• New local content: Bachelor In Paradise, All Aussie Adventures, Hughesy We Have A Problem and more
• An Australian television first: Pilot Week
• MasterChef Australia and The Project to celebrate 10 Years
• Big new CBS shows: Instinct, SEAL Team, 9JKL
• tendaily to launch in early 2018
MORE: New shows coming to TEN in 2018
Network Ten has revealed its content strategy for 2018 at its Upfront in Sydney. Highlights from their presentation follow:
New domestic content includes the highly anticipated event series Bachelor In Paradise, the scripted series Street Smart, Hughesy We Have a Problem, and appearance at last of Russell Coight’s All Aussie Adventures, How To Stay Married and the new local drama series Playing For Keeps.
Network Ten’s new content also includes the compelling fly-on-the-wall series The Secret Life Of Four Year Olds and a contemporary version of the iconic dating show Blind Date, hosted by Julia Morris.
In mid-2018, Network Ten will introduce a special “pilot week”. For the first time on Australian television, several pilots of domestic shows across a number of content genres will go to air in one week. This exciting initiative represents a substantial investment in new local production. Full details of “pilot week” will be announced in 2018.
ALSO: The minute-by-minute rundown of Ten’s 2018 upfront
Returning content on Network Ten next year includes the 10th season of the show that changed the way Australians cook – MasterChef Australia – the KFC Big Bash League and the Rebel Women’s Big Bash League, The Bachelor Australia, The Bachelorette Australia, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! and Australian Survivor – Champions v Contenders.
Gogglebox stars at the Foxtel Now box launch
Also coming back in 2018 are Gogglebox Australia, Have You Been Paying Attention?, The Project, Family Feud, The Living Room, Shark Tank, CRAM, Todd Sampson’s Body Hack 2.0, Neighbours, Bondi Rescue, Studio 10 and many more.
From overseas, Network Ten has some of the biggest new shows from the US including the upcoming crime series Instinct starring Alan Cumming, SEAL Team starring David Boreanaz and 9JKL, plus Wisdom Of The Crowd, the ever-popular NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans and NCIS: Los Angeles, Bull starring Michael Weatherly and Madam Secretary. Adding to the overseas line-up are the increasingly popular The Graham Norton Show and new series from British food genius Jamie Oliver.
Network Ten chief executive officer Paul Anderson said: “We are now in the final stages of being acquired by CBS Corporation. This is a game changer for Ten and we believe a significant positive for the Australian media industry.
“CBS is a global entertainment giant, a mass media company that is the most-watched television network in the US, with one of the world’s largest libraries of entertainment content.
“Making and acquiring great content is their mission, and it is our mission as well. Broadcasting that great content across multiple platforms with leading edge technology in an ever-changing environment is crucial and what better way for us to take on that challenge than by being part of the global media powerhouse that is CBS,” he said.
Network Ten chief content officer Beverley McGarvey said: “This year we have had significant successes across a range of genres and we will expand on that in 2018 for an even better year of wonderful, powerful and engaging shows that connect with people across all screens.
“We remain absolutely focused on giving Australians brand-safe, family-friendly entertainment for all screens and will build on the brand and content success we have had in recent years with MasterChef Australia, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, Have You Been Paying Attention?, The Project, The Bachelor Australia, The Bachelorette Australia, Gogglebox Australia, Australian Survivor and many others,” she said.
The growth of Network Ten’s online catch-up and streaming service, tenplay, continued during 2017, including a 27% increase in video segment views, a 25% lift in video starts and a 13% rise in the average time people spent per visit.
Network Ten’s digital presence will grow early next year with the arrival of tendaily, a standalone, mobile-optimised website that will be rich in short-form video content and will offer premium and exclusive entertainment, lifestyle, opinion news and sport content.
Photo: [L-R] Dave Hughes, George Calombaris, Carrie Bickmore, Julia Morris, Amanda Keller and Ricky Ponting