You’ve read the book…

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.. Now listen to it read by the author!
While listening to Shaun talk about his new book at the Melbourne Writers Festival, it was discussed that he’d also read and voiced the audio book version of De’Ath Takes a Holiday.
Shaun admitted that Comte De’Arth’s voice is reminiscent of Bella Legosi, and that throughout the book he pretty much runs the gamut of his impression library – even some Chris Walken. Most of the characters sound like he imagined them as he wrote the book.

Shaun was also in the audio booth for another of his books, brushing off Preincarnate, a book from 15 years ago. Shaun did admit that parts of Preincarnate had not aged as well as he’d remembered, and a few “edits” were made along the way.

You can find these, and the audio book of his autobiography, Tripping Over Myself (also in audio book form) where audiobooks are sold (eg. Audible)

Going for Broke airs in May

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Shaun’s three-part documentary series on Australia’s love of gambling is on screens next month!

Shaun Micallef’s Going for Broke will air on May 19th at 8pm on ABC TV, and will also be streaming on iView. Here’s a preview:

You can also watch clip of the “companion” documentary, Shaun Micallef’s On the Sauce, on YouTube.

A Vampire Weekend

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Shaun has been scrivening away and there’s a new book to about to hit our shelves, and Bram Stoker would sue, if he wasn’t dead.

De’Ath Takes a Holiday is the origin story of the first real vampyre (not Dracula). Comte De’Ath decides to take a trip, and along the way gets involved in a number of (now historic events). Imagine The President’s Desk, if it was an undead blood sucker.

You can get your copy March 31st!

A new doco in 2026

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We’re pleased to hear that Shaun will be back on television (specifically the ABC) in 2026 with a new documentary: Shaun Micallef’s Going for Broke

You may recall in 2020, Shaun presented a short documentary series about Australia’s love of alcohol: Shaun Micallef’s On the Sauce. Next year, he’ll turn his eye on a similar national obsession: gambling. Will he make sense of it? Or will he succumb to the lure of a bet?

But unfortunately, Eve of Destruction won’t be returning for a season three next year – so Going for Broke is currently the only show announced for Shaun in 2026.

Shaun "on the sauce"

Another Christmas Eve (of Destruction)

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Season two of Shaun Micallef’s Eve of Destruction may have finished, but there’s one more treat left – Santa has brought another Christmas special episode of Eve of Destruction, airing again on, appropriately, Christmas Eve.

Eve of Destruction Christmas Special 2025

Shaun will be joined by Steph Tisdell and Luke McGregor, with special guests and some Christmas elves. Wednesday 24 December 7:30pm ABC TV and ABC iview

Micallef (Tonight) on Sam Pang Tonight

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Shaun on Sam Pang Tonight

Shaun was the guest announcer for this week’s Sam Pang Tonight! (Season 2, Episode 3)

While being a comic foil for Sam throughout the show, Shaun did get a chance to reminisce with Sam about hosting his own Tonight show 23 years ago. They spoke about the brief nature of it (13 episodes) and Sam’s favourite joke from it – that Shaun was “caught” watching a rival show (Andrew Denton’s Enough Rope) while Danni Minogue performed during his own show.

It was a nice little sprinkling of Shaun fun, but I do miss the anarchic nature of Micallef Tonight.

A ghostly new play

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Michael Ward, writer and Kraken from Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell, has written a new play: The Haunting of Spook Mansion (By Ghosts).

Professor Adrian Chambers is offered $500,000 to spend a night in a haunted house. Easy money? Perhaps. But what happens when this sceptic of all things supernatural comes face to face with the ghosts of his past? A possessed ventriloquist dummy. A mysterious locked room. A bogus séance. And ghosts. Lots of ghosts …

The play is staring another Mad As Hell alumni, Emily Tahney, as well as Peter Houghton and Ben Russell.

Shaun describes it as ‘Funnier than Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts and far less Norwegian.’

You can see it at Chapel off Chapel during November.

Recap: Shaun Micallef’s Eve of Destruction Season 2

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Here’s the wrap up of the second season of Eve of Destruction:

Episode 1
Guests: Frank Woodley, Ariane Titmus (and Colin Lane)
Threat: Nuclear destruction
Snack: Goldfish
Destroyed: Frank’s guitar

Episode 2
Guests: Lisa McCune, Josh Cavallo
Threat: Cliff Top erosion
Snack: Lemons
Destroyed: Lisa’s Coffee Machine

Episode 3
Guests: John Safran and Celeste Barber
Threat: Termites
Snack: Pigs in Blankets
Destroyed: John’s scrabble board and dictionary

Episode 4
Guests: Tony Martin and Melissa Leong
Threat: Earth’s core has stopped rotating and we’re leaving for Neptune
Snack: Sausages
Destroyed: Tony’s high school year book

Episode 5
Guests: Rhys Nicholson and Marcia Hines
Threat: House is about to be bulldozed due to being made of uranium asbestos
Snack: Tofu
Destroyed: Rhys’s Andy Warhol signed one dollar bill

Episode 6
Guests: Kate Jenkinson and David Bromley (and Tom Gleeson)
Threat: Landlord burning down the house with a Molotov cocktail
Snack: Cucumber sandwiches
Destroyed: David’s passport

Shaun to host Just For Laughs All-Star Gala

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Sydney’s annual comedy festival Just for Laughs returns, with the centerpiece being the All-Star Gala at the Sydney Opera House. And the Gala host will be Shaun!

The Gala will have a lineup of local and international comedians, including Reggie Watts, Melanie Bracewell, Wil Anderson, Joel Creasey, Celia Pacquola and Preacher Lawson.

Just for Laughs Sydney is a local offshoot of the namesake festival held in Montreal.

The show will be Saturday 15th of November – more details at the website.

Origin Odyssey returning next year

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It’s been confirmed that Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey will return in 2026 on SBS TV and OnDemand.

Origin Odyssey sees Shaun travelling with young comedians and discovering their family roots with them. The first season aired in 2024. The second season will feature a new batch of six comedians, although we’re yet to learn who, and filming will occur next year.

Interview and travel shows might be the typical fare for a “semi-retired” comedian, but Shaun has put his flavour on it, and the first season had a great mix of Shaun’s humour and genuine moments with the guest. And great to know we’ll have Shaun on our screens next year!