Crime Night!

Television ABC
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Julie Zemiro to host ABC’s new true-crime panel show Crime Night!

Julia Zemiro
Julia Zemiro1920×2880 354 KB

The ABC is thrilled to announce that Julia Zemiro will host Crime Night! a comedy true-crime panel show where real-life cases are examined through the lens of criminology and comedy.

Produced by Dreamchaser and Maverick Entertainment, the six-part series will see Julia, alongside a panel of criminologists and comedians dissect famous cases. They will discover the science behind the crimes and use that same science to examine our own lives with hilarious consequences.

Host Julia Zemiro says: “Excellent criminologists and brainy comedians? Check! One very engaged host? (That’s me!) Yes Check!

“I am so excited to be back at the ABC steering a panel show about modern day criminology. This new team of writers and producers are a breath of fresh air to work with, as we delve into the science behind the crimes. The how, the what and the why. The curious, the serious and ultimately very human side of crime.”

Rachel Millar, ABC Head of Entertainment, said: “Australians can’t get enough of True Crime, and we’re excited to join forces with Dreamchaser and Maverick to bring this innovative and original format to ABC screens. For anyone who loves bingeing the latest true crime podcast, or playing detective in the group chat, this is the show for you. Led by the inimitable Julia Zemiro, this is a show that will make your spine tingle with intrigue, whilst making you laugh at the same time.”

Carl Fennessy and Monique Keller, Dreamchaser Executive Producers, said: “Crime Night! is the first commission under our Maverick Entertainment and Dreamchaser producing partnership. We’re thrilled to be launching this brand-new comedy true-crime panel show in partnership with the ABC. The combined talents of Executive Producers David Forster, Frank Bruzzese and Julia Zemiro are exceptional, working alongside a brilliant panel of criminologists and comedians to examine the fascinating real-life cases we’re all obsessed with in the funniest possible way.”

Filming will begin in early August in Melbourne, to be part of the studio audience click here

Crime Night! will air later this year on ABC TV and ABC iview.

Production credits: Commissioned by the ABC. Produced by Dreamchaser and Maverick Entertainment in association with the ABC. Maverick Executive Producers: David Forster, Frank Bruzzese and Julia Zemiro. Dreamchaser Executive Producers: Carl Fennessy, and Monique Keller. ABC Executive Producer: Michiko Smith. ABC Head of Entertainment: Rachel Millar.

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Who knew true crime is funny? :woozy_face:

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Can’t wait for them to do the Katherine Knight case… :nauseated_face: :face_vomiting:

They’ll probably do cases that aren’t so serious and where there is a little humour.

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Whatever the case, the concept of comedy about crime just seems wrong.

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I reckon the show will take on historical crimes rather than more recent crimes, and concentrate on heists and fraud cases rather than murders.

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I’d agree with that if you’re referring to real crime. But you will always have some dickhead thinking murder and cannibalism and drugs and whatever is piss funny.

Fictional crime, you could get away with. So long as the criminals aren’t being glamorised as shining beacons of moral success.

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the ABC trying to turn crime into comedy is like a News Corp editors wet dream.

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That in itself is a crime being turned into comedy. :rofl:

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The ABC needs to bring back the Chaser in some form or other (CNNNN, The Chasers War on Everything, Hampster Wheel).

I don’t see anything funny about True Crime, especially with domestic violence and some recent high-profile murders taking place in this country.

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(Crime Night) is the first production to get announced with Marks as MD. Did he have anything to do with it? Marks says it was green-lit before he arrived, but the announcement came now because it’s begun filming. Still, having the co-founder in the big chair should be a handy “in” for Dreamchaser.

In his favour, Marks financially divested himself from the production company when he arrived at the ABC in March. An update to corporate records from the same month show he was removed from the company’s share register.

EDIT: An ABC spokesman told The Guardian Australia’s Amanda Meade:

The ABC commenced development of Crime Night! in May 2024. Hugh Marks’ association with Dreamchaser ceased when he was appointed as Managing Director of the ABC in March 2025. Hugh was not involved in the decision to commission the series.