News over the weekend that Friday night lifestyle show THE LIVING ROOM had been axed appeared to be confirmed by Channel 10, but a new interview with the head of programming has changed everything… again!
When TV Tonight broke the news of its axing, channel 10 appeared to confirm the story with a spokesperson saying;
“The Living Room will not return in 2020.
“We are thrilled that the brilliant team of Amanda, Barry, Miguel and Chris will be back at 7.30 on Friday nights next year, watch this space for more information.”
I, like every other writer, took this to mean The Living Room had been axed and a new show would replace it with the same hosts next year.
BUT in a new interview with TV Blackbox Daniel Monaghan, 10’s head of programming, indicates the show is not dead, saying;
“Well it’s not coming back in 2020, I’m not going to use the word axed.”
YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL MONAGHAN HERE
Sources have told TV Blackbox the network wants to bring the show in-house and cut out production company WTFN, which has produced the show since its inception in 2012.
When I asked Monaghan whether the 2020 show would be an internal production or produced by WTFN he wasn’t prepared to be drawn on the subject;
“I don’t have those answers for you Rob, I’m sorry.
“We’re going to have Amanda, Barry, Miguel and Chris back at 7.30 on Friday nights next year but we just don’t have the information you’ll need and everyone wants at the moment but it won’t be under the brand of The Living Room for next year but we will have those four back. You’ll have to watch this space.”
The hosts of The Living Room have been very vocal on twitter confirming their return in the same timeslot next year;
The four of us are back next year watch this space same time same place, Friday at 7,30
— Miguel Maestre (@TheCrazyBull) November 30, 2019
Amanda Keller spoke about the situation on her WSFM radio show on Monday morning, saying;
“The four of us will be fronting a lifestyle show, but it may not be called, actually I don’t think it will be called ‘The Living Room’,
“We’ve been pushing for this for some time”
So, the question remains – has The Living Room been axed?
It certainly looks that way but Monaghan’s avoidance of the term ‘axed’ is telling. TV Blackbox reached out to WTFN but they did not respond to enquires.
The network might be avoiding the term ‘axed’ in order to keep their options open for 2021 if the replacement show fails to connect with viewers, although 10 would rightly be wanting to create a new brand with proven performers so they can own the content. In a world of diminishing returns and fragmenting audiences, owning content is getting far more important than it once was.
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Sounds like they want to expand out of the living room. Maybe it will become Eat-In Kitchen?