1990 in Australian television

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Events

• January – The 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand are broadcast on Seven Network.
• 27 January – Australian longest running children's Saturday morning series Saturday Disney along with music video programme Video Smash Hits debut on Seven Network.
• 29 January – Welsh children's animated series Fireman Sam premieres on ABC.
• 29 January – Australian television and radio host Steve Vizard presents his very own national Tonight show titled Tonight Live with Steve Vizard which is shown five nights a week on Seven Network.
• 3 February – Paul Keane was ready to get axed from his long-running role as Des Clarke in Neighbours , but has instead opted to take a four-month hiatus and was expected to return in April. Keane's break from the show comes as cast morale is at an all-time low following the departure of several key cast members, but producers are confident that Des will return with some good storylines.
• 12 February – American children's animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles debuts on Seven Network.
• 13 February – ABC debuts a new current affairs program Lateline hosted by Kerry O'Brien.
• 16 February – Australian lifestyle and gardening series Gardening Australia debuts on ABC.
• 20 February – In Neighbours , Toby & Noelene Mangel depart.
• 23 February – In Neighbours , this was Bronwyn Davies' final episode.
• 28 February – In Neighbours , this was Hilary Robinson's final episode.
• 31 March – Neighbours Producers have chosen to write out the popular character of Sharon Davies – the on-screen sister to Rachel Friend's former character Bronwyn Davies, played by 19-year-old Jessica Muschamp said the exit of Neighbours may have been a "blessing in disguise." She finished her final credits in Neighbours in five weeks and after leaving the series, she went to English pantomime performances over Christmas and was considering mini-series and theatre roles in Australia.
• April – Jennifer Keyte becomes the first solo woman newsreader on a commercial network in Australia when Glenn Taylor leaves the Melbourne bureau of Seven News .
• 9 June – Neighbours star Linda Hartley has decided to leave the hit-turned-troubled 10 TV Australia soap opera after a behind-the-scenes battle between producers Grundy Television and 10 TV Australia. Hartley had requested for a hiatus from the series to allow time to travel overseas and to pursue an opportunity for a singing career including a recording contract with Sony Music Australia, but Grundys were not keen to renew her contract, claiming the show had exceeded its casting budget. However, budget cuts ran out, negotiations broke down again and Hartley has chosen to leave the series.
• 2 July – Canadian children's animated series Babar based on a series of children's books by Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff premieres on ABC.
• 15 July – After a long absence of six months, the Australian comedy series The Comedy Company returns on 10 TV Australia.
• 20 August - French children's animated series Bouli premieres on ABC.
• 3 September – Australian children's TV series Johnson and Friends debuts on ABC.
• 5 September – In Neighbours , this was Beverly Robinson's final episode.
• 7 September – In Neighbours Kerry Mangel was shot in the head while duck hunting by Mick Taylor, leaving Joe Mangel in Saw-styled screaming and crying. This was the final episode.
• 10 October – In Neighbours , this was Des Clarke's final episode.
• 9 November – Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue , the American animated special program that warns children the danger of drugs and features famous cartoon characters from various animated TV shows alike, is simultaneously simulcast by Seven Network, Nine Network and 10 TV Australia (thus airing on all three major commercial television stations). The program was also introduced by Prime Minister Bob Hawke and his wife Hazel.
• 11 November – Australian comedy series The Comedy Company airs its final episode on 10 TV Australia before getting axed after very bad ratings and a failure to match the success of its 1988 season.
• 12 November – Australian children's TV series Johnson and Friends begins a second run and first ever repeat on ABC when it starts airing in the afternoons for the very first time ever. The series will be shown at 3:55 pm (which is usually the timeslot for airing 5 minute programmes for children) dominating the 5 minute programming thus making Play School screening at 4:05 pm and the 4:30 pm programmes to push forward to 4:35 pm.
• 16 November – Hey Hey It's Saturday's Red Symons marries Elly Agotis in Melbourne in a Greek ceremony.
• December – The Seven Network wins the 1990 ratings year with a record of 35.6% share for Total People. The most watched program was Seven's AFL: 1990 AFL Grand Final.
• 8 December – Neighbours producers have announced that star Ashley Paske will not renew his contract with the troubled 10 TV Australia soap opera when it expires in January. He is expected to be seen on-air until May.
• 9 December – 1990 Neighbours movie-length finale: Joe Mangel shakes and kidnaps Sky Bishop from Eric Jensen (episode 1), Joe & Toby Mangel are arrested for shoplifting and kidnapping Sky Bishop, Tom Ramsay returns to Rsmsay Street after a three-and-a-half-year absence (episode 2), Paul Robinson proposes to Christina Aleesi, Glen Donnolly arrives and tells that Jim Robinson is his father (episode 3).
• 21 December – James Valentine presents the Australian weekday afternoon magazine series The Afternoon Show for the last time at 5:00 pm on ABC. The programme includes reruns of the French-American-Canadian animated series Inspector Gadget and Canadian action drama series Danger Bay (Both these shows haven't been airing on the ABC for a long time since most of the year).
• 22 December – Neighbours star Richard Norton has been informed by producers that they won't be renewing his contract with the troubled 10 TV Australia soap opera when it expires in February.
• 24 December – American animated special program Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue gets repeated and airs for a second time airing on both Seven Network, Nine Network and 10 TV Australia once again.
• 31 December – Queensland becomes the second Aggregated market with local stations Sunshine Television (which now is Seven Queensland), WIN and QTV (in 2002 it became Southern Cross Ten, in 2016 it became Southern Cross Nine, now 10 Regional).

Premieres

Domestic series

Program	Network	Debut date
Agro's Cartoon Connection	Seven Network	22 January
Saturday Disney Saturday Disney	Seven Network	27 January
Video Smash Hits	Seven Network	27 January
The Super Sunday Show	Seven Network	28 January
Tonight Live with Steve Vizard Tonight Live with Steve Vizard	Seven Network	29 January
Family and Friends	Nine Network	7 February
Lateline Lateline [1]	ABC TV	13 February
Gardening Australia	ABC TV	16 February
Facing Writers	ABC TV	26 February
The C Company	Nine Network	3 March
The Party Machine	ABC TV	12 March
Graham Kennedy's Funniest Home Video Show	Nine Network	29 March
Robbo's World	Nine Network	2 April
Skirts	Seven Network	18 April
The Greatest Tune on Earth	Seven Network	20 May
The Private War of Lucinda Smith	Nine Network	20 May
Elly & Jools	Nine Network	11 June
The Bugs Bunny Show	Nine Network	18 June
More Winners	ABC TV	1 July
Savage Indictment	ABC TV	1 July
Flair	Seven Network	1 August
Let the Blood Run Free	10 TV Australia	20 August
Johnson and Friends	ABC TV	3 September
Embassy	ABC TV	12 September
The Search for the World's Most Secret Animals	Nine Network	27 September
Jackaroo	Seven Network	7 October
The Girl from Tomorrow	Nine Network	30 October
Imparja National News	Imparja Television	1990
In Brisbane Today	Nine Network (Queensland only)	1990

International series

Program	Network	Debut date
The Popcorn Kid	Nine Network	1 January
/ Max Headroom	Seven Network	2 January
Surgical Spirit	ABC TV	2 January
The Giddy Game Show	ABC TV	4 January
Hothouse	ABC TV	4 January
The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole	ABC TV	7 January
Lincoln	ABC TV	10 January
/ / The Ray Bradbury Theatre	ABC TV	14 January
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh	Seven Network	20 January
Pinny's House	ABC TV	24 January
Fireman Sam	ABC TV	29 January
The Story of the Dancing Frog	ABC TV	2 February
Murphy Brown	Nine Network	5 February
Doogie Howser M.D.	10 TV Australia	5 February
Dream Street	Seven Network	11 February
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	Seven Network	12 February
We'll Think of Something	ABC TV	13 February
Kidd Video	Nine Network	17 February
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn	ABC TV	17 February
A Dream of Red Mansions	SBS	18 February
After the War	ABC TV	24 February
Floyd's American Pie	SBS	25 February
Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days	ABC TV	4 March
Agatha Christie's Poirot	Seven Network	6 March
The Gemini Factor	ABC TV	12 March
Beverly Hills Buntz	Nine Network	23 March
Police Academy	Nine Network	26 March
The Watch House	ABC TV	28 March
Hard Time on Planet Earth	Seven Network	28 March
Screen One	ABC TV	1 April
Hard Copy	Nine Network	2 April
Hale and Pace	Nine Network	5 April
Marco	SBS	7 April
Bugs vs. Daffy: Battle of the Music Video Stars	Nine Network	12 April
One God-Three	SBS	12 April
Maria Chapdelaine	ABC TV	17 April
Bugs Bunny's Wild World of Sports	Nine Network	19 April
Frontiers	ABC TV	22 April
Heart of the High Country	10 TV Australia	22 April
Generations	Seven Network	24 April
Rituals	Seven Network	1 May
The Hitchhiker	10 TV Australia	1 May
The Black Forest Clinic	10 TV Australia	8 May
Ladies in Charge	ABC TV	12 May
The Heat of the Day	ABC TV	25 May
Cross of Fire	Seven Network	27 May
Baywatch	10 TV Australia	8 June
The Six Cases of Father Brown	SBS	9 June
Once a Cop	SBS	9 June
Sparky's Magic Piano	ABC TV	11 June
/ The Great Wall of Iron	ABC TV	14 June
The Jim Henson Hour	10 TV Australia	16 June
Alexei Sayle's Stuff	ABC TV	18 June
Singles	Seven Network	22 June
A Kind of Loving	ABC TV	23 June
/ Babar	ABC TV	2 July
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers	Seven Network	8 July
Eye of the Dragon	ABC TV	9 July
Madam Sousou	SBS	10 July
The Charmings	Nine Network	10 July
Woof!	Nine Network	14 July
Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics	Nine Network	14 July
The Karate Kid	Nine Network	14 July
The Mind	SBS	16 July
The Lenny Henry Show	SBS	20 July
Father Dowling Mysteries	Seven Network	29 July
Ffizz	10 TV Australia	31 July
E! Entertainment	Nine Network	1 August
Never Come Back	ABC TV	1 August
/ / Ox Tales	Nine Network	6 August
Moondial	ABC TV	10 August
Booker	Nine Network	11 August
The Fear	ABC TV	13 August
Marblehead Manor	10 TV Australia	14 August
Hardball	Nine Network	16 August
Mike and Angelo	ABC TV	20 August
Ernie's Incredible Illucinations	ABC TV	20 August
Bouli	ABC TV	20 August
The Country Boy	ABC TV	24 August
Miguel Servet	SBS	26 August
The Secret Drawer	SBS	26 August
Major Dad	10 TV Australia	28 August
Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story	Seven Network	9 September
Press Gang	ABC TV	10 September
Spy Wars	SBS	11 September
Space Knights	Seven Network	15 September
Vid Kids	10 TV Australia	16 September
America's Funniest People	Nine Network	20 September
Prisoners of Childhood	SBS	21 September
The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley	ABC TV	27 September
The Storm	SBS	10 October
Knight & Daye	10 TV Australia	12 October
/ / The Adventures of the Little Koala	Nine Network	20 October
Blind Faith	Seven Network	22 October
Adventurer	ABC TV	28 October
Shingen	SBS	31 October
Island Son	Seven Network	5 November
Body Styles	SBS	7 November
Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue	Seven Network Nine Network 10 TV Australia	9 November
Good Morning, Miss Bliss	Seven Network	13 November
The Thanksgiving Promise	Seven Network	18 November
Hey Vern, It's Ernest!	Nine Network	19 November
Round the Bend	ABC TV	19 November
/ / Wowser	Nine Network	20 November
In the Heat of the Night	Seven Network	20 November
That's Love	10 TV Australia	20 November
No Strings	Seven Network	20 November
Only One Earth	ABC TV	20 November
Murphy's Law	10 TV Australia	21 November
The Famous Teddy Z	Nine Network	22 November
A Man Called Hawk	Nine Network	22 November
Starting from Scratch	10 TV Australia	22 November
Vintage: A History of Wine	ABC TV	23 November
A Fine Romance (1989)	10 TV Australia	24 November
A Peaceable Kingdom	Nine Network	24 November
The Young Riders	Seven Network	25 November
The Real Charlotte	ABC TV	26 November
The Return of Shelley	ABC TV	26 November
New Attitude	Nine Network	26 November
Free Spirit	Nine Network	28 November
Doctor Doctor	Nine Network	28 November
Family Matters	Seven Network	30 November
Annie McGuire	Nine Network	6 December
The New Archies	Nine Network	8 December
Great Circuses of the World	Nine Network	9 December
/ Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story	ABC TV	13 December
/ Dolphin Cove	Nine Network	14 December
48 Hours	Nine Network	16 December
The Phantom of the Opera	Nine Network	16 December
Rod, Jane and Freddy	ABC TV	18 December
Cops	10 TV Australia	18 December
Blackadder's Christmas Carol	Seven Network	20 December
Rarg	10 TV Australia	22 December
Jim Henson's The Storyteller	10 TV Australia	24 December
The Angel and the Soldier Boy	ABC TV	25 December
Marvin: Baby of the Year	Seven Network	26 December
/ The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers	Seven Network	1990

Changes to network affiliation

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on an Australian television network that had previously premiered on another Australian television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.

Domestic

Program	New network(s)	Previous network(s)	Date
Kaboodle	Seven Network	ABC TV	8 April

International

Program	New network(s)	Previous network(s)	Date
Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery	ABC TV	SBS	5 January
The Real Ghostbusters	Nine Network	10 TV Australia	3 March
The Banana Splits	Southern Cross Television	ABC TV	1990

Television shows

1950s

• Mr. Squiggle and Friends (1959–1999)

1960s

• Four Corners (1961–present)

1970s

• Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971–1999)
• A Current Affair (1971–1978, 1988–2005, 2006–present)
• The Midday Show (1973–1998)
• 60 Minutes (1979–present)

1980s

• Sale of the Century (1980–2001)
• Sunday (1981–2008)
• Wheel of Fortune (1981–1996, 1996–2003, 2004-beyond)
• Today (1982–present)
• Neighbours (1985–1990)
• The Flying Doctors (1986–1991)
• Rage (1987–present)
• The Comedy Company (1988–1990)
• Home and Away (1988–present)
• Family Feud (1988–1996)
• Fast Forward (1989–1994)
• Til Ten (1989–1991)
• G.P. (1989–1996)

1990s

• Australia's Funniest Home Video Show (1990–2000, 2000–2004, 2005–2007)

Ending this year

Date	Show	Channel	Debut
20 January	Seven's Super Saturday	Seven Network	1988
21 January	The Cartoon Connection	Seven Network	1985
1 February	The Power, The Passion	Seven Network	1989
13 May	Kaboodle	Seven Network ABC TV	1987
10 June	The Greatest Tune on Earth	Seven Network	20 May 1990
26 June	Elly & Jools	Nine Network	11 June 1990
29 June	Stop at this Station	ABC TV	1988
11 November	The Comedy Company	10 TV Australia	1988
15 November	The Girl from Tomorrow	Nine Network	30 October 1990
17 November	Neighbours	10 TV Australia	1985

See also

• 1990 in Australia
• List of Australian films of 1990

References

1. Knox, David (13 January 2010). "Gallery: 20 years of Lateline". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 14 January 2010.