Category: Mad as Hell

We’re only two weeks away from Mad As Hell, and we’re starting to get plenty of details.

In an interview with Time Out, Shaun admits that the show is a sort of spiritual evolution to Newstopia, which he’s wanted to return to since it ended 4 years ago. Some of the major differences will be the live audience, a more sketch show focus and national focus (rather than international), and it won’t be just a panel style show – Shaun’s sick of seeing them, enjoyable as they are.

It’s named so, because Shaun assumes the stories they pick as “big” are the ones the audience will be mad about, but will also give the best joke.

He also confirmed that TAYG is pretty much over; the run was good but the team has all moved on to other things, the the momentum would be difficult to rev up again.

We also know the show will be taped a few days before the Friday airing – similar to In Gordon Street Tonight – on a Wednesday evening. At this stage, there are 10 episodes lined up.

Finally, the official website is up!

We’ve been getting tidbits of what to expect from Mad as Hell.

It’s been announced as a half-hour weekly round-up, branding, inoculation and crutching of all the important news stories of the week. There will be reportage, analysis, discussion, argument and dissection of the week’s events and what’s making the world turn every which way.

So, the cast: not surprisingly, but very happily, Francis (Greenslade) is on board. Also from the Micallef P(r)ogram(me) days is Roz Hammond. Veronica Milsom, Emily Taheny and newbie Tosh Greenslade (related?) round out the ensemble.

The show will have a studio audience! (Ticket info here) As previously ‘guessed’, it will be shot at the ABC Studios in Elsternwick, Melbourne.

So tell your parents, friends, cat(s), re-animated corpse in the basement, and that long lost uncle who moved interstate but you still write a Christmas card for – it starts Friday May 25 at 8pm on ABC1.