Seven announce epic 2020 line-up with new shows, revamped favourites and the return of much-loved franchises

Tokyo 2020 will be epic, but there will be much more to Seven’s exciting line-up next year than just its unprecedented Olympic Games coverage. The network tonight unveiled its 2020 vision at its Upfronts event, revolving around a slate of new shows, revamped favourites and the return of much-loved franchises. Seven West Media managing director and chief executive James Warburton said the focus next year would be about reconnecting with heartland Australia, appealing to a younger audience and rejuvenating Seven’s prime time offerings, on the back of a 30 per cent rise in investment in that key market. With Seven dominating the news and current affairs market, Mr Warburton knows where there is room for improvement and wants to appeal to the 25-to-54 demographic as well as outsource more for content. “There’s such strength in sunrise to sundown ... (but) Sunday to Tuesday, 7.30pm, that’s really been the issue we’ve faced as a network and that’s our focus,” he said. A headline coup is the poaching of former MasterChef judges Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan to front a new international cooking competition, Plate of Origin. “I just can’t believe Channel 10 let them go,” Mr Warburton said of Seven’s newest star recruits. Sport remains at the core of Seven and Tokyo will be the crowning jewel event of the year. With only one hour time difference with Tokyo, the 30 days of Olympic and Paralympic multi-platform coverage from July 24 is expected to draw a total audience of 21 million on broadcast, plus five million on 7plus — far more than even Sydney 2000. What will be delivered to audiences will be “absolutely extraordinary”, Mr Warburton promised. Talking about the network’s Back to the Future strategy as it brings back Big Brother, Farmer Wants a Wife and does a modern take on The Flying Doctors with new drama RFDS, Mr Warburton said those programs had been successful in the past and “viewers understand what they’re going to get”. Seven’s existing prime-time pillars will be revamped, including a fans versus favourites face-off on My Kitchen Rules, and Jamie Durie stepping in to host House Rules alongside Perth sports presenter Abbey Gelmi, with interior designer and former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke’s wife Kyly Clarke joining as a judge. Under Mr Warburton — who has been in the role for two months — there will be more outsourcing to external production houses. “We’ve probably been too inwardly focused on our own studio productions, (now) we’ve been able to really look outside a bit,” he said. As the network gears up to cover its second summer of cricket, a new promo was launched at last night’s event with Daryl Braithwaite redoing his old Sherbert classic-turned-cricket anthem Howzat. In a first, a “strategic time out” will be introduced in the upcoming condensed Big Bash League season. “We’ve done so well over the years obviously with the AFL and we really want to put our stamp on the cricket,” Mr Warburton said. While Seven has the biggest event of the year up its sleeve in the Olympics, Mr Warburton said the network would not rest on its laurels and would strive for excellence in 2020. “I think it’s reconnecting with heartland Australia with really creative concepts and delighting them with entertainment,” he said. Seven’s 2020 programming also includes blockbuster new programs including family-fun reality show Mega Mini Golf, based on America’s ABC hole-in-one format, SAS: Who Dares Wins which will put 14 celebrities up against the gruelling SAS selection process and the Rebel Wilson-hosted dog grooming competition Pooch Perfect. Home and Away star Sam Frost and Better Homes and Garden presenter Adam Dovile were named as the first celebrities who will dare to bare in another special stripping event, The All New Monty: Guys and Gals, while Australia’s Got Talent: The Champions will feature the best worldwide acts from the Got Talent franchise. On the drama front, the network announced several new local productions including Bevan Lee-created thriller Between Two Worlds, RFDS with Justine Clarke, Rob Collins and ex-Home and Away hearthrob Stephen Peacocke, Julia Ormond as an older woman who takes a younger lover in Gold Digger, serial killer psych-thriller Reckoning with Aden Young as well as a true crime series investigating the Peter Falconio case. Also next year, 7mate will go high-definition, while 7flix will be rebranded to gear towards a younger female audience. While Seven has the biggest event of the year up its sleeve in the Olympics, Mr Warburton said the network would not rest on its laurels and would strive for excellence in 2020. “I think it’s reconnecting with heartland Australia with really creative concepts and delighting them with entertainment,” he said.