The 9Network is the home of storytelling, delivering the most diverse, inspiring, creative and original world-class television each and every night, attracting millions of viewers anywhere, anytime.
With our expanding program slate, we are at the forefront of innovation, continuing to meet audience viewing behaviour.
This year we launched new local formats that were a hit with viewers: the gripping, landmark investigative series, Under Investigation with Liz Hayes, and The Hundred with Andy Lee, gauging the pulse of the nation. We felt the sting of CEO Lord Alan Sugar , the feared British billionaire and business magnate as he bruised a few egos in the boardroom with a record-breaking season of Celebrity Apprentice Australia, whilethe nation fell in love with the heartfelt series of the year, Beauty and the Geek.
As we approach the final quarter, these new programs, along with the 9Network’s consistent schedule, are why we are on track again to take out the year across all key demographics – and with our premium programming, we will continue to deliver next year.
Take a look at what’s still to come in 2021 and the 9Network’s dynamic lineup.
STILL TO COME IN 2021
LOVE ISLAND AUSTRALIA
A new batch of sexy young singles will light up our screens in search of love and fun in the sun on the third season of Love Island Australia, to be filmed in Byron Bay.
Aussie sweetheart and charming all-rounder Sophie Monk returns to host and play Cupid alongside new addition, comedian Stephen Mullan as narrator, in the world-renowned reality TV show, which promises to deliver another picture-perfect backdrop with plenty of romantic twists and turns.
As always, the Islanders must couple up, stay together, and win over the hearts of the public, all while surviving the temptations of beautiful new singles entering the villa.
Can’t get enough of Love Island Australia ? Each week, join Abbie Chatfield and a bunch of celebrity superfans as they dissect all the highs and lows from the show on Afterparty.
Featuring the very latest gossip, behind-the-scenes stories, and exclusive former and recently dumped Islander interviews, Afterparty is your sure-fire way to debrief and stay up to date with all that’s happening and about to happen in the Love Island villa.
The past two seasons of Love Island Australia, which is produced by ITV Studios Australia, have been a breakout hit with People 16-39 for their unique blend of humour, romance and drama – and more success is in store with season three.
PARENTAL GUIDANCE
Parenting. Everyone’s got an opinion. But which way is the right way?
Ally Langdon and Australian parenting expert Dr. Justin Coulson team up with ten brave sets of parents with very different parenting styles, putting their methods to the ultimate test to determine who has Australia’s best parenting stylein Channel 9’s raw and confronting new series, Parental Guidance .
Opinionated parents with diverse parenting techniques will take turns judging each other’s style through a series of the toughest challenges ever attempted, designed to put their style to the ultimate test which typically results in chaos, tears, and very funny fails.
From helicopter parents to tiger parents, free-range and routine parents to extreme authoritarians, they will all show how they raise their families while trying to influence everyone else that their parenting style is best.
Parental Guidance takes us behind the closed family doors of parenthood, and how we ourselves were parented, to find out how to do it right, right now. When it comes to modern-day parenting, is anyone really nailing it? The search for Australia’s best parenting style is coming to Channel 9 in 2021.
Parental Guidance is produced by Eureka for the 9Network.
2021 NRL FINALS
The 2021 NRL Finals get underway and culminate in an epic NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final, which for the first time in history will be hosted at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, on Sunday, October 3, on Channel 9 and 9Now. Hot favourites Melbourne Storm are chasing
back-to-back premierships but face stiff opposition from the other competition heavyweights who stand between them and more glory.
Weighing in on all the action is the best team of rugby league experts and commentators in the business. “The Voice of Rugby League”, Ray Warren, Phil Gould, Andrew Johns (the eighth Immortal) , Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Brad Fittler, Johnathan Thurston, Paul Vautin, Ruan Sims, Darren Lockyer, “The King”, Wally Lewis, Peter Sterling, Allana Ferguson, Sam Thaiday and Paul Gallen will bring all their knowledge, passion, dedication, and love for the game to league fans across Australia.
SNACKMASTERS
Snackmasters is a unique cooking contest hosted by Scott Pickett and Poh Ling Yeow (MasterChef Australia) where highly awarded chefs at the top of their game go head-to-head to perfectly replicate famous Aussie snacks.
The new series will have all of Australia asking can our top chefs crack the magic snack?
Each week the chefs will wrestle a selected snack into submission in their own kitchens, before entering the Snack Arena for a cook-off judged by the very factory workers who make the
snack every day. The chef whose recipe is closest to the original will take home the highly coveted Snack Trophy and bragging rights as a true Snack Master.
Yvie Jones , ex- Goggleboxer and self-confessed snack lover, journeys deep into our food factories to find the secrets that go into the creation of Australia’s favourite snacks and see where the chefs are getting it wrong – and right.
Featuring snacks like Twisties, Drumsticks, Whoppers and Cadbury Favourites, this is the only Aussie food show on prime-time TV where viewers know exactly how the finished results should taste, and whether our chefs have truly mastered our favourite snacks.
S nackmasters is based on the BAFTA-nominated UK program format and made by Warner Bros. International Television Production for the 9Network.
LEGO MASTERS CHRISTMAS
LEGO Masters, one of the biggest hits on TV, will return later this year for a Lego Christmas.
Some of Australia’s favourite celebrities will team up with contestants from the past three series in a festive celebration of the show Australia has fallen in love with. Who will take the honours with the best and most magical Christmas build?
The Christmas mini-series will feature Scott Cam, Sophie Monk, Brooke Boney and Michael “Wippa” Wipfli. Expect new builds, new twists and a whole lot of LEGO as we wish you a very Merry Bricksmas!
LEGO Masters is produced by Endemol Shine Australia for the 9Network.
THE HUNDRED WITH ANDY LEE
The Hundred with Andy Lee will find out what Australian’s really think about the most wonderful time of the year – Christmas.
What is the average cost of a work Christmas party in Australia? How many of our Hundred don’t celebrate Christmas? What percentage still send hand-written Christmas cards? What is the average cost of a Christmas gift?
Joining Andy Lee will be regular panellist Mike Goldstein , plus Sophie Monk and Becky Lucas and a certain jolly man facing “The Hundred”.
The Hundred with Andy Lee is an original concept by Screentime Australia and Andy Lee, in association with Channel 9.
WEAKEST LINK
The most cut-throat show on television, Weakest Link, returns for four supercharged episodes in the final quarter of 2021, featuring a rollcall of Australia’s favourite celebrities and reality contestants.
Comedian and actress Magda Szubanski will be back again as host in the reimagined format of this classic quiz which returned to our screens this year, more than two decades since it debuted in Australia.
Magda, a stern quizmaster, delights in putting contestants through the hoops as they compete, backstab and embarrass themselves in the hope of winning a huge cash jackpot of up to $250,000.
Weakest Link has been produced in 46 territories around the world and is produced for the 9Network by BBC Studios Australia.
COUNTRY HOME RESCUE WITH SHAYNNA BLAZE
For 13 seasons we’ve seen Shaynna Blaze as a judge on The Block , as well as helping homeowners spruce up their spaces on Selling Houses Australia . Now, for the first time,
Shaynna is doing it for herself and her family in the heartwarming new series, Country Home Rescue .
In Country Home Rescue , Shaynna, together with her children, embark on the restoration of a dilapidated historical home in regional Victoria. Watch as they navigate through a never-ending maze of problems when their grand plans are sideswiped by building restrictions, frustrating delays and a huge budget blowout.
It will take every ounce of passion and persistence to turn this renovation nightmare into the forever home of their dreams. But you’ll be amazed as room by room is revealed.
TARONGA: WHO’S WHO IN THE ZOO
Later this year viewers will again catch a glimpse into nature’s true magnificence in the second season of Taronga: Who’s Who In The Zoo on Channel 9.
Actress and passionate Centenary Ambassador for Taronga Zoo, Naomi Watts, will return as the narrator, transporting viewers into the magical world of Taronga. Grappling with the complications thrown up by COVID-19, this season follows the emotional highs and lows experienced by the keepers, vets and volunteers who care for the captivating creatures that call beautiful Taronga home.
Taronga: Who’s Who In The Zoo is produced by McAvoy Media for the 9Network.
HEART OF THE NATION, THE WORLD’S LARGEST CPR CLASS
Heart of the Nation, The World’s Largest CPR Class, will go to air on Channel 9 for the first time next month. Hosted by Richard Wilkins, the broadcast will run in line with the Heart of the Nation charity founded by original Yellow Wiggle and sudden cardiac arrest survivor, Greg Page.
More than 27,000 Australians suffer from sudden cardiac arrest each year and 90 per cent do not survive. In Heart of the Nation, The World’s Largest CPR Class, viewers will learn how to perform life-saving CPR on adults and children effectively, hear the gut-wrenching stories of those who have experienced cardiac arrest, and gain an understanding of how important it is for wider public access to AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) nationwide.
CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT
Australia’s annual Christmas Eve tradition continues this year with some of our best performers coming together for Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight, broadcast live
from Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Friday, December 24, at 8.00pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
