This is a list of Australian television-related events, debuts, finales, and cancellations that were scheduled to occur in 2019, the 64th year of continuous operation of television in Australia.
Events January Date Event Source1The annual Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks are broadcast by the ABC5The Nine Network announced new co-hosts for Today, Today Extra and Weekend Today following the exit of Karl Stefanovic, Peter Stefanovic and Sylvia Jeffreys in late 2018 amidst declining ratings for the morning brands. Deborah Knight, Tom Steinfort and Tony Jones will join Georgie Gardner as presenters of Today, while David Campbell will co-host Weekend Today and three of five days of Today Extra, with Richard Wilkins co-hosting two days of Today Extra.14The 2019 Australian Open will air on the Nine Network, after the network purchased the broadcasting rights from the Seven Network, who had held the rights since 1973
February Date Event Source10The official 2019 OzTam television ratings period begins18The Nine Network claims the first week of an official ratings season for the first time since 2009.
April Date Event Source14A two-week suspension in OzTam television ratings begins for the Easter break. 28Official OzTam ratings resume after a two-week non-ratings period over Easter.
June Date Event Source20WIN Television axes the Four Regions: Central West, Riverina, Border North East and Wide Bay local news bulletins because of insufficient commercial viability to fund those Regions news operations.
August Date Event Source21After 6 and 12 years off free to air television, it is announced that long running U.S. daytime soaps Days of Our Lives and The Young and the Restless will return to the Nine Network and resume from 2 September 2019 airing on multichannel 9Gem. With the two soaps returning, this move resumes the 4-decade tradition of daytime soap operas on Australian television and dethrones The Bold and the Beautiful (broadcast on Network 10) as the only U.S. soap opera on free to air television.
October Date Event Source18Seven West Media and Prime Media Group announce they'll Merge to Become Australia's Largest Television Network
November Date Event Source30The last day of the official 2019 OzTam television ratings period
December Date Event Source1The Nine Network wins the ratings season for the first time since 2006, defeating the Seven Network.4Network 10 parent company CBS Corporation merges with MTV and Nick parent Viacom, forming ViacomCBS.
Television channels
New channels
1 July - SBS World Movies
Channel closures 17 May – Your Money 29 December – 7food network
Premieres Domestic series + Program Original airdate Network Source Bloom Stan Aussie Lobster Men 7mate Total Control ABC Blue Water Empire ABC The Cry ABC Diary of an Uber Driver ABC Escape from the City ABC Frayed ABC The Gates of Hell ABC Hardball ABC The Heights ABC The InBESTigators ABC Me The Unlisted ABC Me Christians Like Us SBS Mastermind SBS Medicine or Myth SBS My Family Secret SBS The Hunting SBS Australian Gangster Seven Network Extreme Weddings Seven Network Ms Fisher's MODern Murder Mysteries Seven Network The Proposal Seven Network Inside 'The G' Seven Network Undercurrent Seven Network Celebrity Name Game Network 10 Chris & Julia's Sunday Night Takeaway Network 10 Five Bedrooms Network 10 Mr. Black Network 10 My Life is Murder Network 10 The Masked Singer Australia Network 10 Bad Mothers Nine Network Lego Masters Nine Network Murder, Lies and Alibis Nine Network The End Fox Showcase Lambs of God Fox Showcase Upright Fox Showcase Ready Set Dance Nick Jr Teen Mom Australia MTV
Delayed to 2020
+ Program Original airdate Network Source Hungry Ghosts SBS Between Two Worlds Seven Network The Secrets She Keeps Network 10
International series + Program Original airdate Network Country of origin Source Cheat Seven Network United Kingdom Gordon, Gino And Fred: Road Trip Seven Network United Kingdom Cleaning Up Seven Network United Kingdom Islands of America Seven Network United States Manhunt Seven Network United Kingdom Hatton Garden Seven Network United Kingdom Miss Scarlet and The Duke Seven Network United Kingdom Proven Innocent Seven Network United States The Bay Seven Network United Kingdom The Passage Seven Network United States The Gilded Age Network 10 United States New Amsterdam Nine Network United States Dynasties with David Attenborough Nine Network United Kingdom Chernobyl Fox Showcase United States Devs Fox Showcase United States Fosse/Verdon Fox Showcase United States Les Misérables BBC First United Kingdom Lindsay Lohan’s Beach Club MTV United States Magnum P.I. FOX8 United States Roswell, New Mexico FOX8 United States Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists FOX8 United States The InBetween Universal TV United States The Great Kiwi Bake Off LifeStyle Food New Zealand The Hills: New Beginnings MTV United States Snack World2 NovemberCartoon NetworkJapan Tipping Point2 DecemberNine NetworkUnited Kingdom
Programming changes
Changes to network 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 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.
+ List of domestic television series which changed network affiliation Program Date New network Previous network SourceLove Island Australia 7 October Nine Network 9Go!
+ List of international television programs which changed network affiliation Program Date New network Previous network Country of origin Source Bakugan: Battle Planet 14 July 9Go! Cartoon Network
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 network Subscription network(s) 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 network. + Program Date Free-to-air network Subscription network(s) Source
Returning programs Australian produced programs which are returning with a new season after being absent from television from the previous calendar year.
Show Return date Previous run Type of return Previous channel New/same channel Source Changing Rooms 1998-2005 Revival Nine Network Network 10 Dancing with the Stars 2004-2015 New season Seven Network Network 10 SeaChange 1998-2000 New season ABC Nine Network Seven Year Switch 11 June 2016-2017 Reboot Seven Network same The Amazing Race Australia 28 October 2011-2014 Reboot Seven Network Network 10 Wife Swap Australia 2012 Reboot LifeStyle You Seven Network
Endings + Program End date Network Start date Source Andrew Denton's Interview 24 August Seven Network 17 April 2018 Changing Rooms 23 February Network 10 13 February The Footy Show 25 September Nine Network 24 March 1994 Kids' WB 29 November Nine Network 16 September 2006 Pointless 10 May Network 10 23 July 2018 Saturday Night Rove 31 August Network 10 24 August Sunday Night 24 November Seven Network 8 February 2009
Deaths
Date Name Age Broadcast notability Reference section 2 January Darius Perkins aged 54 Originated the role of Scott Robinson in Neighbours in 1985 6 January Annalise Braakensiek aged 46 Model, actress and television presenter 7 January Jimmy Hannan aged 84 Television presenter, comedian and singer Gold Logie winner and TV icon Jimmy Hannan dies at 84 3 February Carmen Duncan aged 76 Character actress of stage, television and film, sister of actress Paula Duncan) 1 March Michael Willesee (AO) aged 76 Journalist and TV presenter 30 March Geoff Harvey (OAM) aged 84 Musician, who served as musical directors on numerous programs, including The Mike Walsh Show and Midday with Ray Martin 20 June Bill Collins aged 84 Movie presenter, film critic and film historian 13 July Richard Carter aged 65 Film and television actor 8 August Malcolm T. Elliott age 73 Television host, radio presenter and journalist 14 August Ben Unwin aged 41 Actor best known for his role in soap opera Home and Away, as Jesse McGregor 27 October Anne Phelan aged 71 Actress and activist best known for her role as Myra Desmond in Prisoner and Monica Taylor in Something in the Air "One of the Best Humans: Prisoner actress Anne Phelan dies aged 75"
see also: (2019 in Australia)
See also 2019 in Australia List of Australian films of 2019
References