Events 8 January – Australia Unites: Reach Out To Asia raises $20 million for the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami relief effort. It is also the first time that Australia's three major commercial television stations have co-operated to broadcast such an event. 31 January – ABC starts its new afternoon wrapper programme named off its children's website called RollerCoaster with host Elliot Spencer. 3 February – American science fiction drama series Lost premieres on the Seven Network. 12 February – Australia's Funniest Home Video Show returns and starts 2005 when AFHVS became Australia's Funniest Home Videos with a funky major revamp, a monster-revamped funky instrumental theme music and a relocation from Melbourne back to Sydney. This is the very first episode to be filmed at Nine's Sydney studios since 1999. 22 February – In The Price Is Right, contestant Joanne Segeviano won a record-breaking mega showcase of A$664,667 (about US$406,274.45), setting a record of becoming the largest winner in the show's franchise worldwide that would held on for exactly three years, until it was surpassed by Adam Rose's total of US1,153,908 (approximately A$1.5 million). 7 March – ABC launches a brand new digital channel ABC2. 13 April – The Seven Network's Melbourne headquarters suffer a 30-minute blackout, causing the network to be knocked off air nationwide. This resulted in Blue Heelers being interrupted in the midst of a four-part storyline; this episode is repeated the following week in all markets except Perth (where, due to the time difference, it was Home and Away which was interrupted). 26 April – The Great Outdoors host Tom Williams and his partner Kym Johnson win the second season of Dancing with the Stars. 1 May – Rove McManus wins the 2005 TV WEEK Gold Logie. 15 May – Random wins the first season of The X Factor, based on the British namesake singing competition, making them the first-ever group to win the show since the franchise's debut in 2004. Despite the cancellation following the first season, the series returned after a five-year hiatus that would air for seven more seasons until 2016. 25 May – Graham Kennedy dies at age 71. The network on which most of his shows aired, the Nine Network, passes up the offer to broadcast his funeral but Seven axes Nine's coverage, picks it up and wins it. Nine does eventually show parts of the funeral live. 30 May – The Australian game show Temptation premieres on the Nine Network. June – Deal or No Deal host Andrew O'Keefe replaces Chris Reason as co-host when the title Sunday Sunrise became Weekend Sunrise. 26 June – Douglas Wood is interviewed by Sandra Sully about his time as a captive after Network Ten pays a reported $400,000 for an exclusive interview. 22 July – Hi-5 airs its 300th episode. 15 August – Big Brother: Greg Mathew, along with twin brother David Mathew, also known as "The Logan Twins", is announced the winner of the fifth series. 20 August – Cheez TV ends after 10-year run with Jade Gatt and Ryan Lappin and it will be replaced by a new weekday morning children's cartoon programme Toasted TV. 22 August – Network Ten debuts another weekday morning children's cartoon programme called Toasted TV presented by Pip Russell and Dan Sweetman replacing Cheez TV. 25 August – After a one-year hiatus, The Mole returns to Australian television for its fifth season, hosted by Tom Williams after its original host Grant Bowler was unavailable due to a prior commitment. 22 September – The final episode of Australian medical drama series MDA airs on ABC. 17 October – Rob "Coach" Fulton, a resident from Sydney, becomes the first ever person to win $1 million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. Just four episodes later, another resident from Sydney, Martin Flood, became the second and final person won the top prize, amid allegations of cheating. 27 October – Liz Cantor wins the fifth season of The Mole, taking home $203,000 in prize money. John Whitehall is revealed as the Mole, and Craig Murrell is the runner-up. Cantor would later embark on a role with Channel Seven in Brisbane as its fill-in weather presenter. 8 November – Home and Away actress Ada Nicodemou and her partner Aric Yegudkin win the third season of Dancing with the Stars. 18 November – It is announced on Sunrise that Wheel of Fortune would return to Channel Seven, with Larry Emdur & Laura Csortan as hosts. 21 November – Kate DeAraugo wins the third season of Australian Idol. 24 November – The very last episode of The Price Is Right goes to air on the Nine Network after a five-year run then a two-year run. The show was axed due to the strong competitions of rival Seven Network game show Deal or No Deal. This was host Larry Emdur's final appearance on Nine, before returning to the Seven Network, where he remains to this day. 27 November – American science fiction fantasy series Smallville switches over to airing on Network Ten following disappointing ratings on Nine. 30 November – American animated science fiction sitcom Futurama created by Matt Groening the creator of The Simpsons switches over to airing Network Ten and in doing so would join The Simpsons as part of its "Happy Hour" block, airing every Wednesday night. The show became a major hit for the network, with some episodes drawing 1.1 million viewers and occasionally outrating The Simpsons. 2 December – A Current Affair again draws with a final goodbye with Ray Martin in the hot-seat before semi-retiring for the very last time. As the program is rested for six weeks to try out a major reliable revamp, he is definitely to be replaced by Tracy Grimshaw from 2006 onwards. Grimshaw quits the Today show after 9 years as co-host. She will be replaced by former-Ten News anchor Jessica Rowe effective from 30 January 2006, then soon axed due to poor ratings. ACA returned on 30 January 2006. 15 December – American animated sitcom American Dad! debuts on the Seven Network. 16 December – Good Morning Australia ends with a final goodbye after a 14-year run on Network Ten from the studios of ATV-10 first out of Nunawading in 1992, then from Como Centre, South Yarra from 1993 onwards. Host Bert Newton leaves Channel Ten and signs up and returns to Nine Network to host game show Bert's Family Feud. The following year, Good Morning Australia time slot was replaced by 9am with David and Kim hosted by former Getaway reporter David Reyne and former National Nine News/Nightline presenter, Kim Watkins who both moved from the Nine Network to Channel Ten.
New channels 7 March – ABC2 5 December – Playhouse Disney
Debuts Program Channel Debut date RocKwiz SBS RollerCoaster ABC Medical Emergency Seven Network February Aussie Queer Eye for the Straight Guy Network Ten Spicks and Specks ABC Streetsmartz Nine Network Blue Water High ABC Temptation Nine Network The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky ABC Last Man Standing Seven Network Outback House ABC Toasted TV Network Ten Holly's Heroes Nine Network Australian Princess Network Ten 20 to 1 Nine Network The Surgeon Network Ten The Ronnie Johns Half Hour Network Ten October Speaking in Tongues SBS headLand Seven Network Larry Emdur & Laura Csortan's Wheel of Fortune Seven Network Lonely Planet Six Degrees SBS Eclipse Music TV Seven Network 2005 Ready Steady Cook Network Ten 2005
Subscription television Program Channel Debut date Australia's Next Top Model FOX8 Camp Orange Nickelodeon
New international programming Program Channel Debut date Altered Statesman ABC TV Dave the Barbarian Seven Network Poko ABC TV ChalkZone ABC TV CSI: NY Nine Network Desperate Housewives Seven Network Shoebox Zoo ABC TV Medium Network Ten Lost Seven Network Ozzy & Drix Nine Network Shameless SBS I Dream ABC TV Winx Club Network Ten / Totally Spies! Network Ten Oobi ABC TV Funky Valley ABC TV SD Gundam Force Network Ten Dragon Booster ABC TV Little Red Tractor Nine Network 5 March Agatha Christie's Marple ABC TV / The Tribe ABC2 //// ToddWorld ABC TV Nighty Night ABC TV Baby Looney Tunes Nine Network Dragon ABC TV / Tupu ABC TV Brandy & Mr. Whiskers Seven Network Fireman Sam (2003) ABC TV So Frenchy, So Chic SBS Christopher Crocodile ABC2 // Faireez Network Ten / The Hydronauts ABC TV I am Not an Animal ABC TV Flatmania ABC TV Barney ABC2 Doctor Who (2005) ABC TV Star Wars: Clone Wars Network Ten Mega Man NT Warrior Network Ten Bronski and Bernstein SBS / Sophie's World SBS Taken Nine Network BB3B ABC TV American Dragon: Jake Long Seven Network Hot Wheels AcceleRacers Network Ten Gordon the Garden Gnome ABC TV Being Ian ABC TV / Trollz Network Ten Spitfire Ace ABC TV Transformers: Cybertron Network Ten Bob the Builder: Project Build It ABC TV Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex SBS Battle B-Daman Seven Network Grey's Anatomy Seven Network Global Grover ABC TV Charlie and Lola ABC TV Planet Cook ABC TV / Planet Sketch ABC TV // W.I.T.C.H. Seven Network / Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! Seven Network Fifi and the Flowertots ABC TV Pet Alien Network Ten Pitt & Kantrop ABC TV / Pocoyo ABC TV / Lazy Lucy ABC TV The F***ing Fulfords ABC TV Ghost Whisperer Seven Network Bromwell High ABC TV King Arthur's Disasters ABC TV American Dad! Seven Network Bertha ABC2 Psychic Detectives Nine Network 2005 The Benefactor Seven Network 2005 Ebb and Flo ABC TV 2005 Mentors ABC TV 2005
Subscription television Program Channel Debut date American Casino Discovery Channel Brandy & Mr. Whiskers Disney Channel Don't Drop the Coffin The LifeStyle Channel Unfabulous Nickelodeon Making Spaces The LifeStyle Channel Property Ladder The LifeStyle Channel Blue's Room Nickelodeon/Nick Jr Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares The LifeStyle Channel Love Is in the Heir E! Gastineau Girls, The The Gastineau Girls E! Suite Life of Zack & Cody, The The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Disney Channel Green Wing UKTV Meet the Barkers MTV Meet Diego! Nick Jr Zoey 101 Nickelodeon Pet Alien Cartoon Network Hogan Knows Best Hogan Knows Best VH1 Rescue Me Fox8 Breaking Bonaduce Breaking Bonaduce VH1 One Piece Cartoon Network 2005
Programming changes Changes to network affiliations This is a list of programs which made their premiere on an Australian television network that had previously premiered on another Australian television network. The networks involved the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the platform (free-to-air to subscription/subscription to free-to-air). are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.
Domestic Program New Network Previous Network Date Bambaloo ABC TV Seven Network
International Program New Network Previous Network Date Engie Benjy ABC2 ABC Kids (now defunct) Boohbah ABC2 ABC TV Play with Me Sesame ABC2 ABC TV / Inuk ABC2 ABC Kids (now defunct) / Starhill Ponies ABC2 ABC Kids (now defunct) Bob the Builder ABC2 ABC Kids (now defunct) Batfink ABC2 ABC Kids (now defunct) Molly's Gang ABC2 ABC Kids (now defunct) The Wombles (1996) ABC2 ABC Kids (now defunct) Angel Network Ten Seven Network Spider! ABC2 ABC TV / The Little Lulu Show ABC2 ABC TV/ABC Kids (now defunct) Sex and the City Network Ten Nine Network / Dragon Tales Cartoon Network Fox Kids Smallville Network Ten Nine Network Futurama Network Ten Seven Network 30 November The Human Body Network Ten ABC TV
Free-to-air premieres 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.
International Program Free-to-air network Subscription network Date MythBusters SBS TV Discovery Channel
Subscription premieres