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Yes, SONIA KRUGER is hosting BIG BROTHER… but we told you that LAST YEAR!

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Despite nasty phone calls and denials, Seven has finally confirmed our story… here’s how it all played out.

Last year I received a tipoff that Big Brother would be coming back and I was told where it was going. After digging around I ran this story on the TV Blackbox website stating that Channel 7 would be airing the new series in 2020.

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In that story co-authoured by Kevin Perry we stated:

Ultimately it was Channel 7 who decided to pick up the format with Channel 10’s Chief Content Officer Bev McGarvey said not to be a fan of the show and Channel 9 already have a strong slate planned for 2020 (and their version of the franchise was widely panned). – 2 October 2019

The story created so much buzz executives at Seven were caught off guard, but leaks to the media suggested the story was completely wrong.

As we know, it turned out to be true.

In November TV Blackbox also revealed Sonia Kruger was set to be the host of the series;

Former Channel 9 star Sonia Kruger is returning to her old stomping ground at Seven. Not only is the popular presenter said to be tired of the daily grind of morning TV, but her desire is to focus on prime time television.

Channel 7 has come to the party by offering her the plumb role of host of the most talked about show of 2020 – Big Brother. – 7 November 2019

That story also garnered a lot of media attention but was hosed down by Seven to media outlets. I also received an angry call from a PR person at Endemol Shine who accused me of making stories up.

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I look forward to a cordial phone call from Endemol Shine apologising.


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Tonight, during My Kitchen Rules, Seven aired a promo confirmed Sonia Kruger would be hosting the reality series.


Now the point of all this is not to say ‘nah nah nah’ (although the temptation is very great), but to remind other media writers that denials that aren’t on the record cannot be trusted. Yes, we are a new outlet but our record for getting stories right… and first is right up there with the best. So next time they say “Oh what would TV Blackbox know” maybe, just maybe you won’t fall for it.

Meanwhile, leaked details of the format is diving fans. The new series has been described as ‘Survivor in a warehouse”‘ and, as also revealed by TV Blackbox will be shot at North Head Sanctuary, also known as The Barracks. It’s the same location previously used by Channel 10’s The Biggest Loser Australia: Couples.

It’s fair to say anticipation for the new series is high and Seven will be hoping for a major success… especially after the woeful performance of My Kitchen Rules.


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Know more about this or another Australian media story?

Contact the team anonymously at TV Blackbox

Robert McKnight
Robert McKnighthttps://tvblackbox.com.au/robert-mcknight/
"Leading TV commentator" - The Daily Telegraph | "Known for his impeccable sources in the TV industry" - The Daily Mail | "Always first with the correct info" - Beau Ryan | Robert McKnight is a highly regarded Australian Television Producer having worked at SEVEN, NINE and TEN during his 30 years in the industry. Currently Rob can be seen every fortnight on THE MORNING SHOW (7) and heard on NIGHTS WITH JOHN STANLEY (2GB/4BC). He is also a producer on 7 NEWS SPOTLIGHT.
Comments

10 COMMENTS

  1. Firstly, what a very poor choice on Seven’s behalf. Sonia was terrible before, I can’t imagine she’ll do any better in this new incarnation. She’s just not suited to it.

    Secondly, I have to say, publishing a news item essentially saying "I told you so" to competing outlets is a turnoff for readers. There are ways you could report on this news without gloating or being glib. I like the site, I really do, but stories like this one actually make me reluctant to visit. This isn’t intended to be rude or offensive, just constructive criticism.

    • Hi Jack, thanks for the constructive feedback.

      You make a good point and it’s one I will absolutely take on board. I guess you can tell I went through a lot behind the scenes after publishing the original story re Sonia and copped a lot of flak, so perhaps the article didn’t come from the best place.

      Thanks for reading!

  2. I’m sorry but this “I told you so article” is hideous. The recent announcement of Sonia is a new decision. It wasn’t confirmed back in November she was. She hadn’t even confirmed to leave Nine at this point, and when she did Seven announced she would be hosting Mega Mini Golf.
    For them to make that announcement and now say she won’t be able to host the show due to the commitments of BB, highlights it.

    If she was to host Big Brother from your “so called inside knowledge” they wouldn’t have announced the Golf, it’s embarrassing for them to now chnage that.

    Running around “I told you so” doesn’t look good let alone does it give you credibility.

    Time to grow up.

    • And yet our stories usually turn out to be right.

      Just because a network doesn’t confirm a story doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

      Thanks for the feedback "Mick"
      – Rob McKnight (who puts his full name on everything he writes)

      • Mick is actually my name if you refer to my email you would have seen that. Ha
        Granted networks don’t confirm stories. However the timeline as I mentioned above doesn’t line up with what you’re claiming to be your story being true.
        Why would they attach Sonia to Golf if she was due to host BB? Why make a fanfare of who will host BB like this? Nine didn’t. They kept quiet until they were ready to say she would host the show. It’s all a recent decision for her to host. In my opinion they should of steered clear from anyone who was attached to Nine or Ten for this to be the “big brother revolution” they have already failed at that with this announcement.

        Sure some of your stores are true, not doubting that. I’m a fan of your podcast. I just think badging this as a triumph for you is purely circumstantial. If you need to portray that, cool. But merit and credit where it’s due will get you to the position you want.

        The I told you behaviour just really isn’t professional.

        • Mick, do you really think that everything in this industry works with ‘official announcements’ and cordial goodbyes? If you really think TV Blackbox just made up the story and happened to get it right, I hope Rob can give me next week’s Lotto numbers!

  3. Tv Blackbox always has the inside scoop. Well done. It will be interesting to see how Big Brother goes in this current climate, not sure it will be the magic bullet Ch7 are hoping for. Quite funny they decided to officially let this out now whilst MKR flatlines in the ratings. Isn’t it on after the Olympics? Geez, we have to suffer months and months of them drip feeding information – boring! I noticed a number of comments on twitter regarding Sonia’s past comments on Muslims. I do wonder if that will come back to bite her and the network? Time will tell.

  4. Yesss…. I love this show, the Best Reality Show of all time. Though I’m not sure if Channel Seven are doing this right, hope it does very well but not confident about it.

    And @Mick and Jack commenting here is unfair and untrue, they don’t know anything about Media.

    @Robert McKnight, well done, I totally agree with you. All these Channels/Networks especially Channel Seven are liars, always lie. They do all this because they play around, tend to joke to the general public people and TV Journalist and all the Media. You can’t trust them, they always lie to mix and confuse everybody.
    So again thank you and well done to you, keep up your great work that you always do and you are the best at knowing the inside scoop information. TV Blackbox is well trusted, always come here for the news and information provided.
    Thanks again and very well done, congrats to you Robert McKnight..

  5. It was a complete guess that Sonia would host the show – she’s even stated that the show wasn’t even offered to her until just last week. She was clearly the backup plan if someone else they were courting fell through. Otherwise she would’ve been asked a long time ago.

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