This is a list of Australian television-related events, debuts, finales, and cancellations that were scheduled to occur in 2021, the 66th year of continuous operation of television in Australia.
Events March Date Event Source12Nine Entertainment Co. and WIN Corporation announce a new affiliation agreement to begin 1 July with WIN Television stations to carry Nine programming. Southern Cross Austereo owned stations will return to Network 10 programming. Northern NSW stations NBN (owned by Nine) and NRN (owned by WIN) will not be impacted by the new agreement, but as part of the new affiliation agreement, WIN will act as NBN's sales agent effective July 1.
April
May
June Date Event Source23Network Ten renew their affiliation agreement with WIN Television for Northern New South Wales for an additional five years. The new agreement begins 1 July 2021.
July Date Event Source23The Seven Network broadcasts the 2020 Summer Olympics.
August Date Event Source13The Ellen DeGeneres Show is axed by the Nine Network, ending its 13-year run on the network (preceded by a short run on Network 10.) It leaves Dr. Phil (broadcast on Network 10) as the only remaining U.S. daytime talk show currently broadcast on Australian free-to-air television. A week later, Foxtel announces it is dropping the rights to the show as well.
November Date Event Source8Nine-owned regional station NBN commences local news production at its new Honeysuckle headquarters, following nearly 60 years of operation from its Mosbri Crescent studios, which was sold to property developers several years ago.
December Date Event Source23 Prime Media Group shareholders agree to a $132 million takeover from Seven West Media with the merger to take effect on January 1, 2022.
Television channels New channels/streaming services DateChannel23 FebruaryStar (Via Disney+)11 AugustParamount+October 14Flash
Channel closures
Affiliation changes 1 July – Nine Network programming to air on WIN Television owned and operated stations (excluding NRN) 1 July – Network Ten programming to air on Southern Cross Austereo owned and operated stations.
Premieres Domestic series + Program Original airdate Network Source Stutter School SBS Birdsville or Bust SBS Bowled Over SBS Kangaroo Beach ABC Kids Holey Moley Seven Network Aftertaste ABC Television Three Blue Ducks Network 10 Why Are You Like This ABC TV Plus The Cube Network 10 Space Invaders Nine Network Under Investigation with Liz Hayes Nine Network Amazing Grace Nine Network Mega Zoo Nine Network Space Nova (9Go!), (ABC Me) 9Go!ABC Me Ultimate Tag Seven Network Fisk ABC Advancing Australia Network 10 Wakefield (iview), (TV) ABC Television See What You Made Me Do SBS Art Works ABC Television The Unusual Suspects SBS Win the Week ABC Television Movin' to the Country ABC Television Life in Colour Nine Network Luxe Listings Sydney Amazon Prime Video Ms Represented ABC Television The Cheap Seats Network 10 Australia: Now and Then Seven Network Back to Nature ABC Television The Hundred with Andy Lee Nine Network RFDS Seven Network The Newsreader ABC Television Homicide with Ron Iddles Seven Network Beyond the Towers ABC Television Question Everything ABC Television What Does Australia Really Think About... SBS Nurses Seven Network Inside Central Station: Australia's Busiest Railway SBS The School That Tried to End Racism ABC Television Lie With Me TBA Network 10
International series + Program Original airdate Network Country of origin SourceRadiant2 JanuaryABC MeJapan Gigantosaurus 1 March 9Go! France/CanadaLego Monkie Kid 13 March 9Go! Denmark/ChinaBeyblade Burst Surge (season 5) 15 March 9Go! JapanBakugan: Geogan Rising (season 3) 20 March 9Go! Canada/JapanDroners 4 JuneABC MeFranceLog Horizon23 October Japan
Programming changes Changes to network affiliation Criterion for inclusion in the following list is that Australian premiere episodes will air in Australia for the first time on a new channel. This includes when a program is moved from a free-to-air network's primary channel to a digital multi-channel, as well as when a program moves between subscription television channels – provided the preceding criterion is met. Ended television series which change networks for repeat broadcasts are not included in the list.
+ List of domestic television series which changed network affiliation Program Date New network Previous network Source Dancing with the Stars Seven Network Network 10 The Voice Seven Network Nine Network Five Bedrooms Paramount+ Network 10
+ List of international television programs which changed network affiliation Program Date New network Previous network Country of origin Source
Free-to-air premieres This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian free-to-air television that had previously premiered on Australian subscription television. Programs may still air on the original subscription television network. + Program Date Free-to-air network Subscription network(s) Country of origin Source
Subscription premieres This is a list of programs which made their debut on Australian subscription television, having previously premiered on Australian free-to-air television. Programs may still air (first or repeat) on the original free-to-air television network. + Program Date Free-to-air network Subscription network(s) Source
Returning programs Australian produced programs which are returning with a new season after being absent from television from the previous calendar year.
Show Return date Previous run Type of return Previous channel New/same channel Source H2O: Just Add Water(as H2O: Just Add More Water) Autumn 2008–2010 Revival Network 10 Disney+http://www.jmsp.com.au/jmsp/public/public Territory Cops 2012–2016; intermittently New season Network 10 same The Celebrity Apprentice Australia 2011–2015 New season Nine Network same The Weakest Link 2001–2002 New season Seven Network Nine Network Beauty & the Geek Australia 2009–2014 New season Seven Network Nine Network
a Was originally due to premiere on 4 May 2021, but was delayed by three weeks due to a tight production schedule.
Endings + Program End date Network Start date Source The Mix 27 March 2021 ABC 14 June 2014 Doctor Doctor 23 June 2021 Nine Network 14 September 2016 Totally Wild 27 June 2021 Network 10 12 July 1992
Deaths
Name Date Age Field Broadcasting notability Reference Gaynor Bunning 12 January aged 82 Radio variety and Melbourne TV personality The Gaynor Bunning Show, Teenage Mailbag, The Bobby Limb Show In Melbourne Tonight, Pot Luck Trisha Noble 23 January aged 76 Singer and Actress Bandstand Russell Goodrick 11 May not given Radio personality, DJ and TV news presenter, businessman (although worked in London, England) Nine News Mary Rossi 25 May aged 95 Television presenter Woman's World John Gregg (actor) 1 June aged 82 Theatre, TV and film actor, and voice over artistContrabandits, Delta Dinah Shearing 20 June aged 95 Actress, known for numerous plays and TV series Othello, Family and Friends Reg Gorman 6 August aged 82 TV actor The Sullivans Wynn Roberts 2 September aged 97 Radio, theatre and television Prisoner, Neighbours and Law of the Land Doug Parkinson 15 March aged 74 Musician and actor The Young Doctors, Always Greener, Shadows of the Heart Frank Warrick 11 May aged 76 Newsreader and presenter Seven News, Nine News, The World Around Us, The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime Lorrae Desmond 23 May aged 91 Singer and actress The Lorrae Desmond Show, A Country Practice Mike Bailey 20 July aged 71 Television and radio weather presenter ABC News, Seven News. Jonathan "Jono" Coleman 9 July aged 65 English-born radio and television presenter Simon Townsend's Wonder World, Studio 10 Mary Ward 19 July aged 106, Actress and broadcaster Prisoner, Sons and Daughters David Leckie 20 July aged 70 Network television executive Media executive of Nine Network, Seven Network John Cornell 23 July aged 80 Actor, director, producer and writer The Paul Hogan Show Dieter Brummer 24 July aged 45, Actor Home and Away, Underbelly, Neighbours Phil Lambert 25 July aged 71 Camera operator and floor manager Hey Hey It's Saturday Brian Henderson 5 August aged 89 Newsreader and presenter Nine News, Bandstand Ernie Sigley 15 August aged 82 Radio and television presenter Sunnyside Up, Adelaide Tonight, The Ernie Sigley Show, Wheel of Fortune, In Melbourne Today Bert Newton 30 October aged 83, Radio and television personality In Melbourne Tonight, The Bert Newton Show, New Faces, Good Morning Australia, Berts Family Feud Beverley Dunn 27 November aged 88 Film, TV, voicexandxradio Shine
See also 2021 in Australia List of Australian films of 2021
References