The 2019 edition of 10’s Pilot Week will be missing a key highlight with confirmation today production has halted on the Casey Donovan hosted special, Catfish Australia.
Based on a successful US format, Catfish Australia had promised to come to the aid of potential online-dating victims, and face off against the real identities behind online scam profiles.
TV Blackbox understands the decision was made not to continue with the program after producers failed to secure appropriate talent during the casting process.
The pilot week special was to have been hosted by music star and catfish victim, Casey Donovan, along with former SBS The Feed presenter Patrick Abboud.
A spokesperson for 10 confirmed production of Catfish Australia would not be proceeding, telling TV Blackbox;
“We swear, we didn’t Catfish you! Unfortunately, Catfish Australia is no longer part of our 2019 Pilot Week schedule. We cast out a line, but didn’t have the right bait to catch you a catfish in time.”
The 2019 week of Pilot programming will kick off later this year featuring the larger than life reality of Sydney’s Crazy Rich Asians, and I Am…Roxy!, along with the heart-warming My 80-Year-Old Flatmate, and the off-beat comedy Part-Time Privates.“
Shame, was the only pilot I was interested in this year.
Maybe they can cast out further and ready this for later in the year
Pity cancelled.. Maybe Catfish was too much work for channel 10? Following someone with a couple of cameras is much easier then trying to set up an ep of this show. It’s pretty hard to believe no ‘cast/victims’ available in Australia. May also have been budget decision as probably plenty of Aussies caught in catfish net cast from overseas?