
Beloved Channel Seven show 'facing the axe' amid ratings bloodbath
The popular game show, The Chase Australia, is reported to be on the chopping block.
According to News Corp, a search is 'said to be underway' to find a replacement for the program, which has been running on Seven since 2015.
The reason for the shifting attitudes towards the Larry Emdur-hosted game show is apparently lacklustre ratings that have failed to win its 5pm time slot.
The long-running series has been consistently bested by Channel Nine game show rival Tipping Point, hosted by Todd Woodbridge which airs at the same time.
A look at this week's TV ratings shows The Chase behind Tipping Point each day, albeit by a relatively small margin.
Thursday's episode of The Chase attracted 1,315,000 viewers, while Tipping Point gained 188,000 more fans at 1,503,000.
It was a similar story for the rest of the week, with The Chase experiencing its best ratings day on Monday at 1,476,000 - still 58,000 viewers behind Tipping Point.
The publication claimed that the ratings results are causing 'panic' in the upper echelons at Seven, with the decision to axe or not to axe falling to Angus Ross - Seven's recently appointed Group Managing Director of Television.
However, the claims come after Seven recently rubbished a claim by News Corp that the network were looking to replace Larry as host of The Chase in a bid to 'revive' the show.
'The Chase doesn't need reviving. It remains very competitive in its timeslot, delivering a big audience night in, night out,' a Seven spokesperson told the publication in April.
'We are about to launch a new push for the show, offering the biggest cash prize in its history.
'Larry will absolutely continue to host The Chase. To suggest otherwise is nonsense and deliberately misleading.'
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Seven for comment.
The rumours come as affable host Larry Emdur took to social media this week, sharing a cheeky post in which claimed an elderly woman had offered to pay him $10 to drop his pants.
The alleged incident took place in a public park while the 59-year-old Channel Seven star was taking a morning walk.
Larry said that the stranger had offered to pay him the money so she could see his 'a***' which is tattooed with the initials of last year's Gold Logie nominees.
The fan favourite, who is notorious for sending up his fame on social media, had his bottom inked live on The Morning Show the day after taking home the coveted TV prize.
In the clip, Larry can be seen telling his followers that he scared off the woman - only to reveal that he is holding a $10 note in his hand.
'Good morning. The creepiest thing just happened to me [while] I was having my morning walk,' he said in the Instagram post.
He continued: 'A lady was walking towards me and she about 75-80 years old and she saw me - this is the weird life of someone on TV.
'And she turned around and said to me, ''I'll give you $10 to show me the tattoo of the Gold Logie on your a***." And I said what?
Larry then explained that the woman repeated her request.
'And I said, ''You're crazy'' - you want me to drop my pants in a public park for $10?
'Anyway, I must have scared her off because she ran off in that direction,' Larry said waving a $10 note.
Larry's followers quickly showed their enthusiastic approval for his joke post.
'Thank goodness you took the money!!' one fan messaged.
'This is GOLD,' added another, while a third follower simply gushed, 'Totally hilarious as always.'
Larry made headlines last August after securing his first ever Logie Awards on when he took home a Silver and secured the Gold at the 2024 ceremony at the Star in Sydney.
And the next day he was forced to make good on a bizarre promise he made the week before, stripping off his pants on live breakfast TV and getting a tattoo on his backside.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Australian rugby is saved, they should keep next Lions tour
If those organising this year's Lions tour to Australia had sat down and sketched out their dream second Test, it would not have been too far off what we saw at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. They would have wanted a citadel, they would have wanted over 90,000 people - with roughly half of that travelling, Home Nations support - and they would have wanted the dramatic finale, with the series on the line. If you were scripting the perfect match, I'm not sure what else you would have included before critics accused you of being too Hollywood. The MCG was, quite frankly, an amazing venue for a Test of such calibre. An incredible atmosphere; and the match had everything. In one Melbourne evening, Australia proved that it is still a valid and viable location for a Lions tour, despite Union's struggles in the country. Saturday was totally different to Brisbane, which was in part down to how things transpired on the field. The atmosphere had a real edge. If we could have three Tests exactly like Saturday then we're back here in a heartbeat. Where do I sign? Pre-match, I was at an event at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and there were fans almost banging the door down to get in, almost like a zombie apocalypse, to hear the thoughts of Lions legends like Martin Johnson and Alun Wyn Jones over a pint. All roads had been leading to the MCG and the appetite was huge. Everyone was loving Australia. Second Tests in Lions series are just special. The Lions were chasing shadows but they found a way to get back into it. The final try from Hugo Keenan was one of those moments where you were just glad you were there. In fact, the whole game was one that you were just proud you could say you were at. HUGO KEENAN WINS IT FOR THE LIONS! 🦁 — Sky Sports (@SkySports) July 26, 2025 You always want your team to win but when your team wins with drama it is the Holy Grail of sport. Authentic, organic, unscripted sporting drama. If Manchester City had beaten Queens Park Rangers 5-0 then we'd never remember 'Aguerooooooo'; and the same could be said for plenty of iconic sporting moments. What about Jonny's drop-goal, the 2019 Cricket World Cup final super over? What if Federer-Nadal at Wimbledon in 2008 had been over in three sets? Chatting to the Lions players after - I spoke to five or six on television - they all said they never thought they would lose, and I believe that. That's the leadership from Andy Farrell - play big, stay strong - the direction on the field, a physically tough set of lads, and then the tip of the spear, the finer details; Finn Russell's offload to Blair Kinghorn to keep playing at the end, with the game in the balance, and Keenan's effort to clean out the ruck before himself becoming the hero. Crucial moments. After I had finished chatting to them, with the final whistle having gone at 10pm, the Lions players came out onto the field with a load of plastic chairs to have a little sing-song. That was at 11.30pm local time. Keenan then recreated his winning moment in his socks, beer in hand. I suggested he should have got a spade and dug up his little bit of the turf but Collingwood have a massive AFL game next weekend and the groundspeople probably would have throttled me! The Wallabies did their country proud, too; they were awesome. They absolutely ripped the Lions apart in the first half and were well deserving of their 23-5 lead. The issue for the hosts was that that counts for little if it ends up as 23-17 at half-time, as it did. But Australia showed they could play, they could carry, they could rip you apart and they could also go the length from the restart. Will Skelton was big, Rob Valetini was extraordinary. I'm assuming he picked up a knock because he looked like he would be player of the match by half time. The Lions were more clinical. And credit must go to referee Andrea Piardi and his officials for getting both the Dan Sheehan and Jac Morgan decisions correct. You can dive in the act of scoring - and that's what Sheehan did - but you cannot jump a tackle, like Welshman Blair Murray did in the Six Nations. In any case, the Wallabies defenders had their heads down, their chins down for Sheehan; they should have had greater awareness. The Morgan incident did not even need looking at. It was a brilliant clean-out; I've watched it 50 times. Whatever lens you view it through, I don't see how you give that as a pen. I've spoken to Johnno and Warren Gatland - they both agreed. I've not come across anyone who has said Morgan was lucky. In Melbourne the series came alive but ironically it also died. That is the thing with Lions tours; in eight days it is done. Four more years now - and 12 for the Wallabies. But selection for the third Test in Sydney will be fascinating. I think Farrell will be tempted by fresh legs. There has been a massive collective effort with some huge impacts for those who played both Tests. We are told selection was nip and tuck. I could see five or six changes, rotating out the guys who are spent. The data will inform them. For Australia, the issue is that a fortnight after the third Test they face South Africa in Ellis Park, in the opening round of the Rugby Championship. Does that come into play? There are arguments for both Farrell and Joe Schmidt sending out a full-metal jacket team, with one looking for 3-0 and the other looking to salvage some pride, in the country's showcase rugby event. But Joe might think about saving some of his big guns, especially those with niggles, for the Rugby Championship, with the series done. Farrell might also think of doing the same.


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Home seen on beloved Aussie TV show hits the market for $2.4M - so can you recognise this iconic house?
A historic, and once famous, home in Williamstown, Victoria has hit the market with a price guide of $2.19 million to $2.4 million. Some may recognise the 8 Thompson St property as the house that appeared on the police drama Blue Heelers from 1994 to 2006, reported on Friday. Built in 1907, the home was used in external shots for the TV show, alongside recently sold 10 Thompson St which served as the fictional Mt Thomas police station. Both properties are heritage-listed as they once served as real-life police stations in Williamstown, previously known as the Sergeant and Watchhouse Keeper quarters. House number eight features three bedrooms, a sitting room that could double as a fourth, Baltic pine floors, decorative fireplaces and pressed-metal ceilings. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. It was last sold in 2003 for $832,500, making the current owner a potential $1,567,500 in profit on the upcoming sale. Anthony Christakakis, from Jellis Craig, revealed the local council have approved plans to extend the home and redesign the garden. 'The owners who intended to do the extension have moved overseas for work reasons,' he said. 'We have had lots of interest with some young families, especially locals. 'I think, being on a corner block over 700sq m with the potential to subdivide, subject to council approval, creates endless possibilities.' He went on to say number ten next door sold to a family earlier this year. The vintage cottage that served as a major location for the beloved Aussie series Blue Heelers hit the market in February with a price guide of $2.8 million to $3.1 million. The five-bedroom, two-bathroom Federation pad featured in the long-running cop drama as the fictional Mount Thomas police station. Built in 1907, the home was used in external shots for the TV show, alongside recently sold 10 Thompson St which served as the fictional Mt Thomas police station Blue Heelers, which ran for 12 years from 1994 to 2006 on the Seven Network, starred a large cast of fan favourites including Lisa McCune, Julie Nihill and John Wood. Located only 14km from the CBD, the gorgeously preserved home was seen in exterior scenes in Blue Heelers which was set in a small Victorian country town. Agents behind the sale told the Herald Sun the listing of the charming home attracted views from potential buyers with fond memories of the show. Blue Heelers is the fourth-most popular TV show in Australian history, with 25 Logies to its name, while lead actress Lisa McCune won four Gold Logies for the series. Major Australian actors who went on to stellar careers were featured in guest roles over the show's long run, including Hollywood star Hugh Jackman and Peter O'Brien. Other actors included Charles 'Bud' Tingwell, from Crawford's classic Homicide series of the '60s and '70s, as well as SeaChange star John Howard. Australians were in tears when Lisa's character Maggie Doyle was fatally shot in dramatic scenes on the show in 2000. Almost two decades on from the iconic TV moment, the actress revealed in 2018 that she never wanted the police officer to die. House number eight features three bedrooms, a sitting room that could double as a fourth, Baltic pine floors, decorative fireplaces and pressed-metal ceilings In the police drama, Maggie was shot and killed a day before she was due to enter witness protection, after she found a computer disk with information about a gang. She told 'I understand why they had to do it, but I think because I knew she had such a strong, young female following I felt really strongly that I wanted her to stay alive.' Lisa went on to feature in another long-running series Sea Patrol from 2007-2011. The four-time Gold Logie winner made headlines in 2024 when she won Dancing With The Stars Australia. The actress took out the Mirror Ball Trophy with her professional dance partner Ian Waite in a tense finale on the Channel Seven dancing competition. She was also awarded $20,000 for her chosen charities, the RCD Foundation and the Harrison Riedel Foundation.


The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Does a song conjure painful memories? Try to rehabilitate it, say scientists
When Bonnie hears the opening bars of the Verve's Bitter Sweet Symphony, she is transported back to 1997. But it isn't a joyful memory that comes to mind; it is the painful recollection of driving home from school and seeing the sheriff changing a lock on her house. Then a teenager, Bonnie and her family were about to be evicted. And the Verve's song was everywhere. 'It was a big hit at the time, and it just seemed to be playing all the time, in takeaway shops and shopping centres, on the radio in the car. I just couldn't get away from this song,' she says. To this day the 46-year-old who lives in Canberra, Australia, says she will change the radio or leave the location where the song is playing to avoid hearing it. 'The lyrics of this song too closely described our situation,' she says. Indeed many people avoid particular tunes because they are attached to the memory of an event that was either upsetting, or was once pleasant but has since become painful to recall. For Matt, 52, an engineer in the north of England, the entire oeuvre of Neil Diamond is to be avoided after a partner with a love of the singer confessed to having lied about the nature of a relationship with a colleague. 'We used to like Friday night kitchen discos. We used to listen to all kinds, and usually Neil Diamond would be on,' Matt says, adding his former partner had been to several Neil Diamond concerts, including one with her boss before she met Matt. The colleague, the woman insisted, had just been a friend. But after three years in a relationship with Matt, she confessed she had had an affair with her boss while she was married to her former husband and still had feelings for the colleague. Now, says Matt, when a Neil Diamond song comes on the radio, he has to skip the track. 'If I go into my local pub and it's on the jukebox I'll go into the other room or go outside,' he says. According to Ilja Salakka, a doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, the relationship between music and memories is linked to emotions. 'Emotions play a key role in long-lasting memories generally, and since music can evoke strong emotions, it is likely that music can enhance the memory related to an event,' he said. 'Of course, this can also work in reverse: an event itself may be emotional and strengthen the memory of a situation that involves music.' Dr Stephanie Leal, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkley, said that when emotionally arousing music occurs, or is paired with, an emotional experience, it can be difficult to pin down which is causing the emotions that help instil the memory. 'The type of emotional response can really dictate what we're holding on to in our memories,' she said. In one study, Leal and colleagues found when people listened to music that induced either very strong or very weak emotions they were better able to remember the gist of an event, whereas they were better able to remember details when they had a more moderate emotional response. Salakka added that typically it is music from a listener's teenage years or early adulthood that evokes most memories. '[The] majority of memories attached to music tend to be positive in nature,' he added. But that is not always the case. 'Positive music-related memories are often more general in nature, whereas negative memories tend to be related to more specific events,' he said. As Matt's experience shows, however, the emotions attached to a song, and its associated memory, can change. 'Now it's drawing up negative memories in that [it's] stirring up new emotions that weren't originally there,' said Leal. While that may seem like the perfect reason to avoid a song, perhaps it could also bring hope. Although experts say there is a dearth of research in the area, they say it could be that listening to a painful song in new, happier contexts could rehabilitate it. 'If it's a very, very negative association with that song, maybe you'll never get over it,' said Leal. 'But the way to try is repeating it with new events that do make you happy and to hope that it overpowers and kind of reconnects your brain and rewires it to this new association.' Prof Renee Timmers of the University of Sheffield added that these new associations must involve strong emotions, ideally occur in a social context, and be meaningful. But Timmers also suggested another potential approach. 'Rather than seeing the music as something that is there, you can't do anything with it, and you are the victim of it, you can actually actively engage,' she said, adding that could involving humming along or even improvising on the music. 'Then the music becomes the active thing that you're engaging with, rather than the memory.'