Good team, these two.
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CHANNEL 9’S CHRISTMAS EVE TRADITION:
VISION AUSTRALIA’S CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT
PRESENTED BY AAMI
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, LIVE AT 8.00PM ON CHANNEL 9 & 9NOW
This Christmas Eve David Campbell and Sarah Abo return to present Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight presented by AAMI, live from the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Tuesday, December 24, at 8.00pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Each year, Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight brings families together as a cherished Australian tradition, featuring some of the biggest stars in music and musical theatre, all generously donating their time to support Vision Australia.
This year’s stellar lineup includes the dynamic and award-winning vocals of Anthony Callea, the cast of Sister Act starring Casey Donovan, World music star Dami Im, star of TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Ruva Ngwenya, ARIA Award winner Emma Memma, 2024 Golden Guitar nominee and Australian Idol winner Dylan Wright, plus music sensation Bonnie Anderson, much loved entertainer Tim Campbell and many more.
And our brilliant Carols family return, including Marina Prior, Silvie Paladino, David Hobson and Denis Walter.
David Campbell said: “Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight is something I look forward to every year. It’s truly one of the highlights of the festive season. I’m thrilled to be a part of this incredible event once again, especially knowing that it supports such an important cause.
“Raising funds for people who are blind or have low vision through Vision Australia makes this night even more meaningful. It’s a chance to spread joy and make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most.”
Sarah Abo said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be hosting Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight again alongside David in my home town of Melbourne. It’s such a wonderful night and I can’t wait to celebrate Christmas Eve with everyone.”
Carols by Candlelight is Vision Australia’s biggest annual fundraiser for children’s services, with 100 per cent of profits from ticket sales going directly towards supporting close to 2,000 families with children who are blind or have low vision. Tickets to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl are on sale now and can be purchased via www.carolsbycandlelight.com.au.
VISION AUSTRALIA’S CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT:
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, LIVE AT 8.00PM
ON CHANNEL 9 & 9NOW
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Thought Sarah and David were great last year, always well done and such a lovely national major TV event.
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Let’s just pray security is tightened this year, after last year protesters stormed the stage, getting right up to Sarah and David in somewhat of a confronting and unsuitable for young families moment. David handled it amazingly and great work by Nine’s cameraman and director to immediately pan away, then cutting to a broad very long-shot. So viewers essentially hardly saw anything, unless you were eagle eyed right at the very start, were in attendance or saw social media uploads later.
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quote=“Sully, post:620, topic:2274”]
such a lovely national major TV event.
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Always thought it was a major Melbourne event. Can’t Nine find any Melbourne presenters?
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Yes. I would’ve gone for Eddie and Sarah or Eddie and Livinia. A Melbourne event should have Melbourne hosts.
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It is a Melbourne-based event, but with major and national appeal, therefore with especially Sydney based HQs, it’ll never have just local hosts and talent. Not when such a large Sydney and regional Nsw audience tunes-in and always have, not to mention all the other markets, such a lucrative timeslot too (Christmas Eve). Let’s be thankful there’s a proud Melburnian there in Sarah, used to be Karl & Lisa and Ray Martin! I reckon this discussion is had every year, both here and the public, but quickly moves on during and after the event. I don’t personally agree with it, just attempting to explain reasons why.
Similarities:
The Block (Melbourne but Sydney host)
MasterChef (Melbourne but Sydney hosts)
Australian Open (Melbourne but Sydney hosts)
Melbourne Cup (Melbourne but Sydney hosts)
Australian Grand Prix (Melbourne but Sydney hosts)
The Project (Melbourne but Sydney host
Etc etc
Brian Naylor hosted it for 10 years and Jen Kyte also hosted one year (yes I know different time).
I agree with @FootyKick - Eddie and Sarah both have national recognition and appeal (well at least Sarah does).
I still want to know who paid for their tickets to get in.
None of these except the Melbourne Cup have anywhere near the tradition or longevity of Carols by Candlelight. It was a great way to spend Christmas Eve many years ago before 9 turned it into the commercial Christmas concert it has become. I am not in any way religious but I enjoyed the carols and not all the garbage that now goes on! IMO Christmas is a wonderful time for children but they don’t need to spend so much time on the Santa nonsense. And I will always maintain that IT IS a Melbourne tradition (founded by Norman Banks of 3AW) and should have Melbourne presenters, not those 9 want to promote! The tradition has spread to the rest of Australia and the world, started in Melbourne.
Change the AFL back to Victorian only teams too while we’re at it.
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It’s no surprise the only long-term successful interstate AFL teams are Sydney (ex South Melbourne) and Brisbane (basically ex Fitzroy).
Northerners and westeners don’t get footy. Or running good Carols events.
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Sarah Abo is actually a Melbournian living in Sydney.
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Correct. She is a Melbournite!
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Sounds like a great idea! 
Which year was that?
EDIT: 1999, apparently? With Glenn Ridge
This has been a common gripe since Ray Martin first took over from Brian Naylor as host in the 1980s. But i guess network politics dominates and they opt for a host/s with national familiarity or appeal… and who is willing to work on Christmas Eve.
I think Eddie has hosted it at least once.
And as mentioned, Sarah Abo is at least an ex-pat Melbournian.
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According to the Melbourne Arts Centre:
Other hosts have included Ray Martin (1989-98, 2000-07), Glenn Ridge and Jennifer Keyte (1999), Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic (2008-12), Lisa Wilkinson and David Campbell (2013-16), Sonia Kruger and David Campbell (2017-18), Allison Langdon and David Campbell (2019) and Eddie McGuire and Livinia Nixon in 2020.
You can also faintly see them both at the start of this video:
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It’s a Christmas tradition to complain about Sydney or Melbourne hosts presenting this event. 
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According to Sunday Herald Sun’s Fiona Byrne, Irish-born theatre star Bobby Fox will perform on this year’s Carols by Candlelight, after receiving his Australian citizenship next week. Fox has been living in Australia for more than 20 years and has appeared on CBC a few times before.
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