https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2020/2/3/andrew-okeefe-responds
…production on The Chase was in fact rescheduled due to the massive slate of new content currently under production by the networks production arm, Seven Studios. Crews are believed to be working overtime producing new content ahead of a network relaunch timed to coincide with the Olympic Games.
RELAUNCH
I thought The Chase was produced by ITV Studios? How do Seven’s own production constraints have any impact on ITV?
Seems like a thinly veiled excuse to drop to 3 new episodes a week.
Was going to ask the same question, but maybe ITV were busy as well with other productions? Could have something to do with money, since they delayed their payment to Endemol Shine for Big Brother?
Annette Sharp is reporting in today’s Sunday Telegraph that Andrew O’Keefe is said to be back in rehab and production of new episodes of The Chase Australia could be delayed by months. Seven isn’t commenting.
Why not just get someone new to host?
Simon Reeve & Larry Emdur instantly come to mind as presenters on the Seven payroll who’ve had previous game show experience and could probably do an adequate job of filling in for AOK on The Chase Australia.
Seven could have easily had a replacement host for The Chase Aus.
As others said, Larry Emdur, Simon Reeve and even Bradley Walshe were the three main candidates. The latter could have been promoted that little more, for the gimmick.
It worked well for Mastermind Aus when Jennifer Byrne was unwell, and Marc Fernell filled in as temporary host.
Yes, the need to start thinking about a temporary host.
Is this accurate though?
It’s an Annette Sharp report. Of course it is!
Hope he’s alright, while I know he’s very divisive as host, I actually like him as host of The Chase - even more than Bradley when I watch the UK version I much prefer Andrew’s style although sometimes the hand movements annoy me - much less than the DOND days. Not sure I could warm to Simon Reeve doing it but Larry Emdur might be ok.
Good news that Andrew is back on deck. It’ll be a long while before new eps feature the UK chasers though (aside from those already in the can, of course)
I was hoping they’d do a series of Coronavirus specials where teams consist of all family members or self isolating households instead of contestants who aren’t known to each other.
That isn’t a bad shout as although the head to heads can easily be done with social distancing I don’t get how the final Chase can be really if a full team of four gets back and they’re spread across the studio.
New UK series
Great format. Takes a round or two to get the gist of the rules but it has the same edge of your seat excitement you derive from watching the clock count down as the original. Not sure if it’d be as enjoyable with AOK as host considering Bradley Walsh’s humour and hosting ability is such a big asset to the format. Bonus is contestants actually have a pretty good chance of walking away with some cash.
It’s rating really well too so will certainly be back. 10 episodes were filmed so we’re expecting another week later in the year before the Sixth Chaser joins the show. Last nights show was just a really entertaining hour of TV - the Chasers are not just great quizzers but great characters too who seem to bounce off each other well. The look of disgust on their faces when one of the others gets an answer wrong is brilliant too.
Yes. I love those filthy looks they shoot each other when one of them answers incorrectly. Bradley is also in his element playing up to the audience and taking the piss out of the chasers and contestants.
I actually prefer this format to the original. Faster paced and more contestants coming away with some money or coming really close.