The Big Night In with John Foreman
Encyclopedia
The Big Night In with John Foreman is an Australian variety show
airing on Network Ten
and Ovation
. It premiered on 3 December 2005 and concluded its first series 6 January 2006 then returned for another season in October 2006.
It runs overnight, usually starting at either 11.30pm or past 12am. The show's premise is based on having musical acts perform and give interviews in a late-night chat show format with a bigger focus on musical guests and interviews with those guests. It's hosted by John Foreman, a renowned Australian musician who has appeared on shows such as Good Morning Australia
and Australian Idol
as a musical director.
The show was notable for its premiere when an in-depth and engaging interview was featured with Russell Crowe
. Crowe later performed two songs for the show. This episode also featured guests Tina Cousins
and Deborah Conway
. It often includes ad lib promotions by the cast and guests, in a style reminiscent of Graham Kennedy
's variety programs.
, son of Bert Newton
. It was meant to be different from the telecasts that the Nine Network
had provided in past years in that it was mainly aimed at a younger audience. However, many of these people did not watch and as a result, the audience was mainly families and senior citizens who were shown simulations of oral sex
and other suggestive activity as well as foul language. Also, some suggested that Matthew Newton was affected by alcohol. Talkback radio received many calls complaining about the coverage and other media outlets, such as Today Tonight
, A Current Affair and The Daily Telegraph
attacked the station for broadcasting the show.
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
airing on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
and Ovation
Ovation Channel
The Ovation Channel was created by Optus Television to "present dance, opera, theatre, literature, jazz, classical music, design and even fashion, food and wine", modelling it on Canada's Bravo!....
. It premiered on 3 December 2005 and concluded its first series 6 January 2006 then returned for another season in October 2006.
It runs overnight, usually starting at either 11.30pm or past 12am. The show's premise is based on having musical acts perform and give interviews in a late-night chat show format with a bigger focus on musical guests and interviews with those guests. It's hosted by John Foreman, a renowned Australian musician who has appeared on shows such as Good Morning Australia
Good Morning Australia
Good Morning Australia from Network Ten was the name of two different programs. This article is for Bert Newton's morning program, not to be confused with the breakfast news program of the same name....
and Australian Idol
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
as a musical director.
The show was notable for its premiere when an in-depth and engaging interview was featured with Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
. Crowe later performed two songs for the show. This episode also featured guests Tina Cousins
Tina Cousins
Tina Cousins is an English singer-songwriter and former fashion model. She has had five singles in the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart, both as a solo artist and in collaboration with others. She has also achieved popularity in Australia. She started her career as a model...
and Deborah Conway
Deborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
. It often includes ad lib promotions by the cast and guests, in a style reminiscent of Graham Kennedy
Graham Kennedy
Graham Cyril Kennedy, AO was an Australian radio, television and film performer, often called Gra Gra and The King of Australian television.-Childhood:...
's variety programs.
Musical guests
- Human NatureHuman Nature (band)Human Nature are an Australian pop vocal group. The group was originally formed as a doo-wop band in 1989 while the current members were at school together in Sydney. So far, the band has had 17 Top 40 hits and five Top 10 hits in Australia since 1996 when their first album Telling Everybody was...
- "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" - Youth GroupYouth GroupYouth Group are a rock band based in Newtown, Sydney, Australia signed to Ivy League Records.- Biography :Youth Group formed in Sydney in the late 1990s. They have released four albums in Australia, with the three most recent albums also gaining releases worldwide...
- - Tina CousinsTina CousinsTina Cousins is an English singer-songwriter and former fashion model. She has had five singles in the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart, both as a solo artist and in collaboration with others. She has also achieved popularity in Australia. She started her career as a model...
- "Wonderful Life" - End of FashionEnd of FashionEnd of Fashion are an Australian power pop band from Perth, Western Australia. The band consists of singer and guitarist Justin Burford, guitarist Rodney Aravena, bassist Simon Fasolo, and drummer Mike Hobbs. The group gained mainstream attention with their 2005 single "O Yeah", which reached...
- "Lock Up Your Daughters" - Anthony CalleaAnthony CalleaAnthony Cosmo Callea is an Australian singer-songwriter who rose to prominence in the 2004 season of Australian Idol when he became runner up. He was signed to Sony Music Australia until 2009 and is now an independent artist...
- "Addicted to You"
New Year's Eve 2006 special
On 31 December 2006, a special episode was broadcast featuring Matthew NewtonMatthew Newton
Matthew Newton is an Australian stage and screen actor. Born in Melbourne, he is the son of television personalities, Bert and Patti Newton, brother of Lauren Newton, brother-in-law of Matt Welsh and uncle to Sam Albert and Eva Eunice Newton Welsh.-Acting:Newton has performed in Australia and...
, son of Bert Newton
Bert Newton
Albert Watson "Bert" Newton, AM, MBE is an Australian television personality, known for hosting television series such as In Melbourne Tonight, Good Morning Australia and 20 to 1. Newton has also hosted the Logie Awards on numerous occasions through his career.-Early life:Newton was born in...
. It was meant to be different from the telecasts that the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
had provided in past years in that it was mainly aimed at a younger audience. However, many of these people did not watch and as a result, the audience was mainly families and senior citizens who were shown simulations of oral sex
Oral sex
Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus...
and other suggestive activity as well as foul language. Also, some suggested that Matthew Newton was affected by alcohol. Talkback radio received many calls complaining about the coverage and other media outlets, such as Today Tonight
Today Tonight
Today Tonight is a controversial Australian News and Current Affairs program, produced by the Seven Network and shown weeknightly at in direct competition with rival Nine Network program A Current Affair....
, A Current Affair and The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Nationwide News, part of News Corporation.The Tele, as it is also known, was founded in 1879. From 1936 to 1972, it was owned by Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press. That year it was sold to...
attacked the station for broadcasting the show.