#all the delicious 1980s Australia vibes! just so exciting!

[newsatsix1986]

||| “Please welcome Miss Helen Norville, and Mr Dale Jennings.”

|||| Anna Torv and Sam Reid as Helen Norville and Dale Jennings in the Season Two trailer of The Newsreader, accompanied by some wild and wonderful friends.

One of the aspects of the Season Two trailer that I positively squealed over was the variety show set! The set itself is sooooo stunning, and I don't know where else to start! The dancers! The dance sequence! The leotards and shiny suits! The super duper energetic host called Gerry (if I'm reading the sign properly)! And don't even get me started on Helen and Dale's royal entrance and Helen's dress and curls! 😍

The 1980s was a huge decade for some iconic Australian variety, talk and game shows! These shows were much loved by Australians and you could guarantee that those around you would be tuning into these during the week and on the weekend. Families joyously sang along to the talented kids on Young Talent Time and children looked up to the show's young stars, laughed to the zany antics of Hey Hey It's Saturday and came up with their own Red Faces acts, and Australians would tune into Sale of the Century each night to see Tony Barber, his selection of game show girls, and people winning some awesome prizes.

Now, remember that Evelyn frequently calls Helen a "game show girl" in the show!? I wonder if this might be explored in this scene. I reckon Helen did help host a game show in her earlier television career, and that her natural charisma on camera, combined with her reporting skills, made her a very compelling pick to co-host News At Six with Geoff. Probably helped her get the job in 1984!

From the promo, the Gerry bloke almost seemed to have an American accent, which made me think of Don Lane and his Done Lane Show. Don Lane was an American entertainer who found his home in Australia, and from the mid 1970s to the early 1980s hosted his own chat show, with Bert Newton joining him too. You can see the pair of them with the late great Olivia Newton-John in one of these pictures I found on Google!

With additions like Gerry's variety show in The Newsreader's Season Two, it is feeling bigger and more electric than before, and I cannot wait for every second of it. Do you have a favourite variety/entertainment show from any era? I have such a soft spot shows like The Big Gig and The Sideshow, which allowed our comedy and cabaret talent to shine! 💖🇦🇺🌟

#helen norville #anna torv #dale jennings #sam reid #the newsreader #my newsreader gifs #young talent time #johnny young #hey hey it’s saturday #daryl somers #kylie minogue #jacki mcdonald #sale of the century #tony barber #the don lane show #don lane #bert newton #olivia newton john #all the delicious 1980s Australia vibes! just so exciting! #this season will be the telly event of the year next year for Australia - mark my words #can’t wait to cry with joy