOR - SIDELINE REPORTER
Dual code rugby legend Wendell Sailor is AUSTRALIAN SPARTAN’s sideline reporter. With athletes every step of the way, he will document the triumphs and the tragedies in Spartan arena. “Big Dell” excelled in both Rugby League (playing over 200 games for Brisbane Broncos and Illawarra Dragons) and Rugby Union (over 50 games with Queensland Reds and NSW Waratahs). Wendell also played 37 tests for the Wallabies.
2 Likes
Melbourne 2006? 
3 Likes
How quickly they forget. 
1 Like
And Melbourne 1956 Olympics anybody? 
What the…? That’s not since 2000.
4 Likes
I thought it would only be a short run series like Ninja.
1 Like
I certainly haven’t forgotten about the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games but since Nine had the rights to air those, that’s why I’m saying GC2018 is probably the biggest platform for Seven to launch new programs like Australian Spartan since the 2000 Olympics.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I don’t think very many people on Media Spy will be particularly impressed with Seven’s choice of Edwina Bartholomew and Hamish McLachlan as hosts + Wendell Sailor as the sideline reporter!
I agree that Australian Spartan will probably only be a short run series (and airing either just before or directly against the 2nd season Australian Ninja Warrior, because I’m sure Seven really want to kill that show), especially since producing these sorts of shows are probably quite expensive.
2 Likes
According to today’s Sunday Herald Sun, Australian Spartan will launch next Sunday (February 25) at 7pm.
2 Likes
Enter the Australian Spartan Arena - Sunday Nights on Seven
The thrilling athletic action and against-the-odds triumphs on show during the Winter Games continues on Channel Seven when AUSTRALIAN SPARTAN premieres on Sunday, February 25 at 7.00pm.
Inspired by the fitness phenomenon Spartan Race which takes place in 35 countries across five continents, AUSTRALIAN SPARTAN demonstrates Seven’s commitment to delivering event television.
Hosted by Edwina Bartholomew and Hamish McLachlan, with Wendell Sailor as the program’s sideline reporter, AUSTRALIAN SPARTAN can only be conquered by a truly unified team of three and takes place on the biggest course built in the country.
Teams race across a series of specially designed obstacles engineered to challenge their ability to work together as a group and challenge their physical and mental toughness. In the end, only one team will rise to become the ultimate Australian Spartan champions.
After a series of heats and one semi-final, 10 grand finalists compete in an extended Spartan course. From there, the two teams left standing race head-to-head in a spectacularly designed grand final course with the winning team taking home $150,000.
3 Likes
And I had an idea from last week that Australian Spartan would be on Sunday nights because I saw a lot of TBAs in the advance guides where MKR would normally have been. I was going to make this prediction on here yesterday but completely forgot until I saw the promos today. This is certainly an interesting move by Seven but it could be a strategy that works, Spartan on Sundays and MKR from Mondays to Thursdays.
The only thing I am quite angry about is that WA viewers are likely going to have to see the Closing Ceremony of the Winter Olympics in glorious SD on 7mate because of the Spartan premiere next week. It should have started the week after and have other alternate filler programming scheduled in the rest of Australia that night, like another highlights show of the Winter Olympics, so WA could still have the Closing Ceremony on the main channel in HD at 7:00. I suppose it shows that once again all Seven really care about are east coast viewers…
Besides on this forum I do believe most people probably watch TV on sd channels
It amazes me (great song) how may of my friends will watch TV on the Sd
1 Like
But honestly though, what would more people be wanting to watch; Spartan or the Closing Ceremony of the Winter Olympics? I think it would definitely be the Closing Ceremony. Seven cared enough to shunt BHG to 7Two for the Opening Ceremony in Perth so why can’t they do the same for Spartan? They could even show it after the telecast of the Closing Ceremony ends later on the main channel; that would be a better move. I’m calling it now, there’s going to be outrage from WA viewers next week that they can’t see the Closing Ceremony in HD.
As posted on the Olympics Coverage thread, the closing ceremony is currently scheduled to air on main channel in Perth at 7pm. But it means Spartan premiere will be pushed back to around 10pm which will affect the show’s ratings.
Strange they are airing this now. Seven obviously not happy with how MKR is performing.
See what I said above:
With the amount of promotion it’s had during the Winter Olympics and even since the start of the year I’m actually not overly surprised it has come so soon.
2 Likes
I am very surprised that Seven are planning on airing Australian Spartan this early, but I guess they’re not happy with how MKR has been performing this year.
Unless it’s a short series, expect anywhere between a 2 and 4 week break for Australian Spartan (and most major primetime shows on Seven) due to the Easter non-ratings period and the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.