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ABC News
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
ABC showcases premium screen content for NAIDOC Week
Celebrate National NAIDOC Week from July 6-13 with the ABC's extensive catalogue of premium First Nations screen content. ABC iview features a world-class slate of First Nations storytelling, showcasing screen excellence across scripted, documentaries, children's programs, and entertainment. The collection includes the award-winning drama series Total Control (four AACTAs, one Logie), Mystery Road (two Logies, six AACTAs), Mystery Road: Origin (seven AACTA Awards), Redfern Now (three Logies, four AACTAs), plus outstanding documentaries such as Freeman (Australian Directors Guild Award), The Dark Emu Story (Walkley, AACTA), The Australian Dream (AACTA, Melbourne International Film Festival Award), and Harley & Katya (International Emmy). Stunning three-part documentary The Kimberley, presented by Mark Coles-Smith which premiered in May is also now on ABC iview. Exploring the region's deep cultural heritage, environmental challenges, and future potential, the series offers incredible visuals and a powerful perspective on one of Australia's most remote landscapes. That Blackfella Show will premiere on Saturday night at 7.30pm. The variety special in front of a studio audience will be hosted by Ernie Dingo, ABC News Breakfast 's Bridget Brennan, and Isaac Compton. Guests include Steph Tisdell, Dane Simpson, Kevin Kropinyeri, Jimmy Barnes, Abbie Chatfield, Outback Tom and Barkaa with musical performances by award-winning duo Electric Fields, Maningrida's all-female rock group The Ripple Effect Band, and ARIA-nominated singer-songwriter Miss Kaninna. The Namatjira Project also airs this weekend, and the film Spear on July 13. On Friday July 11, Gardening Australia will present a special NAIDOC Week episode, celebrating Indigenous knowledge and connection to Country. In a deeply personal episode of Compass , Stan Grant welcomes the program to his property on Wiradjuri land in the Snowy Mountains to reflect on his faith, his family and the importance of Truth Telling in today's Australia. Compass: On Country with Indira Naidoo is available now on ABC iview. Other key titles on ABC iview include: Firestarter: The Story of Bangarra , My Name is Gulpilil , In My Blood It Runs , First Weapons , Ablaze , The Tracker , Charlie's Country , Ten Canoes , Black Comedy , Ningaloo Nyinggulu , The Last Daughter , and Goldstone . Plus Eumeralla, a War Requiem for Peace. ABC Family + Kids continues to offer engaging First Nations programming including Little J and Big Cuz (with Indigenous Languages), Yarrabil: First Nations Songs , Piki Lullaby , Ninganah Lullaby , and Play School: Yarning and Dreaming . ABC Director Screen, Jennifer Collins said: 'The ABC is so proud to celebrate this wonderful collection of quality productions and showcase powerful and compelling storytelling that connects audiences to First Nations culture.' Media contact Nikki Tugwell, ABC Communications

ABC News
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Celebrate NAIDOC Week with ABC's That Blackfella Show
Celebrate NAIDOC Week with ABC's That Blackfella Show The ABC is thrilled to announce Australia's first First Nations variety program, That Blackfella Show will premiere Saturday 5 July at 7.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. Broadcasting live in front of a studio audience, celebrate an hour of laughs, yarns and music this NAIDOC week. Hosted by Australian icon Ernie Dingo, ABC News Breakfast host Bridget Brennan and introducing Isaac Compton as their studio sidekick, it's set to be a big, blak night of entertainment. The showcase will feature a stellar line up of guests and First Nation stars including Steph Tisdell, Dane Simpson, Abbie Chatfield, Jimmy Barnes, Outback Tom, BARKAA, Kevin Kropinyeri and many more. Featuring performances of iconic black anthems from the award winning Aboriginal Australian music duo Electric Fields, Maningrida all-female rock band The Ripple Effect Band and ARIA-nominated singer, songwriter, rapper Miss Kaninna. It's loud, it's proud, it's a variety hour not to be missed. Always free and always entertaining, discover and celebrate Indigenous stories and features on ABC iview now. PRODUCTION CREDIT: An Australian Broadcasting Corporation Production. Executive Producer: Rowdie Walden. ABC Head of Indigenous: Kelrick Martin.


ABC News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Behind the scenes at Eurovision and major losses at national companies
Eurovision is a phenomenon in Australia, with more than 450-thousand people tuning in for the final this year. But what's it like to compete in this global extravaganza? And what impact does it have on a musician's career? Electric Fields, who represented Australia in 2024, share their experience at the competition. Hasib Hourani reads his NSW Literary award-winning poem you can start anywhere, you'll still hit all the service stations, originally broadcast on Line Break Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet have each announced losses of more than nine million dollars for the 2024/5 financial year. That follows on from leadership changes at both companies. Samuel Cairnduff says that this is more symptom than cause, and there are bigger issues facing the arts sector. Our track of the week is Heartbreak by Tune-Yards Stories mentioned in the headlines: Cannes attempts to institute new fashion rules on the red carpet Gen Z gets a seat on NSW arts boards Winners announced for the NSW Literary Award Elton John brands government 'losers' over AI copyright plans


West Australian
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Eurovision 2025: Go-Jo's Milkshake Man fails to make song contest grand final in Switzerland
Europe does not want another taste of the Milkshake Man. In the early hours of Friday morning, Perth time, Manjimup-raised pop star Marty Zambotto, better known as Go-Jo, performed on stage at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland. The 29-year-old's fun frothy rendition of Milkshake Man, the Australian entry written with Brisbane family band Sheppard, to kickstart the second semi-final was not enough to earn him a place in the grand final on May 17. Go-Jo was one of six countries to bow out, alongside Montenegro, Ireland, Georgia, Czechia and Serbia. Eurovision organisers split entrants into two semi-finals, with 10 from each night joining the 'big five' that fund the event — France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK — plus the host nation in the final featuring 26 songs. Despite fans at St Jakobshalle in Basel screaming 'yum yum' during his song, Go-Jo failed to get enough votes from TV audiences and became the third Australian entrant to stumble at the semi-final stage following Montaigne in 2021 and Electric Fields last year. Go-Jo, who grew up off-the-grid on his family's farm near Manjimup, put a positive spin on his early exit. 'This experience has been truly amazing, and I feel so lucky to have shared this incredible opportunity with so many talented artists,' he said via Australian broadcaster SBS. 'I've never felt more comfortable to share my art than on the Eurovision stage and with all the wonderful Eurovision fans around the world. 'I've made memories I'll cherish forever, and I want to say a huge thank you to Australia for all the incredible support — I hope I made you proud.' Comments on Eurovision fan sites have blamed Go-Jo's 'messy' staging, described as having Willy Wonka-meets-Rocky Horror aesthetics with Go-Jo joined on stage by a giant 4m blender and dancers Jenaya Okpalanze and Jeannine Bruderer. Okpalanza is the star's girlfriend and a member of Sydney indie band Surely Shirley. Other fans from around the world have claimed Go-Jo was 'robbed'. Australia's creative director Paul Clarke said missing out was a 'tough result, in a tough semi'. 'Nobody could have worked harder than Go-Jo, going to 15 European (cities) in the lead up to Eurovision and then spreading the milkshake legend,' he said. 'We wish him well, he represented Australia very proudly.' Go-Jo has been on the go since February when he was unveiled as the 10th artist to represent Australia following the likes of Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy and Kate Miller-Heidke. Our best result came in 2016 when Dami Im finished runner-up with Sound of Silence. The non-stop treadmill of publicity and promotion ramped up once Go-Jo flew into Europe to begin a five-week charm offensive. After touching down in Zurich on March 30, the West Australian travelled to 13 different countries to perform, do press and create social media content with fellow Eurovision entrants, including Finnish pop diva Erika Vikman, Icelandic brothers Vaeb and Estonian rapper Tommy Cash. Daniel Watson from Go-Jo's management Chugg Music joined him on the road and said the pre-Eurovision campaign was a 'crazy adventure'. 'Official pre-parties, rehearsals, performances, media interviews, content creation with other artists, meeting beautiful people and celebrating everything that makes the Eurovision Song Contest so special to so many,' he wrote on Instagram. 'This is a world like no other.' Zambotto was the second WA act to represent Australia at Eurovision following Perth progressive metal band Voyager, which topped their public-voted semi-final before finishing ninth at the 2023 event in Liverpool with their song, Promise. Like Go-Jo, Voyager was internally selected by SBS, which broadcasts Eurovision in Australia. Voyager frontman Danny Estrin was shocked that Go-Jo did not make it to the final, given he was 'smashing' the pre-event promotional trail. He told The West Australian that the weeks leading up to the televised performances were like a popularity contest combined with a political campaign. 'You've got to be Miss Congeniality, you've got to do the pre-parties, you've got to do the socials, you've got to really get into the fans' hearts,' Estrin said. For the 2023 contest, Voyager did more than 600 interviews while Estrin lost count of how many times the band performed Promise. 'It's a marathon and you're basically on the campaign bus for five weeks before Eurovision.' The Eurovision final is on May 17 in Switzerland, or 3am on May 18 Perth time. Sauna-loving Finnish trio KAJ representing Sweden and Austrian pop-opera singer JJ are favourites to win and therefore host in 2026.


The Advertiser
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Go-Jo misses out at Eurovision but does Australia proud
Australia's Go-Jo (Marty Zambotto) has taken to the stage in the second semi-final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, with the tongue-in-cheek Milkshake Man, but has missed out on qualifying for the grand final. He was the first to perform on Thursday night, and is the tenth musical act to represent Australia at the world's most popular singing contest. Appearing to echo 1960s TV advertisements, Go-Jo started with a segment promoting a blender, before going into a cubicle to transform into a blue sparkly jumpsuit, which saw a part of it dramatically taken off. Several people in the audience were seen waving Australian flags. But his performance wasn't enough to land Australia a spot in the grand final, following Electric Fields missing out in 2024. Lithuania, Israel, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta and Greece were the 10 countries that made it through. British group Remember Monday harmonised their song What The Hell Just Happened? with Bridgerton-inspired outfits, and are already through to the grand final in Basel, Switzerland, as "one of the big five". Their performance kicked off with Lauren Byrne in the middle as they moved in synch with a collapsed chandelier on stage, calling back to a line in their song. Her along with Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele, strutted down the stage, and looked for camera angles to showcase the dramatic moments in the song, before ending in a group hug. Austria's JJ (Johannes Pietsch), who is among the competition favourites with song Wasted Love, opted for a black and white staging, which looked like a disastrous boat trip as he sang about someone they cared about being overwhelmed. Also putting in a good show was Maltese singer Miriana Conte, who went full diva with Serving, and Czechia representative Adonxs with the punchy Kiss Kiss Goodbye. Luxembourger Laura Thorn was posed like a doll by her dancers while she belted La Poupee Monte Le Son and had a costume change mid-song to reveal a new outfit. Last to perform was Finland's black leather-wearing Erika Vikman, who performed her song Ich komme. Earlier, protesters "disrupted" Israeli singer Yuval Raphael's rehearsal for the semi-final, organisers said. The singer, 24, was performing New Day Will Rise during the preview show on Thursday night when six people with "oversized flags and whistles" obstructed her act. The group was quickly ejected from the St Jakobshalle arena. A spokeswoman for SRG SSR said: "During the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final of the ESC this afternoon, the performance of Israeli singer Yuval Raphael was disrupted. "Six people, including a family, disrupted the rehearsal with oversized flags and whistles. "Security personnel were able to quickly identify those involved and escort them out of the hall. The Eurovision grand final will take place at 5am AEST on Sunday. Australia's Go-Jo (Marty Zambotto) has taken to the stage in the second semi-final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, with the tongue-in-cheek Milkshake Man, but has missed out on qualifying for the grand final. He was the first to perform on Thursday night, and is the tenth musical act to represent Australia at the world's most popular singing contest. Appearing to echo 1960s TV advertisements, Go-Jo started with a segment promoting a blender, before going into a cubicle to transform into a blue sparkly jumpsuit, which saw a part of it dramatically taken off. Several people in the audience were seen waving Australian flags. But his performance wasn't enough to land Australia a spot in the grand final, following Electric Fields missing out in 2024. Lithuania, Israel, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta and Greece were the 10 countries that made it through. British group Remember Monday harmonised their song What The Hell Just Happened? with Bridgerton-inspired outfits, and are already through to the grand final in Basel, Switzerland, as "one of the big five". Their performance kicked off with Lauren Byrne in the middle as they moved in synch with a collapsed chandelier on stage, calling back to a line in their song. Her along with Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele, strutted down the stage, and looked for camera angles to showcase the dramatic moments in the song, before ending in a group hug. Austria's JJ (Johannes Pietsch), who is among the competition favourites with song Wasted Love, opted for a black and white staging, which looked like a disastrous boat trip as he sang about someone they cared about being overwhelmed. Also putting in a good show was Maltese singer Miriana Conte, who went full diva with Serving, and Czechia representative Adonxs with the punchy Kiss Kiss Goodbye. Luxembourger Laura Thorn was posed like a doll by her dancers while she belted La Poupee Monte Le Son and had a costume change mid-song to reveal a new outfit. Last to perform was Finland's black leather-wearing Erika Vikman, who performed her song Ich komme. Earlier, protesters "disrupted" Israeli singer Yuval Raphael's rehearsal for the semi-final, organisers said. The singer, 24, was performing New Day Will Rise during the preview show on Thursday night when six people with "oversized flags and whistles" obstructed her act. The group was quickly ejected from the St Jakobshalle arena. A spokeswoman for SRG SSR said: "During the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final of the ESC this afternoon, the performance of Israeli singer Yuval Raphael was disrupted. "Six people, including a family, disrupted the rehearsal with oversized flags and whistles. "Security personnel were able to quickly identify those involved and escort them out of the hall. The Eurovision grand final will take place at 5am AEST on Sunday. Australia's Go-Jo (Marty Zambotto) has taken to the stage in the second semi-final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, with the tongue-in-cheek Milkshake Man, but has missed out on qualifying for the grand final. He was the first to perform on Thursday night, and is the tenth musical act to represent Australia at the world's most popular singing contest. Appearing to echo 1960s TV advertisements, Go-Jo started with a segment promoting a blender, before going into a cubicle to transform into a blue sparkly jumpsuit, which saw a part of it dramatically taken off. Several people in the audience were seen waving Australian flags. But his performance wasn't enough to land Australia a spot in the grand final, following Electric Fields missing out in 2024. Lithuania, Israel, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta and Greece were the 10 countries that made it through. British group Remember Monday harmonised their song What The Hell Just Happened? with Bridgerton-inspired outfits, and are already through to the grand final in Basel, Switzerland, as "one of the big five". Their performance kicked off with Lauren Byrne in the middle as they moved in synch with a collapsed chandelier on stage, calling back to a line in their song. Her along with Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele, strutted down the stage, and looked for camera angles to showcase the dramatic moments in the song, before ending in a group hug. Austria's JJ (Johannes Pietsch), who is among the competition favourites with song Wasted Love, opted for a black and white staging, which looked like a disastrous boat trip as he sang about someone they cared about being overwhelmed. Also putting in a good show was Maltese singer Miriana Conte, who went full diva with Serving, and Czechia representative Adonxs with the punchy Kiss Kiss Goodbye. Luxembourger Laura Thorn was posed like a doll by her dancers while she belted La Poupee Monte Le Son and had a costume change mid-song to reveal a new outfit. Last to perform was Finland's black leather-wearing Erika Vikman, who performed her song Ich komme. Earlier, protesters "disrupted" Israeli singer Yuval Raphael's rehearsal for the semi-final, organisers said. The singer, 24, was performing New Day Will Rise during the preview show on Thursday night when six people with "oversized flags and whistles" obstructed her act. The group was quickly ejected from the St Jakobshalle arena. A spokeswoman for SRG SSR said: "During the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final of the ESC this afternoon, the performance of Israeli singer Yuval Raphael was disrupted. "Six people, including a family, disrupted the rehearsal with oversized flags and whistles. "Security personnel were able to quickly identify those involved and escort them out of the hall. The Eurovision grand final will take place at 5am AEST on Sunday. Australia's Go-Jo (Marty Zambotto) has taken to the stage in the second semi-final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, with the tongue-in-cheek Milkshake Man, but has missed out on qualifying for the grand final. He was the first to perform on Thursday night, and is the tenth musical act to represent Australia at the world's most popular singing contest. Appearing to echo 1960s TV advertisements, Go-Jo started with a segment promoting a blender, before going into a cubicle to transform into a blue sparkly jumpsuit, which saw a part of it dramatically taken off. Several people in the audience were seen waving Australian flags. But his performance wasn't enough to land Australia a spot in the grand final, following Electric Fields missing out in 2024. Lithuania, Israel, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta and Greece were the 10 countries that made it through. British group Remember Monday harmonised their song What The Hell Just Happened? with Bridgerton-inspired outfits, and are already through to the grand final in Basel, Switzerland, as "one of the big five". Their performance kicked off with Lauren Byrne in the middle as they moved in synch with a collapsed chandelier on stage, calling back to a line in their song. Her along with Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele, strutted down the stage, and looked for camera angles to showcase the dramatic moments in the song, before ending in a group hug. Austria's JJ (Johannes Pietsch), who is among the competition favourites with song Wasted Love, opted for a black and white staging, which looked like a disastrous boat trip as he sang about someone they cared about being overwhelmed. Also putting in a good show was Maltese singer Miriana Conte, who went full diva with Serving, and Czechia representative Adonxs with the punchy Kiss Kiss Goodbye. Luxembourger Laura Thorn was posed like a doll by her dancers while she belted La Poupee Monte Le Son and had a costume change mid-song to reveal a new outfit. Last to perform was Finland's black leather-wearing Erika Vikman, who performed her song Ich komme. Earlier, protesters "disrupted" Israeli singer Yuval Raphael's rehearsal for the semi-final, organisers said. The singer, 24, was performing New Day Will Rise during the preview show on Thursday night when six people with "oversized flags and whistles" obstructed her act. The group was quickly ejected from the St Jakobshalle arena. A spokeswoman for SRG SSR said: "During the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final of the ESC this afternoon, the performance of Israeli singer Yuval Raphael was disrupted. "Six people, including a family, disrupted the rehearsal with oversized flags and whistles. "Security personnel were able to quickly identify those involved and escort them out of the hall. The Eurovision grand final will take place at 5am AEST on Sunday.