A Current Affair

Former host of A Current Affair Michael Schildberger has died following a long battle with prostate cancer. He was aged 72.

Schildberger passed away earlier this morning in Cabrini Hospital, Prahran, where he has been for the past few months.

The TV host, journalist and broadcaster presented A Current Affair during the 1970s and won a Logie for best TV interviewer during this time.

He first joined GTV-9 in 1958 and stayed with the Nine Network for two decades.

Schildberger’s former ABC radio colleague, Richard Brown, says he was a talented broadcaster.

“He was a consummate professional,” Brown said.

“I learned a lot from Mike about the profession of journalism. He’s been as you probably know, news director at Nine and had a very high profile as a newsman, and when he came to 3LO he brought a lot of that professionalism with him.”

Schildberger’s son, Nick, praised his father for his attitude during his illness.

“He didn’t let things get him down. He was the most positive and optimistic person I’ve ever known,” he said.

“He refused to give up and outlived and out-performed every doctor’s expectations.”

Source: TV Tonight

Quick Points 3 – Thursday November 26 2009.

The Apprentice Australia – For those who did not know (or care) the winner of the first series of the Apprentice Australia was Morello. The series has rated well considering it was on at 9.30pm and is likely to return as part of Nine’s schedule in 2010.

Mildura Analogue Switch Off – Mildura will become the first area in Australia to go digital only in 2010 with the analogue free to air TV signals in the area being switched of on June 30, 2010. The analogue switch of will follow at varying times throughout the rest of Australia, with the last of the analogue TV signals to be switched of December 31, 2013.

Burn Notice – The USA network has renewed Burn Notice for a 4^th season of 16 episodes. Currently Ten are showing season 3 (although it will be off over summer) while Arena on cable are showing season 1 on Sundays at 8.30pm. Lie to Me – also seen on Ten has also been picked for a complete second season .

Nightline – Nine’s late night news usually seen around 11.30pm weeknights will return to being called Nightline again soon. Nine dumped the name 16 months ago and even went without late night news for a while as well.

A Current Affair – Local editions of ACA in Adelaide and Perth are to be replaced with the same ACA that the east coast sees. Until now, Perth and Adelaide have had their own state based editions of the public affairs show while the eastern states share the same edition. The move is described as a business decision which will allow better coverage for local news while providing a better ratings current affairs service.

Sources: Media Spy, TV Tonight.

Monday and Tuesday August 17-18 at 6.30pm

Over two stirring nights starting Monday, A Current Affair will present one of the biggest home renovation specials ever undertaken.

The Hanna family was first introduced to viewers in May when parents Shartha and Jamal were both in the final stages of terminal cancer. Their dying wish was for their children to have a house of their own.

They died six days apart, leaving behind five orphans whose plight has touched the lives of people right across the country.

An appeal launched on A Current Affair raised $600,000, which was used to purchase a house for the children: Christina, 5, Alex, 9, Andy, 13, Allin, 15, and Nancy, 18.

Local tradespeople and suppliers have now contributed a further $400,000 of products and labour towards the home, totalling an incredible $1 million in fundraising for these deserving kids.

Last month the children were presented with a four-bedroom house in Wakeley, in Sydney’s south-west. The house is close to their school and old neighbours, but needs a lot of work.

Tune in to A Current Affair on Monday for the first of two emotion-charged episodes completely dedicated to transforming this house into a dream home for the Hanna children.

You will be inspired by what you see as the five brothers and sisters move into their new home and have their parents’ dying wish fulfilled.

Gordon Ramsay has unreservedly apologised to the TV host, a spokesman for the chef said. The spokesman said today that Ramsay had realised his remarks at the Melbourne cooking show last weekend were “inappropriate and offensive”.

“His comments relating to Tracy Grimshaw, who had interviewed Gordon the previous evening, were off the cuff and in response to heckling from the audience,” he told Sky News in London.

“His intention was to make a joke and indeed he did raise a big laugh at the time.

“However, with hindsight he realises that his comments were inappropriate and offensive to Tracy Grimshaw.

“And he has unreservedly apologised both to her and anybody else who may who may have been upset.”

Ramsay had commented on Grimshaw saying she was “sad” and “bitter” for defending herself on her own TV show A Current Affair. He denied calling her a lesbian while appearing at teh Good Food and Wine Show in Melbourne.

Ramsay said he was “deeply mortified” that his intended joke had been blown out of proportion. Kevin Rudd called him “a new form of low life”. Julia Gillard and Health Minister Nicola Roxon said Ramsay should confine himself to the kitchen and stop abusing women.

Ramsay said he’d never used the word “lesbian” to describe Grimshaw, and said she was guilty of a “disgusting” attack on his wife Tana, who’s due in Australia in two weeks. On Monday, Grimshaw called Ramsay a bully and an “arrogant narcissist”.

She said he’d made “uninformed insinuations” at the food show about her sexuality, and she told her viewers she was not gay.

News of Ramsay versus Grimshaw has gone global, spreading to the UK, US and New Zealand.

Source: news.com.au

Gordon Ramsay is a bully.  We all know it.  We’ve all seen it.  While he’s used to yelling down whimpering kitchen wannabes, the antics he’s been pulling since his interview with Tracey Grimshaw on A Current Affair have been appalling.

Making fun of Grimshaw’s face during the ACA interview was only the beginning of his verbal tirade which continued throughout the weekend at other events and interviews.  Grimshaw, while taking things in her stride, had obviously had enough.

Here’s what she had to say in reply.

Now this is not a business for wimps and I am not one.  I think I’ve got a reasonable sense of humour too.

On Friday, when Gordon Ramsay made a little fun of a mole on my face in a taped interview, I laughed along and was happy to see it go to air.  But that was nothing compared to the attack he unleashed on me the next day in front of 3000 people who’d come simply to see him cook.

I have no idea what prompted his outburst which continued yesterday and again today.  We’ve not spoken and I’ve not responded until now.

Gordon Ramsay has always had fair and generous treatment on this program but despite what his publicist said in damage control, we do not have a great relationship.  We have no relationship at all.  I’ve played along with him in interviews because it’s entertaining and that’s my job and I walk away afterwards and I don’t think about him again.

Last week, his publicist stipulated obsessively that his interviews on this trip not include questions about his marriage and private life.  We all know why.  I respected that request.  But it appears with Ramsay, that respect is a one way street.

On Saturday he launched a series of unprovoked, public attacks against me.  I’m not going to pretend that his comments didn’t hurt.  I was absolutely miserable when I found out late Saturday afternoon.  He says it was a joke.  Well, not to me or anyone who cares about me.  Truly, I wonder how many people would laugh if they were effectively described as an old, ugly pig.  How is that funny exactly?  And worse, it’s not even witty.

I spent all day yesterday considering how I should respond and I honestly thought about not saying anything at all.  But we all know bullies thrive when no one takes them on.  And I’m not going to sit meekly and let some arrogant narcissist bully me.

And just finally, Gordon Ramsay made me promise not to ask on Friday about his private life.  He then got on stage on Saturday and made some very clear and uninformed insinuations about mine. Obviously Gordon thinks that any woman who doesn’t find him attractive must be gay.  For the record, I don’t.  And I’m not.  But I’m not surprised by any of this.  We’ve all seen how Gordon Ramsay treats his wife and he supposedly loves her.

We’re all just fodder to him.

 

The Nine Network has announced that leading lifestyle and garden authority Don Burke will join A Current Affair for a new series of special reports starting 6.30pm tonight, Friday, May 15.

Burke, who hosted the weekly Burke’s Backyard program on Channel Nine for 17 years, will present his expert tips and ideas every Friday night.

“It’s a great thrill to have the king of lifestyle and gardening television back on Nine and joining the team at A Current Affair,” said Grant Williams, ACA’s Executive Producer. “Don’s incredible energy and knowledge will guarantee compulsive and informative viewing each Friday night. He’s the original and still the best.” Burke’s Backyard, the pioneer of Australian lifestyle programs, ran on the Nine Network from 1987 to 2004.

Matthew Johns would step down indefinitely from his employment at the Nine Network , its CEO David Gyngell announced today.

Mr Gyngell said that the mutual decision had been taken in the best interests of the Nine Network, Matthew Johns and his family, the game and its supporters.

“The fact is, whatever the arguments about the details of the New Zealand incident involving Cronulla players in 2002, the conduct and its aftermath was simply unacceptable, fullstop.” he said.

“I fully endorse David Gallop’s comments concerning the indefensible conduct of some players and the lack of respect for women – and the critical focus on all stakeholders to help eradicate it from our game.  I join with him in extending my apologies and sympathy to the young woman involved in the incident, who clearly is still distressed as a
consequence.”

Mr Gyngell said Matthew Johns had readily agreed that the best course in everyone’s interests was for him to step away for an indefinite period.

“I have always had great regard for Matt, but he knows better than anyone that this incident has placed him in an untenable position. To his credit he has recognised that and acted upon it.

Matthew Johns will speak to Tracy Grimshaw tonight, Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 6:30pm on A Current Affair.

LIVE – Tuesday, October 30 at 12.30pm on Nine

Nine will present the first televised great debate between Treasurer Peter Costello and Shadow Treasurer Wayne Swan in a special edition of 60 Minutes live this Tuesday, October 30 at 12.30pm.

Nine’s commercial-free coverage of the debate will be presented by Ray Martin, and feature questioning of the participants by members of the Canberra Press Gallery.

The Network’s coverage of the debate will be followed by an analysis and the exclusive verdict of Nine’s Worm that night on A Current Affair. The Worm will provide the computer-generated verdict of 50 uncommitted voters who will judge the debate live in-studio at Nine.

There will also be a 60 Minutes exclusive phone poll which will be open throughout the afternoon so viewers can cast their own vote on the debate. The result of this poll will also be revealed on A Current Affair.

TRACY GRIMSHAW SPEAKS TO JAMES HEWITT
ON THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRINCESS DIANA’S DEATH

Tomorrow (Friday 31 August) at 6.30pm on Channel Nine

The man once called the “vilest man in Britain” and pilloried as a cad for selling intimate details of his relationship with Diana, Princess of Wales is still one of the most hated figures in the world.

On the 10th anniversary of Diana’s death, A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw travels to Hewitt’s home in Marbella, Spain where the former Army Major gets the opportunity to set the record straight.

In a revealing and at times explosive interview, Hewitt bares his soul about his love for Diana – a complex woman who he says manipulated him and sought protection from him at the same time.

“She wasn’t a saint and she did have her faults, and I think that is part of her attraction and beauty,” he says.

In the past, every time Hewitt has been asked about Prince Harry’s paternity he storms out of the interview. But this time, he refuses to deny it, fuelling fresh speculation he might be his father.

And for the first time, Hewitt reveals details of the last conversation he had with Diana, where she confided she was tired of the intense media attention, and his reaction to her death which he learned about while holidaying in Marbella – where he now lives.

“Before she was killed…when I last spoke to her, she said I am going to shock the world and go off with some big fat black man,“ he says. “But that was the way that she liked to shock people, but she didn’t shock me.”

Hewitt speaks about his decision to sell her love letters; his feelings about Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles and their “hypocrisy” surrounding Diana’s memorial service.

The interview is part of an entire program devoted to Diana and will be broadcast live from outside Buckingham Palace. Other interviews featured include: Rosa Monckton, Diana’s best friend who speaks about conspiracy theories, the men in her life and rumours Diana was pregnant with Dodi Al Fayed’s child when she died; Patrick Jephson, Diana’s former Chief of Staff; and former bodyguard Ken Wharfe.