2003 in Australian television

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Events

• 10 February – 5 years since the last show, Ray Martin returns to the hosting role on Nine's A Current Affair.
• 1 March – Before the Game premieres on Network Ten and was hosted by Dave Hughes and Peter Helliar.
• 17 March – Seven launches a new news bulletin at 4:30 pm, titled Target Iraq, detailing the latest developments on the war in Iraq. After the invasion concludes, the bulletin is retained and is renamed Seven 4.30 News (later Seven Afternoon News), with production moving to Melbourne before it is moved back to Sydney in 2006, where it remains as of today.
• 19 April – Rove McManus wins the 2003 TV WEEK Gold Logie.
• 21 April –
  • Yu-Gi-Oh! premieres on Network Ten as part of Cheez TV .
  • The British episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in which Charles Ingram cheats his way to the top prize is shown on the Nine Network to an Australian television audience of nearly two million people. ^[1]
• 4 June – Mike London quits as National Nine News Brisbane weekend co-anchor after he allegedly arranged for a female fan to complain about the presenting style of then-weeknight presenter Bruce Paige. ^[2]
• 23 June – The Price Is Right revived on the Nine Network at 5.30pm weeknights after 5 years off the air, Larry Emdur returned as hosting and Shawn Cosgrove returned as voiceover, earlier news reports had speculated that former A*mazing host James Sherry would be the star, but it never happened.
• 25 June – Neighbours producers has announced that star Delta Goodrem will not renew her contract with the Network Ten series when it expires in next month. She is expected to be seen on-air until September.
• 30 June – Network Ten axes vintage episode reruns of Neighbours earlier through the 1991 series after very bad ratings, In 2002 Neighbours rated only 70,000 viewers during the whole 1990 series.
• 30 June – Two of the ABC's digital television service channels ABC Kids and Fly TV closed down due to funding cuts from the Federal Government.
• 1 July – TEN launches the one-hour afternoon news bulletin instead.
• 1 July – Huey's Cooking Adventures moves to the 3:30 pm timeslot on Network Ten with Iain Hewitson.
• 13 July – The Australian version of the Endemol-hit decision making game: Deal or No Deal , premieres on the Seven Network hosted by Weekend Sunrise host Andrew O'Keefe, offering a top prize of a staggering two million dollars before lowering the top prize to $200,000 next year.
• 21 July – Regina Bird wins season 3 of Big Brother, becoming the show's first female winner.
• 23 July – CSI: Miami a sequel to the American mystery fiction television series in the CSI franchise, premieres on the Nine Network and is shown every Wednesday at 8:30pm, followed by American police procedural series Without a Trace at 9:30pm which also debuts on Nine on the same day.
• 27 July – The Australian version of Pop Idol (known as Australian Idol) debuts on Network Ten.
• 19 September – Hi-5 celebrates its 200th episode.
• 28 September – Shaun Faulkner wins the fourth season of The Mole, taking home $104,000 in prize money. Petrina Edge is revealed as the Mole, and Nathan Beves is the runner-up.
• 10 October –
  • After protests from the community during the Vietnam War, SBS TV has chosen to cancel its broadcasts of the state-run news service across Vietnam.
• 23 October – Axed-Neighbours star Delta Goodrem wins the GOLD ARIA for Single of the Year at the 2003 ARIA Awards, along with 6 trophies, including John Farnham being inducted to the Hall of Fame and blasted the speakers loud to 1985's "You're The Voice".
• 19 November – The first series of Australian Idol was won by Guy Sebastian defeating Shannon Noll, along with his very first single, Angels Brought Me Here debuting at #1 on the ARIA Top 50 singles and Video Hits Top 20 singles chart reaching 4 time Platinum and album Just as I Am debuted at #1 and was reached 6 times Platinum. In 2010, Angels Brought Me Here ranked #1 on the ARIA end of decade singles chart.
• 24 November - Release date of Guy Sebastian's debut single, "Angels Brought Me Here".
• 26 November – The final episode of Burgo's Catch Phrase goes to air on the Nine Network after a 4-year run then a 2-year run.
• 5 December – After six years of reading the news together, Ross Symonds and Ann Sanders are both sacked as presenters of Seven News Sydney following years of dismal ratings to rivals National Nine News Sydney and Ten Eyewitness News Sydney . Ian Ross replaced them as of 2004. Symonds subsequently left the network, while Sanders remains with Seven to this day, reading the national morning news and the local Sydney afternoon news.
• 22 December – Australian children's comedy series The Ferals returns to air on ABC after a very long absence since 1995. Rather than airing in the afternoons on Mondays at 5:00pm, the series now airs at 11:20am weekday mornings.
• December – Nine Network takes a new record as the network wins all 40 weeks of ratings.

Debuts

Program	Channel	Debut date
Welcher & Welcher	ABC	6 February
Skithouse	Network Ten	9 February
Ocean Star	Network Ten	10 February
Comedy Inc.	Nine Network	19 February
Your Life on the Lawn	Seven Network	February
After the Game	Network Ten	1 March
Pirate Islands	Network Ten	3 March
Enough Rope	ABC	19 March
Greeks on the Roof [3]	Seven Network	1 May
Micallef Tonight	Nine Network	12 May
Big Bite [4]	Seven Network	8 May
The Block	Nine Network	1 June
The Price Is Right	Nine Network	23 June
Deal or No Deal (2003 series) [5]	Seven Network	13 July
Australian Idol	Network Ten	27 July
CrashBurn	Network Ten	23 August
Merrick and Rosso Unplanned	Nine Network	3 September
So Fresh TV	Nine Network	6 September
Snobs	Nine Network	29 September
Inside Australia	SBS	12 October
Seaside Hotel	Seven Network	18 October
Marking Time	ABC	9 November
The Sleepover Club	Nine Network	12 November
Surfing the Menu	ABC	2003

New International Programming

Program	Network	Debut date
The Lionhearts	Seven Network	25 January
Kim Possible	Seven Network	1 February
Adventures from the Book of Virtues	Seven Network	1 February
Fimbles	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	3 February
Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto!	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	24 February
Lizzie McGuire	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	20 March
God, the Devil and Bob	Seven Network	24 March
The Save-Ums!	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2003
The Life of Mammals	ABC TV	26 March
Mamemo	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	18 April
Yu-Gi-Oh!	Network Ten	21 April
Digimon Frontier	Network Ten	21 April
Girlstuff/Boystuff	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	3 June
Martin Morning	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	3 June
/ Corneil and Bernie	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	3 June
The Fairytaler	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	9 June
Lloyd in Space	Seven Network	28 June
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003)	Network Ten	4 July
Lavender Castle	ABC TV	17 July
CSI: Miami	Nine Network	23 July
Without a Trace	Nine Network	23 July
Teamo Supremo	Seven Network	26 July
Transformers: Armada	Network Ten	9 August
Rubbadubbers	ABC TV	11 August
/ Gadget and the Gadgetinis	Network Ten	15 August
/ Jasper the Penguin	ABC TV	25 August
King	ABC TV	3 September
Red Cap Red Cap [6]	ABC TV	19 September
Static Shock	Nine Network	20 September
Beyblade V-Force	Network Ten	22 September
Crush Gear Turbo	Network Ten	26 September
Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the Impossible	Nine Network	28 September
/ Yakkity Yak	Network Ten	28 September
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy Queer Eye for the Straight Guy [7]	Network Ten	29 September
The Koala Brothers	ABC TV	8 October
Samurai Jack	Nine Network	16 October
Justice League Unlimited	Nine Network	17 October
What's New Scooby-Doo?	Nine Network	19 October
/ Rotten Ralph	ABC TV	3 November
Wire, The The Wire [8]	Nine Network	18 November
Murder Investigation Team	ABC TV	25 November
The O.C.	Nine Network	4 December
Strawberry Shortcake	Network Ten	6 December
/ The Paz Show	ABC TV	2003
Roboroach	Network Ten	19 December
Little Robots	ABC TV	2003
Little Wolf's Book of Badness	ABC TV	24 December
Yvon of the Yukon	Seven Network	2003
Poochini's Yard	Seven Network	2003
/ Inuk	ABC Kids (digital only)	3 February
Hack	Network Ten	2003
Less than Perfect	Seven Network	2003

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.

International

Program	New network(s)	Previous network(s)	Date
Eddy and the Bear	ABC TV	ABC Kids (digital only)	17 April
The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	Nine Network	28 April
Speed Racer	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV, Seven Network, Network Ten	7 April
Batfink	ABC Kids (digital only), ABC TV	Network Ten	9 June (ABC Kids), 15 September (ABC TV)
/ Babar	ABC TV	ABC Kids (digital only)	8 December
/ The Magic School Bus	ABC TV	ABC Kids (digital only)	2003
/ The Adventures of Tintin	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2003
/ / Billy the Cat	ABC TV	ABC Kids (digital only)	2003

Subscription television

Domestic

Program	Channel	Debut date
Islandares [9]	Nickelodeon	7 February
Saturday Nick Television	Nickelodeon	2003

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
Bruiser [10]	UKTV	4 January
World of Pub [11]	UKTV	1 February
Roger Roger [11]	UKTV	25 February
Punk'd [12]	MTV	1 July
Chalk [13]	UKTV	19 July
That's So Raven [14]	Disney Channel	18 August
Baby Looney Tunes	Cartoon Network	1 September
/ Galidor: Defenders of the Outer Dimension	Fox Kids	2003
Hamtaro	Cartoon Network	2003
/ / / ¡Mucha Lucha!	Cartoon Network	2003

Free-to-air premieres

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian free-to-air television that had previously premiered on Australian subscription television. Programs may still air on the original subscription television network.

International

Program	Free-to-air network	Subscription network	Date
Jackass [15]	Network Ten	MTV	5 February

Subscription premieres

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian subscription television that had previously premiered on Australian free-to-air television. Programs may still air on the original free-to-air television network.

Domestic

Program	Subscription network	Free-to-air network	Date
Outriders [9]	Nickelodeon	Nine Network	28 January
Hi-5 [16]	Nickelodeon	Nine Network	Q4

International

Program	Subscription network	Free-to-air network	Date
Degrassi Junior High Degrassi Junior High [9]	Nickelodeon	ABC TV [ citation needed ]	28 January
Pie in the Sky [17]	UKTV	ABC TV [ citation needed ]	1 February
Sunburn [18]	UKTV	[ citation needed ]	16 March
Sk8 / Sk8 [19]	Nickelodeon	[ citation needed ]	5 May
Kids of Degrassi Street, The The Kids of Degrassi Street [20]	Nickelodeon	ABC TV [ citation needed ]	28 July
Viva S Club Viva S Club [20]	Nickelodeon	[ citation needed ]	28 July
Blobheads Blobheads [16]	Nickelodeon	[ citation needed ]	17 October
North Square [21] [22]	UKTV	ABC TV	12 November
Henry's World Henry's World [16]	Nickelodeon	ABC TV	1 October

Specials

Program	Channel	Debut date
2003 Kids' Choice Awards [19]	Nickelodeon	10 May
2003 Teen Choice Awards [23]	Fox Kids	25 October

Ending / Resting this year

Date	Show	Channel	Debut
8 June	Always Greener	Seven Network	2001
30 June	Pirate Islands	Network Ten	3 March 2003
14 November	CNNNN	ABC TV	2002

See also

• 2003 in Australia
• List of Australian films of 2003

References

1. Aussies tune in to cheat, The Age, 22 April 2003
2. Miles, Janelle; Connolly, Steve (4 June 2003). "Newsreader quits after complaint scandal". The Age. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
3. Eff 'n' bewdiful, The Age , 1 May 2003.
4. Race for year's worst show, The Age , 8 May 2003.
5. Who wants to be a multimillionaire?, The Age , 10 July 2003.
6. Hassall, Greg (19 September 2003). "Red Cap". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 5 February 2010.
7. Warneke, Ross (2 October 2003). "Gay gurus make a splash". The Age . Retrieved 12 January 2010.
8. Hassall, Greg (24 November 2003). "TV previews". The Sydney Morning Herald . p. 10. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
9. "What's New On Nick? – February 2003". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 7 February 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
10. "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2003. Archived from the original on 8 January 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
11. "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2003. Archived from the original on 16 February 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
12. "Trading in Star Misery". Herald Sun . Melbourne, Australia: News Limited. 26 June 2003. p. I02. Punk'd debuts on MTV this Tuesday at 9.30pm.
13. "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2003. Archived from the original on 15 July 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
14. Charlotte (17 August 2003). "Playing in the zone". TV Guide. Sunday Herald Sun . p. X06.
15. Adams, Cameron (5 February 2003). "Here comes trouble – Jackass hits Australia". Herald Sun . Melbourne, Australia: News Limited. p. H07.
16. "What's New On Nick? – Term 4". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 11 December 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
17. "Today's Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 1 February 2003. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
18. ellis, scott (16 March 2003). "PAY TV HIGHLIGHTS". The Sunday Age . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 8.
19. "What's New On Nick? – Term 2 2003". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 8 June 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
20. "What's New On Nick? – Term 3". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 3 August 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
21. Schembri, Jim; Paul Kalina (6 November 2003). "Wednesday". The Age . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 27.
22. Courtis, Brian (20 February 2002). "Silky briefs and stolen Y-fronts". The Age . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 12.
23. "FOXTEL Highlights (Entertainment)". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 7 October 2003. Retrieved 18 January 2010.