Lining up more than a decent schedule for Summer Foxtel are delivering lots of great first run/express content in recognition that while ratings finish in Australia, the content keeps rolling out of the northern hemisphere. If you’re a subscriber then it looks to be a pretty solid summer…
This summer Foxtel has the best new and most popular returning series and specials across a range of its channels including overseas acquisitions and local productions screening exclusively on Foxtel’s drama, general entertainment, lifestyle and factual channels. Key programs premiering in December 2015, January 2016 and February 2016 include:
DECEMBER 2015
LARRY KRAMER IN LOVE AND ANGER (HBO Documentary) – showcase
Tuesday December 1 at 7.30pm
Australian Premiere
Author, playwright and AIDS activist Larry Kramer takes centre stage in this candid portrait that examines the monumental effect of one of the most important – and controversial – figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and women to fight for their lives. The film utilises personal photos, archival footage of GMHC and ACT UP, scenes from the semi-autobiographical plays The Destiny of Me and The Normal Heart, and three decades of interviews in which Kramer opens up about his past, as do those who know him best. Filmmaker and friend Jean Carlomusto also takes viewers inside Kramer’s 2013 stay in the ICU, as he recuperates from complications of a liver transplant brought on by years of living with HIV. Juxtaposing footage of Kramer angrily protesting with scenes of him being lovingly cared for in the hospital by his partner David, Larry Kramer In Love & Anger celebrates a multifaceted figure, known for his quick temper as much as for his endless passion.
CELEBRATING MAX – 15 YEARS IN 15 DAYS
Starts Tuesday December 1 and continues until Tuesday 15 December
Max Sessions will run at 10am and 9pm Daily
Top 100 Run daily from 11am
On December 1 MAX turns 15 and we are celebrating for 15 days! Join us every day for the Best of MAX Sessions, featuring music icons including Coldplay, Jimmy Barnes, K.D LANG, John Butler Trio, Neil Finn, Powderfinger, Slash and The Angels and we have compiled 15 of the best Top 100s to keep you entertained each day including One Hit Wonders, Home Grown Legends and BBQ Anthems.
THE UNSEEN TIME TEAM SPECIALS – History
Tuesdays from December 1 at 7.30pm
Australian Premiere
For the first time on Australian television, History presents a brand new collection of very special archaeological assignments undertaken by Sir Tony Robinson and the Team. We present eight never before seen digs which include: Flanders: The Lost WWI Bunker Swords; Skulls and Strongholds; The Lost Dock of Liverpool; The Real Knights of the Round Table; Codename: Ainsbrook; Dover Castle; The Mystery of the Roman Treasure; and Castle of the Saxon Kings.
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS S06 – Arena
Wednesdays from December 2 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere – Express from the US
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills returns for season six with jaw-dropping bling, wild fun,
shocking drama and a few surprises along the way as Lisa Vanderpump, Kyle Richards, Yolanda Foster, Lisa Rinna and Eileen Davidson are joined by new housewives Erika Girardi and Kathryn Edwards. This season, Yolanda’s struggle with Lyme disease continues as she goes to extremes in search of a cure, which leads the other women to question her actions. Longtime friends, Lisa Vanderpump and Lisa Rinna, are also in the crossfire as gossip and secrets erupt into a deeply personal conflict between the two. New to the group, Kathryn tries to befriend Erika, but they quickly become embroiled in their own drama and sparks fly when they start speaking the truth. Kyle is just trying to keep her head above water while expanding her store, maintaining friendships with the women and dealing with unexpected personal matters. Reeling from the recent death of her father-inlaw, Eileen seeks a much needed apology after questions and details about her marriage arise from another housewife. Whether driving Ferraris in Italy, staying at a glorious house in the Hamptons or receiving VIP treatment at the world’s tallest building in Dubai, nothing will keep the Beverly Hills housewives from shedding tears and hurling accusations while still keeping up impeccable appearances.
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY: BEHIND THE CURTAIN WITH THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET – Foxtel Arts
Wednesday December 2 at 7.30pm
Local Production
Australian Premiere – Available on Foxtel Anytime
An insightful documentary detailing what it takes to showcase one of the world’s most loved ballets. All the elements dancers, directors, choreographers, set designers, costume, stage managers and crew play an integral part when putting on a world-class ballet performance.
SIMPLY NIGELLA – LifeStyle FOOD
Wednesdays from December 2 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere
Simply Nigella introduces viewers to a new pared-down approach to cooking and eating. With a handful of dishes per show, Nigella will talk about what the recipes mean to her as well as giving tips to find the easiest way to cook them. With feasts for special occasions sitting alongside tasty every day meals, Nigella will deliver a true sense of balance between lightness and lushness. From healthy everyday breakfasts and substantial weekend brunches to quick-to-make, lighter suppers that destress, and ’bowl food’ that comforts, Nigella brings us recipes that will be both a pleasure to cook and eat.
JUST FOR LAUGHS AUSTRALIA S03 – The Comedy Channel
Fridays from December 4 at 9.30pm
Australian Premiere – Local Production
Just for Laughs Australia is hosted by one of Australia’s favourite comedians Dave Thornton, and showcases a top line up of local and international stand-up talent performing. Live at the Sydney Opera House watch performances from Wil Anderson, Dave Hughes, Tom Ballard, Akmal, Cal Wilson, Gretel Killeen, Cam Knight and more.
[V] ISLAND PARTIES
Sunday December 6 at 5.00pm
Australian Premiere – Local Production
Summer’s almost here and as the weather heats up Channel [V]’s Island Party return to rock Sydney Harbour. Once again this party season Channel [V] will host exclusive performances with some of the hottest acts from Australia and around the world against Sydney’s most iconic backdrop, the Harbour Bridge. Summer’s almost here and as the weather heats up, Channel [V]’s Island Parties return to rock Sydney Harbour. Once again this party season Channel [V] will host exclusive performances with some of the hottest acts from Australia and around the world against Sydney’s most iconic backdrop, the Harbour Bridge. With last year’s headliner’s including the Hilltop Hoods, Mark Ronson, The Wombats, Charli XCX and Royal Blood, this year’s Island Parties are set to once again deliver killer tracks and pumping tunes with the first [V] Island Party kicking off with electro pop duo Galantis on the decks.
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Foxtel Arts
Sunday December 6 at 7.30pm
Australian Premiere – Local Production
Don’t miss the world premiere of David McAllister’s production, The Sleeping Beauty. Beautifully lavish sets and costumes, design, choreography and never before seen staging techniques all manifest in excellence when spiced with Tchaikovsky’s vivacious score. Recorded in Melbourne, The Australian Ballet’s world class dancers will leave you in awe.
SUPERGIRL S01 – FOX8
Sundays from December 6 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere
Supergirl is a super hero story with a twist! Kara ZorEl (Melissa Benoist) is Superman’s cousin and, after being sent away from Krypton at the age of 13, she is left in the care of the Danver family who teach Kara to be careful with her powers. Now 24, Kara works as an assistant to the very demanding Cat (Calista Flockhart) at CatCo, a magazine conglomerate. After many years of being on earth, and hiding who she truly is, Kara must learn to embrace her powers after revealing them during an unexpected disaster.
GRIMM S05 – FOX8
Mondays from December 7 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere
After Season 4 ended with two huge cliffhangers, Grimm Season 5 will pick up with Nick (David Giuntoli) coping with the death of his former love Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) and the return of Agent Chavez (Elizabeth Rodriguez). He also has to deal with being a single father – Adalind (Claire Coffee) is definitely having Nick’s baby.
GEORGE CLARKE’S AMAZING SPACES CHRISTMAS – The LifeStyle Channel
Monday December 7 at 9.30pm
Australian Premiere
George Clarke looks at the extraordinary world of small builds & meets the people who are taking unpromising spaces and creating amazing places to live & work. In this Christmas special, he is visiting a flat-pack tin church and a luxury converted chapel, as well as catching up with some of George’s best builds of the year.
SHAYNNA’S WORLD OF DESIGN – LifeStyle HOME
Mondays December 7 at 8.30pm
Two Part Special
Australian Premiere – Local Production
Shaynna Blaze has an offer she can’t refuse – to create an exclusive signature range of interior
lighting to rival the world’s best. It takes her on a high-stakes journey through the glamorous design capitals of Milan, Venice, New York and her hometown of Melbourne. Along the way Shaynna shares her secret inspirations and design principles, not just for lighting, but for everything in a home. With her reputation on the line, Shaynna needs to blaze a trail of pure magic – magic we can all perform. You’ll never see your home the same way again.
GETTING ON S03 – showcase
Tuesdays from December 8 at 7.30pm
Australian Premiere
“The end is near” for the unconventional, lovable staff of the Billy Barnes Extended Care unit, as Getting On – the hilarious and poignant comedy from the creators of Big Love – returns for its third and final season. Set eight months after Season 2’s cliffhanger finale, the new episodes find Dr. Jenna James (Laurie Metcalf) determined to put the corporate-hospice scandal behind her, while pushing her research ambitions further than ever before. While Nurse DiDi (Niecy Nash) emerges as a union leader amidst a family drama that finds its way onto the ward, newly married Nurse Dawn (Alex Borstein) struggles to make sense of her new responsibilities and uncertain future, continuing to circle the orbit of male Supervising Nurse Patsy (Mel Rodriguez), who’s looking to embrace a new lifestyle. With all this playing out against the backdrop of Billy Barnes’ threatened demise, the fight to keep the ward (and hospital) alive brings in new blood and some familiar faces, eventually outing everybody’s dirty little secrets and ending in a series finale that is, literally, explosive!
RUSSELL HOWARD’S GOOD NEWS S10 – The Comedy Channel
Thursdays from December 10 at 9.30pm
Australian Premiere
Topical comedy show hosted by Russell Howard, who offers his unique perspective on the big stories dominating the news outlets from online and print to broadcast.
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF CHESHIRE – S02 – Arena
Sundays from December 13 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere
The Real Housewives Of Cheshire documents the lives and dramas of a group of strong determined women each cast for their envious lifestyles, loveable families and compelling narratives. The Housewives love extremes, drink free flowing champagne, live in beautiful homes and wear the most fashionable and outrageous outfits, shoes and jewellery. The women are all interconnected by their social circle. Cheshire is a small place so ‘keeping up appearances’ and geography dictate that, in many cases, the Housewives are forced to be friends, enemies or ‘frenemies’ at the same time. Throughout the series the Housewives are put through a rollercoaster of emotions including love, hurt, hate, betrayal, good and poor fortune but are bound together by a shared humanity and group experiences.
THE SUPERVET CHRISTMAS AT THE CLINIC – The LifeStyle Channel
Monday December 14 at 9.30pm
Australian Premiere
In this hour long Christmas special Noel has a new and extraordinarily challenging case to test his skills – Fievel is the adored young Labrador of Fiona and Dan. His hips are so bad he needs a total hip replacement on both sides. But this is only the beginning, as Fievel’s treatment continues Noel discovers further complications leading him to become one of Fitzpatrick’s longest-term patients. The programme will also catch up with some of the pets and families who have benefited from Noel’s pioneering techniques and inventions. We’ll find out what happened to Scooby the Labrador cross who lost a leg in his fight against cancer, Jasper the puppy whose legs were so deformed he needed two pioneering operations if he was ever to run free, and Pixie the cat who gained a bionic limb to help her survive.
TOP 25 CHRISTMAS FAVOURITES WITH MARCIA HINES & CAMERON DADDO – Smooth
Friday December 25 from 9am
Australian Premiere
Foxtel Smooth has Christmas wrapped up a very special holiday playlist to get you into the spirit of the season. Grab a glass of eggnog, put on your best reindeer sweater and snuggle up with your loved ones and the Smooth Top 25 Christmas favourites with Cameron Daddo and Marcia Hines. All the Christmas classics are here, from Bing Crosby and Band Aid to Mariah Carey and Michael Buble. Happy Christmas from all your friends at Foxtel Smooth.
NIGHTINGALE (HBO Film) – showcase
Wednesday December 30 at 7.30pm
Australian Premiere
An official selection of the 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival, this HBO Films presentation is a
fascinating portrait of one man’s descent into the delusions of a fractured mind. Told with incisive imagery, energy and humour, Nightingale is a compassionate depiction of isolation in the midst of a world ruled by social media. David Oyelowo gives a spellbinding, roller-coaster ride of a performance as Peter, the sole character in the film, a war veteran who lives in a nondescript ranch home with his mother, and shares an ongoing monologue with himself, and the audience, via his laptop computer’s video recorder. Unhinged by dark memories, an unhealthy obsession with a former Army friend, and his banal life working at a supermarket and living in a house unchanged for decades, Peter admits he recently “snapped” and killed his mother. The crime has a perversely liberating effect on Peter, who sees in his mother’s demise a license to remodel their home and, especially, invite his Army pal Edward over for dinner. Unable to get a commitment from Edward, and further agitated by a series of phone calls from his mother’s concerned friends and his sister, Peter descends into a lonely, paranoid world where delusion and reality collide. As suspicions about his mother’s fate escalate, Peter finds
himself caught in a claustrophobic web of his own making, helpless to reverse the consequences of his recent actions and doomed to pay a severe price for his crime.
FROM BROADWAY TO LA SCALA – Foxtel Arts
Thursday December 31 at 7.30pm
Australian Premiere – Local Production – Available on Foxtel Anytime
From Puccini to Rodgers and Hammerstein, Bizet to Gershwin and Verdi to Cole Porter, this unique concert experience will feature many of the greatest songs, arias and duets of the last two centuries, performed by four of Australia’s most highly acclaimed contemporary singers. Renowned for their charisma, stagecraft and musical versatility, tenor David Hobson and bass baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes will join musical theatre star Lisa McCune and the breathtaking soprano Greta Bradman to thrill audiences with a seamless blend of classical elegance and theatrical glamour. Accompanied by Australia’s leading orchestra under the musical direction of Vanessa Scammell, From Broadway to La Scala will transport audiences with a richly entwined repertoire of all time classics, drawn from two of the world’s most enduringly popular musical genres. Recorded in November at Sydney’s iconic Opera House.
JANUARY 2016
COSBY: THE WOMEN SPEAK – CI Network
Friday January 1 at 7.30pm
Australian Premiere
In this provocative one-hour special CI offers never-before-seen intimate interviews with more than a dozen of Bill Cosby’s accusers. First-hand accounts from the women themselves help examine the allegations, decade by decade to reveal new information regarding the downfall of one of the most respected entertainers in American history, as well as providing new insight into the case.
MAKING TRACKS – History
Three Part Series
Mondays from January 4 at 7.30pm
Australian Premiere
There are few continents more arid, less populated, or so vast. Australia’s great train journeys will transport the audience through the continent’s extreme landscape and meet the equally extreme characters whose lives revolve around these epic rail lines. Three epic train journeys reveal the vast wilderness and pioneering characters of outback Australia. ‘Making Tracks’ travels the great trains that span the continent from north to south, east to west and up the coast of Queensland to the tropical north. Nearly ten thousand kilometres of track cuts through the untamed interior and leads us on a unique adventure where extreme heat, cold and isolation have made building and maintaining the rails an almost impossible task. Australia’s picturesque coastline is also well known for its scenic train journeys, taking passengers out of the hustle and bustle of the cities to some of the world’s most captivating landscapes. Each one hour documentary will feature stunning blue chip cinematography; using Cineflex aerials and train-mounted camera, in order to showcase the route of one world class
train: The Indian Pacific, The Ghan, or The Sunlander. We will meet the authentic characters working on and around these massive trains: chefs running 100km/h restaurants, barmaids who dare not spill a drop, and the train drivers themselves, who deal with mesmerising distances, flash flooding, and herds of one tonne water buffalo on the track! Each train takes several days to complete its incredible journey and carries all types of people, from backpackers on a shoe string budget, to platinum-class passengers, who stay in cabins with double beds, full ensuites, and room service.
TINY HOUSE AUSTRALIA S01 – LifeStyle HOME
Mondays from January 4 at 9.30pm
Australian Premiere – Local Production
It’s a movement that’s sweeping the world – ‘going tiny’ as people trade in space for simplicity, and now Australians are embracing small too as Andrew Winter discovers in this intriguing local series, Tiny House Australia. In a country like Australia where homes are among the largest in the world, with an average house coming in at 243 square metres, tiny houses – with some measuring just 10 square metres – are proving that size doesn’t matter, it’s creativity that counts. Starting with de-cluttering your life and ending with the simplicity of living in a smart, creative space, the tiny house trend started more as an environmental one before people started realising its other benefits like huge economic and time freedom. Tiny House Australia is an eight-part series that follows real prospective homebuyers on a quest to find their mini dream home. But even though these homes are small in stature, the challenges of finding the perfect mini-home are as big as any real estate hunt. With three homes to choose from in each 30 minute episode, our buyers will have a tough choice deciding which small space to go for because picking the right one is the their next big decision.
THE GOLDEN GLOBES – FOX8
Monday January 11 at 12pm LIVE
Australian Premiere – Express from the US
The 73rd Annual Golden Globes return LIVE, honouring the best and brightest talent in film and television.
DANCE MOMS S06 – Lifestyle YOU
Mondays from 11 January at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere
Dance Moms is back for an incredible sixth series and we are bringing it to LifeStyle YOU quicker than ever before. This will feature Abby’s LA studio and we can expect even more drama this season!
NANCY WAKE: GESTAPO’S MOST WANTED – History
Monday January 11 at 9.30pm
Australian Premiere
This is the incredible true story of Nancy Wake, the daring allied spy who became the Gestapo’s most wanted woman in WWII. Codenamed ‘The White Mouse’ for her elusiveness, this international femme fatale was a key inspiration behind Sebastian Faulkes’ celebrated fictional spy Charlotte Gray. In this first ever docudrama biopic on Wake, gripping dramatisations are combined with exclusive interviews with her closest friends, confidants and military historians to bring her legend to life. Born in New Zealand, Wake moved to Paris where she worked as a journalist reporting across Europe and married a French arisocrat, Henri Fiocca. When war broke out, she became a vital link in the French resistance, and hunted by Nazi spies, was forced to flee to London and leave her husband behind. She then embarked on a life of excitement and danger, returning to France as a British agent in Churchill’s secret army, the Special Operations Executive. Nancy Wake became the Allies’ most decorated service-woman – awarded British, French, Australian and New Zealand honours as well as the American Medal of Freedom.
SHAMELESS S06 – SoHo
Wednesdays from January 13 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere
For five seasons now, we’ve somehow grown to love the crazy family that is the Gallaghers. Between arrests, broken relationships, a drunken father, plenty of illegal activities. Season six of Shameless picks up a few months after last year’s finale, leaving the Gallaghers to prepare for yet another long Chicago winter, this season will see more than just the arctic Lake Michigan winds whipping through the Southside. Change is hard and the Gallaghers are as surprised as anyone at how life is turning out for them. But the question remains, as they come into their own and find out who they are, is it really possible that the Gallaghers could grow apart for good? Cast: William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher, Emmy Rossum as Fiona, Ethan Cutkosky as Carl, Emma Greenwell as Mandy Milkovich, Shanola Hampton as Veronica, Steve Howey as Kevin, Emma Kenney as Debbie, Cameron Monaghan as Ian, Zach McGowan as Jody and Jeremy Allen White as Lip.
AMERICAN IDOL S15/final season – FOX8
Thursdays & Fridays from January 14 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere – Express from the US
As American Idol enters a landmark season in January 2016 and its final season ever, the search continues to find amazing talent from across the nation. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, and featuring judges Harry Connick, Jr., Jennifer Lopez, and Keith Urban, the series empowers contestants and viewers to share their voices in deciding who will be America’s next singing superstar.
GRAND DESIGNS UK S13 – The LifeStyle Channel
Thursdays from January 14 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere
The UK’s most popular property show returns with its 13th series, following intrepid home-builders as they pursue their architectural dreams. Designer and writer Kevin McCloud guides us through the trials and tribulations – physical, financial and emotional – of those obsessively trying to create a unique place to live, often over many months, even years.
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS S06b – FOX8
Fridays from January 15 at 7.30pm
Australian Premiere – Express from the US
Filled with mystery, scandal and intrigue, Pretty Little Liars is based on the best-selling book series and returns for another suspenseful season. Starring Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, and Shay Mitchell.
THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF S06 – Lifestyle FOOD
Tuesday January 19 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere
Once again, 12 new bakers don their aprons and head for the iconic tent in the heart of the British countryside. Judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood have created 30 new challenges that will test their baking prowess, creativity and skill in a bid to find the country’s best amateur baker. From Victorian classics to high-end patisserie, from chocolate sculptures to everyday staples, the bakers will need cool heads and even colder hands to make it to the final. With them every step of the way are Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, ready to lend a hand or a shoulder to cry on.
DC’s LEGENDS OF TOMORROW S01 – FOX8
Wednesdays from January 20 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere – Express from the US
When heroes alone are not enough, the world needs legends! Having seen the future, time travelling rogue Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill), comes back to the present day to recruit a disparate group of both heroes and villains to try and help prevent an apocalypse that could impact not only Earth, but all of time. Starring Arthur Darvill, Dominic Purcell and Wentworth Miller.
BIG DREAMS SMALL SPACES – The LifeStyle Channel
Thursdays from January 21 at 9.30pm
Australian Premiere
Monty Don, one of Britain’s favourite gardeners, has spent the last year working with enthusiasts up and down the country to help them create the garden of their dreams. He has listened to their plans, he has given them advice, and he has rolled up his sleeves to help make their dreams come true. But it’s not an easy task and there have been times when it all seemed nothing more than a pipe dream.
BASKETS – The Comedy Channel
January 2016
Australian Premiere
Chip Baskets (Zach Galifianakis) wants to follow his dream of being a French clown – however, reality keeps interfering. Saddled with financial difficulties and facing an impenetrable language barrier, he moves back home to Bakersfield with high hopes. There he is forced to confront his past while working as a rodeo clown and competing with his siblings for his mother’s approval and affection. The new 10-episode series from the FX network stars Zach Galifianakis, and is co-created by Galifianakis, Louis C.K. and Jonathan Krisel.
FEBRUARY 2016
VINYL – showcase
February 2016
Australian Premiere
From Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger and Terence Winter, this new drama series is set in 1970s New York. A ride through the sex- and drug-addled music business at the dawn of punk, disco, and hiphop, the show is seen through the eyes of a record label president, Richie Finestra, played by Bobby Cannavale, who is trying to save his company and his soul without destroying everyone in his path. Additional series regulars include Olivia Wilde, Ray Romano, Ato Essandoh, Max Casella, P.J. Byrne, J.C. MacKenzie, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Juno Temple, Jack Quaid, James Jagger and Paul BenVictor. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger, Terence Winter, Rick Yorn, Victoria Pearman, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, John Melfi and Allen Coulter. Winter serves as showrunner.
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF MELBOURNE S03 – Arena
February 2016
Australian Premiere – Local Production
Brace yourself, they’re back! Season three will see the return of Melbourne’s infamous Housewives Chyka Keebaugh, Gamble Breaux, Gina Liano, Jackie Gillies, Janet Roach, Lydia Schiavello and Pettifleur Berenger, who will be joined by Melbourne socialite and country girl turned Toorak Housewife, Susie McLean. This entertaining 10 x one hour soap-doc provides an insider view of the lifestyles of the wealthy and extravagant women with a revealing insight into their world. The stage is set for Melbourne’s eight Housewives to deliver more high-end drama and classic one-liners as they navigate the treacherous waters of once solid friendships and test the limits of loyalty.
SELLING HOUSES AUSTRALIA S09 – The Lifestyle Channel
February 2016
Australian Premiere – Local Production
In 2014 Selling Houses Australia entered the record books when it became the highest rating series in subscription television history. And it’s no wonder this is prime television property – with its muchloved trio of host Andrew Winter, interior designer Shaynna Blaze and landscape designer Charlie Albone, plus the sure-fire combination of real estate and renovation. Now entering its ninth season, this ASTRA winner has been a favourite since its premiere in 2008 with its makeover magicians notching up over 80 transformations on houses that no one can sell and no one wants to buy into saleable properties, with spectacular results. Across the country, whether the housing market is growing or slowing, real estate dominates the headlines and Australians have a keen interest in property, whether they’re first home buyers or investors, upsizing or downsizing. With Selling Houses Australia there’s the chance to learn from this A-team’s expertise and experience with the added bonus of absorbing viewing, the guaranteed outcome of renovating and selling a home – at the same time. Selling Houses Australia is produced by Beyond Productions exclusively for Foxtel’s The LifeStyle Channel.
GIRLS S05 – showcase
February 2016
Australian Premiere – Express from the US
Created by and starring Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture), the show is a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their mid-20s. Dunham wrote and directed the pilot of the series, which she executive produces with Judd Apatow and Jenni Konner. The cast also includes Jemima Kirke, Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver, Alex Karpovsky, Andrew Rannells and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Shot in New York, the much-anticipated 10-episode fifth season will premiere in February 2016.
TOGETHERNESS S02 – showcase
February 2016
Australian Premiere – Express from the US
Written, directed and executive produced by Jay and Mark Duplass (Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Cyrus), Togetherness is a comedic look at four middle-aged people reconciling their dreams with their current personal and professional lives in Los Angeles. Brett (Mark Duplass) and Michelle (Melanie Lynskey) are a married couple in their mid-late 30s struggling to adapt their relationship to the pressures of parenthood. Brett’s best friend is Alex (Steve Zissis), an overweight, out-of-work actor debating if he still has a shot at being successful. Alex connects with Michelle’s sister, Tina (Amanda Peet), a free spirit grappling with being single and getting older. Each adult fights to sustain his or her own passion without skirting responsibility. As the two couples find themselves living under one roof, Togetherness explores the significance behind every day moments.
WOMEN HE’S UNDRESSED (HBO Documentary) – showcase
February 2016
Australian Premiere
Orry-Kelly, the boy from the small coastal fishing village of Kiama, ran from the sheltered shores of Australia to chance his luck in the anything goes world of New York, but he would soon find himself seduced by the bright lights and big dreams of Hollywood, where his unbounded wit and talent would lead him to design gowns that lit up the golden age of cinema, his journey finally brought to life in Gillian Armstrong’s, Women He’s Undressed. An up close and personal look at the life of one of the silver screen’s most talented costume designers, Orry was as big a legend behind the scenes as the on-screen legends he adoringly dressed. But who was Orry-Kelly? Talented, daring, brash, bold, the toast of Hollywood yet the thorn in the side of many a studio head and the first Australian to win three Academy Awards – how could he be so unknown in his homeland? Now Gillian is taking us behind the scenes of Hollywood, with a little help from some of Orry’s long-time friends and colleagues, to reveal one of tinsel town’s best kept secrets and bring home the story of the boy from Kiama – friend and confidante to the screen greats of Hollywood’s golden age and a designer whose costumes created some of the most magical moments in cinema history.
THE GREAT INTERIOR DESIGN CHALLENGE S03 – Lifestyle HOME
Tuesdays from February 2 at 9.30pm
Australian Premiere
Back for a third series, The Great Interior Design Challenge is the hit home makeover show which sees design-savvy but money-conscious interior design hopefuls compete against each other in a bid to be crowned the country’s best amateur interior designer. Each episode sees three hopefuls transform a room each in the homes of members of the public with only 48 hours and £1000 to demonstrate their flair and creativity to the expert judges. Because the designers are making over real homes, they also need to keep the homeowners happy. At the end of the 48 hours, the transformation is revealed and a winner is announced – but the task isn’t over yet. After the initial rounds, the series builds up to a breathtaking final where the two best designers are given a whole house each to transform – with a bigger budget and three days to complete it. Will their designs and flair impress the judges? Will the homeowners like their made-over rooms? And who will be crowned the winner of The Great Interior Design Challenge?
WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS – Lifestyle FOOD
Mondays from February 8 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere
World’s Best Restaurants opens the doors on the most remarkable and exclusive establishments on the planet. Featuring three world famous restaurants per episode, the series explores every aspect of this luxurious world. There’s the glamour, decadence and compelling back stories concealed within its kitchens. The incredible food created by a cast of devoted restaurateurs and passionate chefs who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of perfection, set against the stunning backdrops. From a stunning underwater restaurant in the Maldives, an alfresco restaurant towering over Bangkok, exquisite New York City cuisine and 3 Michelin star restaurants in Spain and Las Vegas, to destination dining in the depths of rural England and Japan, the series travels the globe to find places where the food is outstanding, the service impeccable and the experience truly out of this world.
RACHEL HUNTER’S TOUR OF BEAUTY – LifeStyle YOU
Tuesdays from February 16 at 8.30pm
Australian Premiere
Rachel Hunter’s Tour of Beauty is a fascinating new series in which international supermodel Rachel Hunter embarks on a global odyssey, meeting remarkable individuals from all walks of life who believe they hold the key to superior wellbeing and age defying looks. What do they know that the rest of us don’t? Worldwide we’ve become obsessed with what we put on ourselves and what we put in ourselves. It’s a fixation, and a fascination in the media, and in our own lives. The market is jammed with products to make us look more attractive, feel better and improve our wellbeing. But are they the answer? This series aims to find out. Rachel Hunter’s Tour of Beauty – it’s a journey that’s bound to make a mark on Rachel’s lifestyle, and quite possibly all of ours.
UGLY HOUSE TO LOVELY HOUSE – The LifeStyle Channel
Thursdays from February 24 at 9.30pm
Australian Premiere
Hosted by expert architect George Clarke, this radical design series champions the power of great architecture to transform undervalued and unloved British housing stock into exciting spaces. In each episode, award-winning architects grapple with an “ugly” house and re-model it into an amazing new home, while sticking to a budget of around £50,000. The results are surprising, inspiring, and challenge our ideas about how we live in the 21st century.
