This is a list of Australian television-related events, debuts, finales, and cancellations that were scheduled to occur in 2018, the 63rd year of continuous operation of television in Australia.
Events January Date Event Source1The ABC's coverage of the annual midnight Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks is watched by 1.49 million viewersGerard Whateley announced he is leaving the ABC after a 17-year career, including as host of Offsiders, moving to radio station 1116 SEN.7SBS airs a three-hour commercial and commentary-free program The Ghan which follows The Ghan train from Adelaide to Darwin in the first locally produced slow television event series. It becomes the channel's highest rated broadcast in 12 months with 583,000 national viewers. Sister channel SBS Viceland runs a 17-hour extended version the following weekend lasting from 2:40am to 8:30pm.8Following accusations around inappropriate conduct of actor Craig McLachlan in a stage show, the ABC removes all episodes of The Doctor Blake Mysteries, which McLachlan starred in, from its channels and ABC iview. Producers of the series December Media also announce they are temporarily suspending production of a future season for the Seven Network.17Seven Network soap opera Home and Away marks 30 years since its debut on 17 January 1988. The program, which is the second longest-running Australian drama, begins its 31st season on 29 January.22Georgie Gardner debuts as co-host of Today following the exit of Lisa Wilkinson in October 201731World Movies, an original launch channel on Foxtel in 1995, closes as a linear channel, continuing on only as an on demand offering and a branded segment on other movie channels.
February Date Event Source9The ABC holds its first Annual Public Meeting, which involves the ABC Board taking publicly submitted questions.9–25The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea aired on the channels of the Seven Network11The official 2018 OzTam television ratings period begins28Eurosport News, FX Australia and Nat Geo People cease broadcasting on all Australian platforms
March Date Event Source1Discovery Channel and TLC become available on Fetch TV9Bill McDonald is removed as co-anchor of Seven News Brisbane.12Fiona O'Loughlin wins the fourth season of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!14–20Seven News Melbourne presenter Peter Mitchell is slammed by the Supreme Court of Victoria for blatantly using inappropriate wording to describe the ongoing murder trial of Peter Dupas on the bulletin that aired on 14 March 2018.22Claudia Anton wins the fourth season of The Great Australian Bake Off25A two-week suspension in OzTam television ratings begins for the Easter break.Network Ten and its primary channel record their lowest ever weekly share for the 18–25 March 2018 week since OzTAM ratings began in 2001.29The Nine Network secures the rights to televise the Australian Open tennis tournament from 2020–24. However, three months later, the deal is brought forward by twelve months.
April Date Event Source2"X Games Sydney" win the inaugural season of Australian Spartan4–15The 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Queensland will air on the channels of the Seven Network8Official OzTam ratings resume after a two-week non-ratings period over Easter.
May Date Event Source6Alex and Emily win the ninth season of My Kitchen Rules
June Date Event Source18Sam Perry wins the seventh season of The Voice25The Nine Network secures the rights to televise the Australian Open tennis tournament from 2019 onwards, twelve months earlier than planned. 29Better Homes and Gardens airs its 1,000th episode
July Date Event Source1The 60th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were held at The Star Gold Coast. As well as being staged in Queensland for the first time, the event introduced a number of changes including live re-voting, reducing the number of award categories, renaming of publicly voted categories and eligibility changes. The ceremony was held much later in the year than previous ceremonies to avoid clashing with the 2018 Commonwealth Games also being held on the Gold Coast. 30Toad and Mandy win the sixth season of House Rules31Sashi Cheliah wins the tenth season of MasterChef Australia
September Date Event Source24The ABC Board sacks managing director Michelle Guthrie halfway through her five year contract.27Chairman of the ABC Justin Milne resigns after claims emerge about political interference at the ABC and the surprise sacking of Michelle Guthrie days earlier.
October Date Event Source4For the first time in the Australian version of The Bachelor, Nick Cummins fails to choose a winner in the finale of the sixth season.9Shane Gould wins Australian Survivor: Champions vs. Contenders, the fifth season of Australian Survivor11Major glitches ruins what was to be Ian Henderson's final ABC News Victoria bulletin, with the New South Wales bulletin instead broadcast. He eventually presents his final bulletin the following evening, with Tamara Oudyn named as his replacement.28Hayden and Sara win the fourteenth season of The Block31Network Ten launches a major network branding, including introducing a new logo for the first time since 1991. Channel Ten becomes Channel 10, while multichannels ONE and ELEVEN are rebranded as 10 Boss (later renamed to 10 Bold) and 10 Peach respectively.
November Date Event Source2Sky News Live sacks Ross Cameron after making racist comments as co-host of Outsiders, becoming the second original co-host to be fired due to controversial comments made on the program after Mark Latham in 2017.15Ali Oetjen chooses Taite Radley in the finale of season four of The Bachelorette.25Lai Utovou wins the inaugural season of All Together Now.
December Date Event Source1The last day of the official 2018 OzTam television ratings period.18Weekend Today Co-Host Peter Stefanovic announces he's leaving the Nine Network after 15 Years.
Television channels
New channels 2 September – Sky News on WIN 1 October – Your Money 1 December - 7food network
Renamed channels
31 October - Eleven to 10 Peach, One to 10 Boss 17 November - Food Network to SBS Food 10 December - 10 Boss to 10 Bold
Channel closures 31 January – World Movies 28 February – Eurosport News, FX, Nat Geo People
Premieres Television programs which debut for the first time on Australian television.
Domestic series + Program Original airdate Channel SourceRomper Stomper Stan Hughesy, We Have a Problem Network Ten Grace Beside Me NITV Australian Spartan Seven Network Bachelor in Paradise Australia Network Ten Picnic at Hanging Rock showcase Love Island Australia 9Go! Bite Club Nine Network Bluey ABC Kids Paramedics Nine Network
International series + Program Original airdate Channel Country of origin Source S.W.A.T. FOX8 United States SEAL Team Network Ten United States Hard Sun Seven Network United Kingdom Celebrity Big Brother 9Go! United States Blue Planet II Nine Network United Kingdom Corporate The Comedy Channel United States The Resident Seven Network United States Wellington Paranormal SBS Viceland New Zealand
Programming changes
Changes to channel affiliation 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 channel'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.
+ List of domestic television series which changed channel affiliation Program Date New channel Previous channel Source
+ List of international television programs which changed channel affiliation Program Date New channel Previous channel Country of origin Source The Simpsons 7mate Eleven United States
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. + Program Date Free-to-air channel Subscription channel Country of origin Source
Subscription premieres This is a list of programs which made their debut on Australian subscription television, having previously premiered on Australian free-to-air television. Programs may still air (first or repeat) on the original free-to-air television channel. + Program Date Free-to-air channel Subscription network(s) Source
Returning programs Australian produced programs which are returning with a new season after being absent from television in the previous calendar year. + Program Return date Channel Original run Source Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation Nine Network 2009-2012 (Ten) Sports Tonight Network Ten 1993-2011 All Aussie Adventures Network Ten 2001-2004 Blind Date Network Ten 1991
Endings + Program End date Network Start date Source Blind Date 19 December Network 10 15 October The Checkout 17 April ABC 21 March 2013 Game of Games 15 December Network 10 7 October ScreenPLAY 27 April 7mate 29 June 2017 Shark Tank 7 August Network Ten 8 February 2015
Deaths
Date Name Age Broadcast credibility References 16 January Moya O'Sullivan aged 91 Actress known for Number 96 as Pyillis Pratt and Neighbours as Marlene Kratz 17 January Jessica Falkholt aged 29 Actress in the television series Home and Away as Hope Morrison. 4 May Cathy Godbold aged 33 Actress best known as role in Home and Away as Meg Bowman 28 May Cornelia Frances (OAM) aged 77 Actress starred in The Young Doctors, Sons and Daughters, Home and Away and hosted The Weakest Link 9 July Sam Chisholm (AO) aged 78 New Zealand born Australian media executive, known for the Nine Network 1 December Judy McBurney aged 70 Actress best known for her roles in The Young Doctors as Tania Livingstone and in cult series Prisoneras Sandra "Pixie" Mason. 26 December Penny Cook aged 61 Australian actress best known for the serial A Country Practice as Vicki Dean Bowen, E Street as Dr. Elly Fielding, and Neighbours as Prue Brown and presenter of The Great Outdoors
See also 2018 in Australia List of Australian films of 2018
References