It has barely been on this year.
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@blackbox Is this show definitely on all year round next year? I don’t believe it was announced at upfronts.
Yes. With the greatest respect I wouldn’t have said so otherwise.
I specifically confirmed it was back for the whole year as I know its budget usually runs the financial year.
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I thought because you posted this information the same day as upfronts that it meant they were announcing this at upfronts. I didn’t doubt you I was confused as to why it wasn’t highlighted.
Networks don’t usually say that a show has been renewed for the whole year - they don’t get that specific. They’ll just say it’s coming back next year
I just had a bit of extra inside info.
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Sunday 30 November 7:00 PM
Face To Face With My Children’s Killer
Michael Usher enters a maximum-security prison to witness a father’s extraordinary meeting with the man who killed his three children and niece.
Not marked as repeat but appears to be
After a dire run in the ratings last season, which saw Spotlight topple Sixty (Minutes) just once, the network has already deployed a host of its big-name presenters to shoot a series of exclusive ahead of the program’s return this year.
Spotlight’s newest recruit, Ashlee Mullany, has been spotted busily filming in Sydney’s eastern suburbs over the summer, chief correspondent Liam Bartlett has been sighted on a flight out of Africa, former reporter turned Brisbane news anchor Sarah Greenhalgh has apparently been back in the field and even Michael Usher is hard at it on a new yarn.
What’s more, we’re hearing that former 60 Minutes presenter Liz Hayes will also be back again with another Spotlight exclusive after her first foray on the show last April, little more than a month after leaving her former home at Nine after 44 years at the station.
Of course, Spotlight might want to pace themselves; at this rate, they’ll have the program’s entire slate of shows for the year filmed and filed before it’s even actually back on after Easter.
Back on after Easter? Didn’t TVBlackbox announce it was going all year round this year? I even double checked when 7 themselves didn’t mention it at upfronts and Rob insisted his information was correct. They could have changed their minds I guess?
How are they planning on taking on 60 Minutes when they’re only broadcasting for half the year?
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Seven now says it will return in Q2
Seven further strengthens news leadership team
- Rahni Sadler appointed Executive Producer, 7NEWS Spotlight
- Gemma Williams takes on expanded role as Managing Editor, 7NEWS
The Seven Network today announced the appointment of Rahni Sadler as Executive Producer of flagship news and current affairs program, 7NEWS Spotlight.
Ms Sadler will lead the award-winning 7NEWS Spotlight team as the program continues to deliver agenda-setting investigations, compelling storytelling and exclusive interviews that resonate with audiences nationally.
One of the country’s most respected journalists and long-form producers, Ms Sadler returns “home” to Seven having spent almost two decades at the network across two stints. She spent a decade from 2009 as a correspondent for Seven’s Sunday Night, where she presented some of the program’s most memorable interviews and cemented her reputation as a gifted storyteller.
Her body of work ranged from traversing international waters to expose illegal fishing operations, tracing one of Australia’s greatest maritime mysteries, the Blythe Star and, alongside Gerry and Kate McCann in Portugal, uncovering new leads in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Renowned for her empathetic interviewing style, she consistently secured rare exclusives and revealing interviews with some of the world’s most elusive celebrities including ABBA’s Agnetha Fältskog.
Prior to Sunday Night, Ms Sadler served as a 7NEWS US Correspondent. While in the US she covered major world events including Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, the election and inauguration of Barack Obama, the protracted Michael Jackson trial, and she travelled to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to report on the trial of Australian David Hicks. Before that, she covered federal politics in Seven’s Canberra bureau.
Ms Sadler rejoins the network from the ABC’s 7.30, where as a senior producer she oversaw high-profile investigations and coverage of major national stories, last year earning a Clarion Award for her joint investigation into the toxicity of high levels of B6. Her return to Seven and 7NEWS Spotlight reflects her deep passion for long-form public affairs – and a sense of unfinished business with the format.
Ms Sadler picks up the reins from Gemma Williams, who has led the 7NEWS Spotlight team for the past two years, rebuilding the program through some of its most talked-about reporting.
Ms Williams has chosen to take up a new position within the news leadership team as Managing Editor, 7NEWS. She will play a key role in setting Sydney’s editorial direction and driving strong broadcast-digital integration, as well as working alongside the National News Desk on major events, having recently held critical roles in Seven’s federal election coverage and the Bondi terror attack.
During her tenure, 7NEWS Spotlight’s average total TV audience grew 13% year-on-year with streaming on 7plus up 61%, further cementing Seven as the home of Australia’s most compelling long-form, public-interest journalism.
The success of 7NEWS Spotlight reaches far beyond the television screen, with a combined five million followers across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube. Videos across these platforms have generated over one billion views in the past year, with 22% viewer growth year-on-year. 7NEWS Spotlight has become a major destination on YouTube for high-quality long-form journalism, accruing over 13 million watch time hours since March 2025.
Gemma Williams said: “It has been an absolute privilege to lead the 7NEWS Spotlight team over the past two years – a group whose dedication and craft are unmatched.
“I’m incredibly proud of how far the program has come, together we’ve grown audience reach significantly across both broadcast and 7plus. But what matters most is the calibre of journalism and the real-world impact of the investigations we’ve brought to light.
“I’m excited to take on this new role and to help shape what’s ahead for 7NEWS, working closely with our outstanding teams nationally.”
Rahni Sadler said: “I’ve spent so much of my career at this network that it honestly feels like I’m coming home. I’m so fired up to be heading up such an amazing Seven show. Thank you to the powerhouse that is Gemma Williams for passing on a brilliant beacon.
“7NEWS Spotlight’s ratings prove audiences like it. They trust it. And why wouldn’t they? It’s crafted by some of the best, the most experienced, in the business. These are seasoned professionals who live to dig out and deliver incredible and awe-inspiring stories for viewers hungry to know not just what is happening, but why,” she said.
“I’ve spent enough years on the road, all over the world, working on 7NEWS, and Seven’s Sunday Night, to identify stories Australian viewers want chased and brought to them.
“That’s what we’re going to do. All that and more. Just you watch.”
Seven’s Director of News and Current Affairs, Ray Kuka, said: “7NEWS Spotlight aired some of the most compelling and most discussed stories on Australian television last season, driven by a team that holds itself to the highest standard.
“The Executive Producer role is one of the toughest and most demanding in journalism, and as Gemma pivots into a new leadership role in our day-to-day news operation, she hands the baton to Rahni with passion, care and an exemplary track record.”
“Rahni brings a rare depth of experience and instinct for long-form reporting and producing. I have no doubt she will lead 7NEWS Spotlight into a bold and ambitious new chapter as we continue to invest in the program and build on its success and reach across all platforms – with some incredible journalism already commissioned and set to debut when the program returns on Sunday, 19 April.”
Ms Sadler will commence in the role in April, with a comprehensive handover period underway before Ms Williams transitions into her new position from June.
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I gather Spotlight returns Sunday after Easter.
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No, two weeks after Easter. It literally tells you in the article.
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I’d say the April 19 date has been chosen to avoid the final week of Married at First Sight’s current season.
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The fact that this show is on for what seems like less than half a year is a big issue. Feels like it ran from maybe April to October last year, it’s pre-empted without hesitation and it has been missing for some of the biggest news stories in recent memory.
You’ve got the likes of Ashlee Mullany back in Australia working on the show, and she has barely been seen since returning from her US & UK posts. That cannot be motivating.
Britain’s Got Talent is currently warming the timeslot.
If you want to be taken seriously, you’ve got to try harder than that.
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TVBlackbox said it was going to be scheduled all year round this year. Don’t know what happened to that.
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New spotlight promo out tonight, with Sarah Greenhalgh and Liz Hayes included alongside Musher, Liam Bartlett and Ashlee Mullany.
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Just saw that. So Liz Hayes is permanent? She was seated in the centre of the end shot.
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Bigger name than most of the team?
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