This story claims that the Nine Network is about to make drastic personnel changes, especially to its current affairs lineup:
Ray Martin and Jana Wendt are among those stars whose positions are under threat, with gardening guru Don Burke also set to be replaced by Jamie Durie. …
Under the plan 60 Minutes reporter Peter Overton would replace Ray Martin as host of A Current Affair.
Jim Waley, who has been reading the weeknight news in Sydney, would move back to his old job, replacing Jana Wendt as host of the Sunday program.
I agree that Waley would be an improvement over the glacial, pretentious Wendt. And Ray Martin has always been a poor imitation of Rob Sitch’s Mike Moore character on Frontline (although Overton doesn’t obviously have any standout qualities as a replacement). But Jamie Durie to replace Don Burke on Burke’s Backyard? Are Kerry and James insane? Don Burke is an institution and a great Australian character, where Durie is an airhead male model type with all the personality of a plastic “Ken doll”. Even Mattel have replaced their Ken doll with a gutsier Aussie surfer type named Blaine. I think Nine have got their demographic all wrong with this one. The Burke’s Backyard audience isn’t going to hang around for Jamie Durie. Is nothing sacred?
Hmm Yana is with 9 now? I thought she was over at SBS. Oh well, given that I don’t have a telly I’m a bit behind the times on these things. :(
I presume Burke is actually a construct of an independent production company buttressed by very extensive contracts. I doubt whether Nine can easily dump the whole franchise, and they certainly couldnt walk our Don out the door and replace him, unless Don himself was sick of the whole razztamerooni.