This is a list of Australian television-related events, debuts, finales, and cancellations that occurred in 2023, the 68th year of continuous operation of television in Australia.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|
| 2 | After losing his civil defamation trial, Ben Roberts-Smith resigns from Seven West Media. He had been the general manager of regional network Seven Queensland since July 2015 before also being appointed as general manager of Seven Brisbane in 2016. | [28] [29] [30] |
| 9 | After 21 years, David Koch co-hosts Seven Network breakfast program Sunrise for the final time. Koch is succeeded by Matt Shirvington. | [31] [32] |
| 17 | The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's managing director David Anderson announces a major restructure of the organisation in the new financial year, resulting in the loss of 120 jobs, the Sunday evening state-based ABC News bulletins on ABC TV being replaced with a single national bulletin and the abolition of the ABC's arts team. Among those to lose their jobs was national political editor Andrew Probyn whose position is made redundant. The ABC is widely condemned for the decisions. | [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] |
| 25 | ABC TV's Sunday morning public affairs show Insiders signs off from the ABC's Melbourne studio for the final time, ahead of its relocation to the ABC's studio in Canberra. | [39] |
| Seven News Sydney signs off its final bulletin at Martin Place studios, wrapping 19 years and 6,873 days of broadcast. From the next day, its new broadcast home is at a purpose built studio at the Eveleigh headquarters. The new space is five-times larger than Martin Place, allows for permanent sets for all programs, with two complete control rooms and more than 40sq m of LED screens, while all newsroom operations will now be located on a second entire floor. | [40] [41] |
|
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|
| 1 | Paramount Networks UK & Australia rebrands its 10 Shake channel as Nickelodeon. This move sees Nick Jr and Nick@Nite brands and content seen on the channel and end the partnership between it and Foxtel. | [56] |
| 2 | After receiving much criticism, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation announces it has reversed its earlier decision, deciding to retain the Sunday evening editions of the state-based ABC News bulletins on ABC TV. | [57] |
| After last airing in 2009, improvised comedy show Thank God You're Here returns to Network 10 with new host Celia Pacquola. | [58] |
| 4 | Eddie McGuire announces that Millionaire Hot Seat, the afternoon game show he has hosted since its debut in 2009, will be going into hiatus in January 2024, to be replaced with a new program produced in Melbourne. | [59] |
| 7 | Australian animated children's program Bluey wins the TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming at the 39th TCA Awards. | [60] |
| 10 | The Nine Network announces that Millionaire Hot Seat will be replaced by Tipping Point Australia in 2024, hosted by former tennis champion Todd Woodbridge. | [61] |
| 15 | After last airing in 2016, Kitchen Cabinet hosted by Annabel Crabb returns to ABC TV. | [62] |
| 16 | The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup semi-final between the Matildas and the Lionesses becomes the most watched television program since the OzTAM audience measuring commenced in 2001, with preliminary data showing a national average audience of 7.13 million watched the game. | [63] |
| 23 | The 2023 reimagining of ABC TV's sitcom Mother and Son debuts, attracting a national metro audience of 441,000 viewers. | [64] [65] |
| 24 | Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially opens the Seven Sydney's new newsroom and studio facility at the network's head office in South Eveleigh. | [66] |
| 29 | After having last aired in 2018, Network 10 reboots Shark Tank with a completely new cast of "sharks", consisting of Sabri Suby, Catriona Wallace, Davie Fogarty, Jane Lu, and Robert Herjavec. | [67] |
| 31 | 60 of Pluto TV's FAST channels launch on 10 Play. | [68] [69] |
|
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|
| 6 | Nine Entertainment holds their Upfronts in Sydney where they officially reveal the commentary teams for their Olympics and Paralympics coverage. The network also confirms a local version of Tipping Point hosted by Todd Woodbridge will air on Nine in 2024 as will a reboot of an Australian version of Jeopardy!. Nine also confirms the return of former A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw in an undisclosed project. | [70] |
| 7 | The Australian Broadcasting Corporation admits it breached its own policies pertaining to the licensing of its archival television footage for political purposes after it's discovered the ABC's commercial arm licensed footage from the 1967 referendum to be used in Uluru Dialogue's advertisement for the 2023 referendum featuring John Farnham's hit song You're the Voice. That same footage was also inexplicably watermarked with a logo belonging to private company Australian Television Archive despite owner James Paterson stating that he had "nothing to do with the campaign, the agency or have any connection whatsoever to the footage our logo was placed on”. | [71] [72] [73] |
| 10 | Juanita Phillips reads her final ABC News New South Wales bulletin on ABC TV in Sydney after 21 years. She is succeeded by Jeremy Fernandez. | [74] |
| 18 | Neighbours returns to Network 10, after its axing in 2022. It also debuts on Amazon Freevee. | [75] [76] |
| 26 | Foxtel rebrands most of their channels except Fox8 and Fox Sports, with a non-Fox branding and with Fox8, but without Fox Sports, a new logo. | [77] [78] |
| 28 |
| 29 | Nakari Thorpe and Lydia Feng are appointed weekend anchors for ABC TV in Sydney, to present the weekend ABC News New South Wales 7pm bulletin. | [79] |
|
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|
| 3 | Identical twins Radha and Prabha win the thirteenth series of My Kitchen Rules. | [80] |
| 5 | The main Tasmanian TV channels (ABC, SBS, 10 Tasmania, SCA Seven and WIN) changes to MPEG-4 HD. SD simulcasts remain on LCNs 21, 30, 51, 61, and 88. | [81] |
| 8 | Tarryn Stokes wins the twelfth season of The Voice. | [82] |
| 9 | Neighbours moves to a 4pm time slot, which results in The Bold & The Beautiful moving to its original 4:30pm time slot. | [83] |
| 18 | Seven West Media hold their 2024 upfronts in Sydney, with major new programs hosted by Chris Brown. | [84] |
| Television journalist and former I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! contestant Natasha Exelby appears in Melbourne Magistrates' Court, where she is fined $2000, disqualified from driving for 22 months and had her licence cancelled after crashing into a parked car at Toorak while having a BAC of .220. However, no conviction was recorded. | [85] |
| 22 | The Nine Network announces that the ABC's former political editor Andrew Probyn is joining Nine as the national affairs editor. | [86] |
| 24 | Network 10 / Paramount ANZ hold their 2024 upfronts in Sydney where they reveal: Ready Steady Cook will be rebooted with Miguel Maestre as host; Deal of No Deal will be revived with Grant Denyer as host; new episodes of Wheel of Fortune will be filmed in the UK with Graham Norton as host; and Robert Irwin will co-host I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. They also announce a new judging line up for MasterChef Australia with Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli joining returning judge Andy Allen. It is also announced that Top Gear Australia will be rebooted to stream on Paramount+, hosted by Blair Joscelyne, Beau Ryan and Jonathan LaPaglia. | [87] |
|
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|
| 7 | Dami Im wins the fifth season of The Masked Singer Australia. Darren Hayes is the runner-up and Conrad Sewell places third. | [88] |
| 9 | Darren McMullen and his nephew Tristan Dougan win . They decide to share the $100,000 prize money with the other two charities nominated by the remaining two teams (Alli Simpson's team and Emma Watkins' team) | [89] |
| 14 | It is announced Network 10's morning program Studio 10 would be ending its 10-year run on 22 December 2023, after more than 2500+ episodes. | [90] [91] |
| 18 | The Nine Network announces that Alicia Loxley and Tom Steinfort would be replacing long-serving anchor Peter Hitchener as the weeknight news presenter on Nine News Melbourne in 2024 - with Hitchener moving to the weekend bulletins. | [92] [93] |
| 20 | Three Australian television programs win their categories at the 51st International Emmy Awards in New York: Harley & Katya for Best Sports Documentary, Built to Survive for Kids: Factual, and Heartbreak High for Kids: Live Action. | [94] |
| It is announced Fast Ed would be departing the Seven Network's lifestyle program Better Homes and Gardens after almost twenty years, with the final edition in which he appears scheduled to air on 1 December. | [95] |
| 22 | Bruce Lehrmann settles his defamation case against the Australian Broadcasting Corporation which the ABC says was "settled on mutually acceptable, confidential terms, without admission of liability". However, Lehrmann continues his defamation action against Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson which commences in the Federal Court in Sydney. | [96] [97] |
| The Australian Transport Safety Bureau releases its findings into the helicopter crash in February 2022, in which Outback Wrangler star Willow Wilson was killed in West Arnhem Land, concluding that fuel exhaustion was the likely cause. | [98] |
| 29 | The final episode of Millionaire Hot Seat airs on the Nine Network. | [99] |
| 30 | Peter Hitchener reads his final weeknight edition of Nine News Melbourne. | [100] |
|
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|
| 4 | International Cricket Council announce that Amazon Prime Video had secured the exclusive broadcast rights for all ICC tournament matches, commencing in 2024. The announcement comes after federal communications minister Michelle Rowland introduces proposed new anti-siphoning laws to parliament, requiring free to air networks to be offered first refusal for major sporting events. The decision to award the rights to the ICC tournament cricket matches to a streaming service is criticised by lobby group FreeTV Australia, who call for the changes to the anti-siphoning rules laws to be fast-tracked. | [101] [102] [103] |
| 7 | It is announced that the CEO of Seven West Media, James Warburton will step down from the role at the end of the financial year and will be succeeded by Jeff Howard. | [104] |
| After appearing in Darwin Local Court for a brief committal hearing, the star of Outback Wrangler and Wild Croc Territory Matt Wright is committed to stand trial in the Northern Territory Supreme Court on a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice, which is related to the fatal helicopter crash in 2022 in which his co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson was killed. Wright strenuously denies all charges. | [105] |
| 12 | Network 10 confirms the 10 News First: Perth bulletin anchored by Natalie Forrest would continue to be broadcast live from its Subiaco studio in Perth in 2024. | [106] |
| 15 | Last episode of The Drum goes to air after a run of 13 years. The three main presenters Julia Baird, Dan Bourchier and Ellen Fanning will all remain with the ABC. | [107] [108] |
| 17 | It is reported that after 17 years ABC News presenter Karina Carvalho would be leaving the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. | [109] [110] |
| 21 | Warren Mundine receives a formal apology from SBS after its ombudsman Amy Stockwell found NITV's The Point: Australia Decides program hosted by Narelda Jacobs on the night of the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum twice breached the broadcaster's Code of Conduct. During the program which featured Mundine and Marcia Langton as panelists, Jacobs was found to have given the impression that one perspective had been unduly favoured when she criticised Mundine and described Langton as a "national treasure". Stockwell also finds the program failed to provide an opportunity for Mundine to respond to a significant claim by Langton about Mundine's business when his microphone was muted. | [111] |
| 22 | The final edition of Network 10's morning program Studio 10 goes to air. | [112] |
|
Criterion for inclusion in the following list is that Australian premiere episodes will air in Australia for the first time on a new channel. This includes when a program is moved from a free-to-air network's primary channel to a digital multi-channel, as well as when a program moves between subscription television channels – provided the preceding criterion is met. Ended television series which change networks for repeat broadcasts are not included in the list.
This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian free-to-air television that had previously premiered on Australian subscription television. Programs may still air on the original subscription television network.
Australian produced programs which are returning with a new season after being absent from television from the previous calendar year.
| Name | Date of death | Age | Broadcasting notability | Reference |
|---|
| Garry Stewart | 1 January | aged 85 | Known for his long career at GTV-9 Melbourne including the producer of In Melbourne Tonight. | [149] |
| Dennis Smith | 3 January | not given | Veteran television producer for The Go!! Show and a theatrical entrepreneur. | [150] |
| Diana "Bubbles" Fisher | 26 January | aged 91 | Media personality and journalist, known for her reports on the British Royal Family and a panelist on the ABC series The Inventors. | [151] |
| Gary Fenton | 1 February | not given | Sports media executive, known for his work with both the Seven Network and the Nine Network. | [152] |
| George Miller | 17 February | aged 79 | Scottish-born Australian television and film director, best known for The Man from Snowy River. | [153] |
| Jeff Watson | 22 February | aged 80 | British-born Australian journalist, reporter, presenter and producer, hosting Towards 2000 / Beyond 2000 from 1981 to 1990 and Getaway from 1992 to 1998. He also reported for This Day Tonight, Four Corners and Holiday. | [154] |
| Chris Colquhoun | 7 March | aged 43 | SBS World News cameraman | [155] [156] |
| 16 March | aged 67 | Media executive, known for his work with Network Ten, the Nine Network and Foxtel, was also an entertainment and sports publicist. | [157] |
| Peter Hardy | aged 66 | Television actor, best known for McLeod's Daughters. | [158] [159] |
| Terry Norris | 20 March | aged 92 | Theatre, radio, TV and film actor. Appeared in rural series Bellbird as Joe Turner and Cop Shop as Senior Sargeant Terry O'Reilly, Norris also had a ten-year stint in politics. | [160] |
| Swami Saravati | 27 March | Age unknown (possibly late 70's) | Indian-Australian, who was a noted pioneering Yoga teacher, and one of the first multicultural personalities on Australian television in the 1960s and 1970s, with her yoga programs under her name. | [161] |
| Doug Mulray | 30 March | aged 71 | TV and radio host, best known as "The Beast" in Network Ten and Foxtel talk show series Beauty and the Beast. Also host of the infamous Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos series that was cancelled after one episode. | [162] |
| Maxine Klibingaitis | 18 April | aged 58 | Known for her role in Prisoner as Bobbie Mitchell and Neighbours as Terry Inglis. | [163] |
| Bob Maguire | 19 April | aged 88 | Catholic priest and media personality, co-hosting the SBS series Speaking in Tongues with John Safran. | [164] |
| Barry Humphries (AC, CBE) | 22 April | aged 89 | Legendary comedian, (also worked in the United Kingdom) active in theatre, TV and film, known for characters Dame Edna Everage, Sir Les Patterson and Sandy Stone also created comic strip character Barry McKenzie. | [165] |
| Kevin Sanders | aged 87 | Australian journalist and documentary filmmaker, who was the first voice of CNN. Began his media career in Canberra at Nine News alongside Eric Pearce. Went on to move to Los Angeles as anchor for KTLA and became the science reporter at CNN. | [166] |
| Jock Zonfrillo | 30 April | aged 46 | Chef and judge of MasterChef Australia | [167] |
| 10 May | aged 93 | Australian entertainer, comedian, musician, singer-songwriter and painter, also worked in the United Kingdom | [168] |
| Mary Parker | 13 May | aged 92 | English Australian actress, started her career in her native country as an performer of stage and screen, in Australia she became the first female presenter on Melbourne television in 1956. | [169] |
| Ray Wilkie (OAM) | 18 May | aged 98 | Australian meteorologist and television weather presenter, best known for reporting bulletins at the ABC, Nine Network and Network 10. | [170] |
| Joy McKean (OAM) | 25 May | aged 93 | Singer-songwriter and wife and manager of Slim Dusty, mother of singer Anne Kirkpatrick, appeared in biopic TV movie documentaries. | [171] |
| Mac Gudgeon | 30 May | aged 74 | Australian screenwriter. | [172] |
| Noeline Donaher | May | not given | Sylvania Waters star. | [173] |
| Judi Farr (AM) | 29 June | aged 84 | Actress, comedian known for My Name's McGooley, What's Yours?, series spin-off, Rita and Wally as well as Kingswood Country, Please Like Me and A Place to Call Home | [174] [175] |
| 10 July | aged 94 | Australian meteorologist and radio and television weather presenter, best known for his bulletins at the ABC (1956–1960), the Seven Network (1968–1976) and the Nine Network (1977–2001) | [176] |
| Ron Barassi | 16 September | aged 87 | AFL football legend, who had a notable career in media | [177] |
| Joy Chambers | 17 September | aged 76 | Actress who appeared in numerous television series including The Restless Years, The Young Doctors and Rosemary Daniels in Neighbours | [178] |
| Cal Wilson | 11 October | aged 53 | Actress and comedian | [179] [180] |
| Leslie Dayman | 20 October | aged 90 | TV soap opera/serial actor appeared in Homicide, Prisoner, Sons and Daughters and E Street. | [181] |
| Johnny Ruffo | 10 November | aged 35 | Singer, actor (Chris Harrington on Home and Away) and contestant of The X Factor Australia | [182] |
| Nan Witcomb | 17 November | aged 95 | Australian poet who wrote for the 1960s satirical comedy series The Mavis Bramston Show. | [183] |
| James Davern | 18 November | aged 90 | Creator and producer of the TV series A Country Practice | [184] |
| Bill Granger | 25 December | aged 54 | Celebrity chef | [185] |
| Nick Beaney | 28 December | aged 61 | Seven News cameraman | [186] |
| John Pilger | 31 December | aged 84 | Documentary maker and journalist | [187] | |
