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Forget purgatory – welcome to Suburgatory, a devilish version of suburban hell in the form of a new comedy series premiering Sunday, February 5, at 8.00pm on GO!

Suburgatory stars Jeremy Sisto (Law & Order), Jane Levy (Shameless), Carly Chaikin (The Last Song), Allie Grant (Weeds), Rex Lee (Entourage), Alan Tudyk (Knocked Up) and Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm).

For 16-year-old Tessa Altman (Levy), a teenage transplant from New York City, the suburbs represent her dreaded vision of hell. Manicured lawns, cookie-cutter homes, big botox lips, little nose jobs, synchronised sprinkler systems that erupt at the same time, huge malls that are mecca for mass consumerism – welcome to Tessa’s Suburgatory.

With her motorcycle boots and oversized backpack, Tessa is perfectly at ease navigating the urban jungle she grew up in. But when her father George (Sisto), a handsome architect in his late 30s, suddenly feels a little out of his league in the parenting department after finding a pack of condoms in her room, it’s goodbye New York City and hello suburbia.

Tessa goes into culture shock. What is this foreign land? What exactly is a “pep rally” and why are they needed? Since when is animal print considered a colour? And why is sugar-free Red Bull all people will drink?

To make matters worse, Tessa is drawing all sorts of unwanted attention from overly friendly suburban mums, like the blonde, bronze and buxom Dallas Royce (Hines) who fancies herself as a surrogate without the stretch marks. She is intent on taking Tessa shopping and snagging more face time with her handsome father.

Dallas’s daughter Dalia (Chaikin) is Tessa’s nemesis. She is also Tessa’s new “buddy” at school – but as the school counsellor, Mr Wolfe (Lee), informs Tessa, a buddy is not necessarily your friend. George, however, does have a buddy who is his friend in the form of Noah Lerner (Tudyk), an old pal intent on introducing George to all the perks the suburbs have to offer.

Little by little, Tessa and her dad begin to find a way to survive on the clean streets of the ’burbs. Sure, the neighbours like Sheila Shay (recurring guest star Ana Gasteyer – Saturday Night Live) might smother you with home-cooked meals while their kids like Lisa Shay (Grant) stare daggers at your back. But underneath it all, maybe they’re really not half-bad.

Living in the suburbs could be hell, but it might just bring Tessa and George closer than they’ve ever been.

Suburgatory: Sunday, February 5, at 8.00pm on GO!

The Voice has launched to outstanding numbers on GO! last night, peaking at over 537,000 viewers.

With an average audience of over 347,000 across Total People, The Voice was the highest ever digital terrestrial television only launch for GO!

The Voice was the number one program across all digital channels across Total People, and 25-54s.

This ground-breaking singing competition features four super coaches: Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton, who have sold over 40 million albums between them.

Hosted by Carson Daly, The Voice starts with Blind Auditions, where the coaches have their backs turned as the artists sing. When a coach is blown away by a voice they hit a button, their chair turns around, and the artist lands a spot on the coach’s team. But if more than one coach turns around they have to sell their expertise to the artist, who picks the one to work with. If none of the coaches push the button, the artist goes home.

The Voice screens on GO! Tuesdays at 7.30pm.

The most dynamic Australian chat show to hit our television screens comes exclusively to GO! when Uplate! premieres in July, hosted by Shura Taft (Eclipse Music TV), James Kerley (Channel [V]) and Natalie Garonzi (The Xtra Factor).

Filmed live in front of an audience in the very cool and underground Mink Bar of the Prince of Wales Hotel, St Kilda, Uplate! is an exclusive backstage pass to what we’re watching, wearing and listening to, where we’re going and who we’re going with – presented by three of the hottest hosts in the know.

Each week celebrities from the world of sport, music, entertainment, politics, food and fashion will drop by for a chat and our team will also head out to join other night owls and partygoers across the nation as the rest of Australia heads to bed.

Uplate! offers the latest entertainment news from Australia and overseas, the hottest ticketed gigs coming up, and live music – all wrapped up with competitions, giveaways, loads of comedy and the world of celebrity Twitter.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship(R) organisation and GO! are excited to announce the brand new series of long-running sports reality TV show ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ premieres Thursday, March 31 at 11.30pm on GO!

In a huge win for Aussie fans, each episode of this latest season of ‘TUF’ will air within hours of the worldwide premiere in the United States.

Now in its thirteenth season, the new series of The Ultimate Fighter sees the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ and most compelling figure in all of combat sports – Brock Lesnar – lead a team of talented newcomers against a team lead by the sledgehammer-fisted Brazilian Junior Dos Santos.

The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar Vs. Team Dos Santos documents the journey of these talented unsigned mixed martial artists, who will live and train together as they compete for a six-figure contract with the world’s leading combat sports organisation.

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Lesnar and current No1 contender Dos Santos will then face off inside the world famous Octagon(TM) at a later date in their final eliminator to face reigning UFC Champion Cain Velazquez.

Marshall Zelaznik, UFC Managing Director of International Development said: “We’re delighted to partner with GO! and to be able to air The Ultimate Fighter on free-to-air television in Australia literally hours after it airs in the US.

“UFC is just exploding in popularity in Australia. Our second live event in Sydney last month was the fastest sell-out in the Acer Arena’s history, with all 18,000 seats going in less than 22 minutes. Our Australian fans are amongst our most loyal worldwide and with our partnership with GO! more Aussie fans than ever will be able to watch what’s predicted to be one of the most exciting seasons of The Ultimate Fighter to date.”

The Ultimate Fighter series 13, fast-tracked and exclusive, will premiere in Australia the same day it goes to air in the United States – Thursday, March 31, only on GO! at 11.30pm.

Survivor returns for its 22nd season when Survivor: Redemption Island premieres Tuesday, March 22 at 7.30pm on GO!.

This season of Survivor will feature a new twist. For the first time, castaways who have been eliminated from the game will have a chance to seek redemption and return for a crack at the $1 million prize.

The battle unfolds in Nicaragua where 18 castaways will be divided into two tribes of nine: the Ometepe Tribe and the Zapatera Tribe. The tribes comprise individuals from different backgrounds who all have the same ultimate goal: to be the Sole Survivor.

While 16 of the contestants are new, Russell Hantz and “Boston Rob” Mariano are former castaways who have been given another chance to compete for the big prize.

While Russell and Rob will join separate tribes at the start of the game, it’s up to each tribe to decide if they’ll welcome the knowledge of an experienced veteran, or view these former castaways as a threat in the ultimate battle to outwit, outplay and outlast one another.

Each week at Tribal Council the castaway voted off will be sent to the isolated Redemption Island to live alone in exile. To stay on Redemption Island, they must compete in a duel against the next person eliminated at Tribal Council. The winner of each duel earns the right to go on fighting for the opportunity to return to the game and compete for the title of Sole Survivor, while the loser is sent home.

From today, Kids’ WB, the Nine Network’s popular children’s program, will screen every weekday at 4.00pm on GO! as well as continuing every Saturday on Nine – making it bigger and better than ever in 2011.

Hosts Lauren Phillips and Andrew Faulkner will be making every day a party, with non-stop action seven days a week on GO!

Kids’ WB is stepping things up a notch to bring the kids of Australia their favourite cartoons, the wackiest games and the best prizes with more than 12 hours of programming every week.

Starting with the first series of Ben 10, the show will feature popular cartoons, interactive fun and weekly prizes making Kids’ WB a must watch for Aussie kids.

 

Kids’ WB

Monday to Friday at 4.00pm on GO!

Saturdays and Sundays at 7.00am on GO!

Saturdays at 10.00am on Nine

Nikita, a sexy and suspenseful new action series, makes its Australian television premiere on Thursday, October 28, at 9.30pm on GO!.

As a deeply troubled teenager, Nikita (Maggie Q – Live Free or Die Hard, Mission: Impossible III) was rescued from death row by a secret US agency known only as Division. They faked her execution and gave her a second chance – the chance to begin a new life while serving her country.

She was taken to their hidden headquarters and trained to be a spy and assassin. Despite her gruelling training at Division she never lost her humanity, and even fell in love with a civilian … who was promptly killed by the very agency that claimed to give people a new life.

After realising she had been betrayed by the only people she thought she could trust, Nikita did what no one else before her had ever done – she escaped from Division. Now, after three years in hiding, the rogue Nikita is seeking retribution and making it clear to her former bosses that she will stop at nothing to expose and destroy their covert operation.

Yet as determined as Nikita is to bring down the secretive agency there are those just as determined to stop her, including Division’s newest recruit Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca), a beautiful young woman who seems destined to replace Nikita as their next top operative.

Nikita also stars Shane West (ER), Aaron Stanford (X2, X-Men: The Last Stand), Ashton Holmes (Boston Legal), Tiffany Hines (Lie to Me), Melinda Clarke (The O.C., The Vampire Diaries) and Xander Berkeley (24).

Nikita comes from an exceptional team of executive producers including Craig Silverstein (Bones, K-Ville), David Levinson (21 Jump Street, The Commish), Danny Cannon (Dark Blue, CSI ), McG (Chuck, Supernatural, Human Target, The O.C., Terminator Salvation) and Peter Johnson (Supernatural, Chuck).

Nikita: Thursday, October 28, at 9.30pm on GO!

GO! bursts into Spring with a stack of fast-tracked Australian premieres and free-to-air firsts ready to hit the screen from Monday, September 13.

Monday nights are set to sizzle with two fast-tracked Australian premieres: Hellcats, the US dance “dramedy” starring Disney alumni Aly Michalka and Ashley Tisdale; and the seriously sexy series return of The Vampire Diaries, starring Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder.

Hellcats follows Marti (Michalka), a smart, sassy, indie rock chick who has lost her law scholarship. The only way she can keep it and stay in college is by winning a spot on the “peptastic” Savannah’s (Tisdale) cheerleading squad. Hellcats premieres Monday, September 13, at 7.30pm.

At the end of the first season, fans of The Vampire Diaries were left amid a scene of anarchy, destruction and death on a night when Mystic Falls came face to face with its biggest threat. The series returns on the same chaotic night, as Elena (Dobrev) and vampire brothers Damon (Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) realise that Katherine (also played by Dobrev) is back, with a serious taste for blood.

The Vampire Diaries returns on Monday, September 13, at 8.30pm.

Then, at 9.30pm, get ready to cringe as 12 American rough guts transform themselves into diamonds in an attempt to take home $100,000 in the Australian premiere of Ladette to Lady USA. This will be followed by the free-to-air television premiere of the salacious third season of Gossip Girl at 10.30pm.

Also returning this month with Australian premiere episodes: the second season of the larger-than-life comedy Drop Dead Diva and the third season of the sci-fi thriller Fringe, starring Australian Anna Torv.

 

Monday, September 13 on GO!

7.30pm Hellcats – Australian premiere

8.30pm The Vampire Diaries – Fast-tracked

9.30pm Ladette to Lady USA – Australian premiere

10.30pm Gossip Girl – Season three free-to-air first

GO!’s Wednesday night Australian premiere of Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Human Target and Wipeout USA delivered huge ratings for Australia’s Number One Multichannel securing wins in its key 16-39 demographic with a 6.6% share, along with wins in 18-49s (6.0%), 25-54s (5.6%) and Total People (4.4%).

The movie length premiere of Spartacus: Blood and Sand starring Australian Andy Whitfield and Lucy Lawless was the night’s Number 1 program in 16-39s, 18-49s, 25-54s and Total People peaking at 341,000 viewers across the 5 City Metro. The show held 8% of last night’s FTA multichannel share and won its timeslot across all key demographics.

The top 3 shows in 16-39s, 18-49s, 25-54s and Total People was rounded out by GO!’s other exclusive premiere content: the high octane action series Human Target and All New Wipeout USA.

Continuing GO!’s week of first runs, Guy Ritchie’s Layer Cake makes its Free to Air debut tonight at 9.30pm. And in September the premieres keep coming with the second series of The Vampire Diaries and the launch of Hellcats starring Ashley Tisdale (High School Musical).

Do you only have two minutes a day to catch up on the who, why, when, where and what the F of the world’s news? Who would you turn to?

Well if you like your news to taste like bubble gum then GO!’s new and outlandish news service WTF! from the original Chaser’s Charles Firth is the one for you.

Writer/performer Nich Richardson anchors a satirical, pop-culture news show unlike anything seen on Australian television. Joined by a team of good-looking, trusted reporters, Richardson and these fresh-faced comedians will bring you celebrity scoops before anyone else even realises it’s news.

Each fast-paced daily WTF! bulletin will feature sight gags such as “live crosses” and pre-recorded reports about the world of modern celebrity while sending up the serious entertainment shows that feed on it.

“Digital television has opened up so many new production options and we felt GO! was the perfect home for our offbeat kind of television,” Charles Firth, WTF! creator and executive producer, said.

“We created WTF! as an opportunity to bring new, young performers to television in our peculiar version of celebrity news.”

Les Sampson, Director of Acquisitions and HD Channel, said: “GO! is excited to welcome Charles and his team to the network. Their Chaser style of humour and unique take on world events will be right at home on our highly successful GO! channel.”

WTF! is currently in production and will screen on GO! later this year.