Australian media commentator and personality, Derryn Hinch will join SKY NEWS in 2015, hosting new program Hinch LIVE from Saturday January 31.
Hinch LIVE will air Saturday and Sunday nights from 9pm out of the recently renovated SKY NEWS Melbourne studio. Derryn will look at what is making headlines and delve into the news with his special guests and commentators. promising “No topic will be off limit, no opinion spared”.
Derryn said: “I’m really excited to join SKY NEWS for Hinch LIVE. I came very close to being dead there not so long ago — so this is really special. With a new show out of Melbourne, I think we can really add some excitement to Saturday and Sunday night viewing. It will be LIVE. We’ll engage social media. We’ll engage the audience. And I won’t pull any punches.”
The one hour program will be a continuation of the successful weeknight format of Paul Murray LIVE. As part of the changes Chris Kenny Live will not be returning to Sky in 2015.
In announcing this new show, Derryn took the opportunity on his website to take a sideswipe at his other employers at the Seven Network for not having the courage to make him host of Today Tonight.
“I’ll admit that when I joined the Seven Network, at the end of 2012, I would have liked a shot at hosting Today,Tonight after Matt White’s sudden departure. But the ‘carpet-strollers’ knew the Hinch-style program show I would have hosted would have been vastly different to what they (and ACA) were putting to air as ‘current affairs’.
I think it’s a tragedy that Seven doesn’t have a nightly current affairs program. I suspect even the Adelaide and Perth versions will disappear next year. There is a welter of public interest stories and issues out there and you don’t have to fall back on cellulite, sports bras, fad diets and new fashion store openings.
When White’s surprise replacement, former Ten newsreader Helen Kapalos, didn’t work out — and they canned the show in the main states — I wasn’t around to audition. I was in jail.”
As well as hosting this new show for Sky News, Derryn plans to continue his guest roles on Sunrise and Sunday Night in 2015.
Derryn is no stranger to SKY NEWS where he appeared regularly in 2014 as a commentator on Paul Murray LIVE.
Australian News Channel CEO, Angelos Frangopoulos said: “Derryn is one of the great Australian broadcasters and I’m delighted that he’s agreed to join SKY NEWS at our new Melbourne studio centre. He’s a formidable journalist and I look forward to his insight and analysis on Hinch LIVE.”
Hinch LIVE will air from Saturday January 31, 2015 at 9pm on Channel 601.
