The Big Night In with John Foreman was 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 ran 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 was 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 included ad lib promotions by the cast and guests, in a style reminiscent of Graham Kennedy's variety programs.
Episode guide Series 1
Episode N° Guests Episode 1 Tina Cousins Deborah Conway
Russell Crowe
Jade McCrae Episode 2 The Cat Empire End of Fashion
The Living End
Vanessa Lambrou
John Michael Howson Episode 3 Melissa Tkautz Taxiride
Alice Russell
Radio Dogs
John Michael Howson Episode 4 - Christmas Special Human Nature Sarah McLeod
Kate DeAraugo
Magic Dirt
The Harlequin Smile
John Michael Howson Episode 5 Renee Geyer Patrizio Buanne
Ricki-Lee Coulter
Mia Dyson
True Live Episode 6 Youth Group Casey Donovan
Tania Doko
Dan Kelly
Describe Eliza
Michelle AndersonEpisode 7 - Best Of Previous Guests' Highlights
Series 2
Episode N° Guests Episode 1 Ronan Keating Guy Sebastian
Tim Freedman
Lior
Val Lehman
Sam Mac Episode 2 Sarah McLeod
The Spazzys
Evermore
Kamahl
Sam Mac Episode 3 Don Lane Chris Murphy
Kid Courageous
Gang Gajang
Sam Mac Episode 4 Dean Geyer Bree Amer
Mike Goldman
Sarah Blaskow
Kate Alexa
Sam Mac Episode 5 Osher Günsberg Jessica Mauboy
Damien Leith
Patrizio Buanne
The Whitlams
Maria Venuti
Matthew Newton Episode 6 Diesel TV Rock
The Young Divas
Sam Mac Episode 7 Marcia Hines Tania Doko with She Said Yes
Dallas Crane
Barry Crocker
Michelle van Raay & the Deb Johnson Dancers
Matt Hollywood
Sam Mac Episode 8 - Best of Previous Guests' Highlights Episode 9 - Christmas Special Peter Garrett Sick Puppies with Juan Mann
Mig Ayesa
Maria Venuti
Sam Mac Episode 10 - NYE Party Mix Anthony Callea John Paul Young
Kid Courageous
Dragon
Jade MacRae
Jemma Gawned
Maria Venuti
Mig Ayessa
Matt Hollywood
Jamie Brooksby
Matthew Newton
Burt Bacharach Special
On 10 October 2007, ‘John Foreman Presents Burt Bacharach’, a special presentation of The Big Night In, was broadcast on Network Ten. It was taped at the State Theatre in Sydney, and featured a line-up of Australian artists performing songs composed by Bacharach, accompanied by the Sydney Sinfonia. Bacharach appeared on the show, was interviewed by Foreman and performed his composition, “Alfie”.
Performer Musical Number Paulini Say A Little Prayer Diesel Walk On By Katie Noonan The Look Of Love Kate Ceberano I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself Dean Geyer Arthur's Theme Leo Sayer "Always Something There to Remind Me" Ricki-Lee Coulter What The World Needs now Burt Bacharach Alfie
New Year's Eve 2006 special On 31 December 2006, a special episode was broadcast on the Ten Network featuring Anthony Callea, John Paul Young, Matthew Newton, New Zealand band Dragon, Jade MacRae and cabaret performer Maria Venuti. 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.
Despite that clear focus, older viewers and families complained about the content on the programme, calling talkback radio stations such as 2GB to complain the programme had strong language and sexual references; and that Newton was intoxicated, though there was little to none of the alleged content in the programme. Based on the talkback reaction, The Daily Telegraph, along with the daily tabloid programmes on competing networks (Today Tonight and A Current Affair)Ten's smutty party an insult | NEWS.com.au Entertainment attacked Ten's broadcast. It is thought that those viewers and media sources may have been confused by another televised presentation the same night involving the musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
The show aired from 9:30pm until 11:30pm, and was the lead-up to Network Ten's coverage of the New Year's Eve Sydney Fireworks.
The show was one of the last variety productions to be taped at Global Television's studios in North Ryde, NSW (Network Ten's former Sydney headquarters).
References
External links Official website The Big Night In MySpace Page