Category: News

Trodding the Chekhov boards

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Shaun is once again working with the Melbourne Theatre Company, this time playing a role written by Anton Chekhov.

Uncle Vanya has been reimagined, balancing its original roots among modern themes, and Shaun is playing the role of “the Professor” (Serebryakov), whose actions directly lead to fracturing of family relations at the rural Russian estate. Shaun plays the role with some comedic effect, “bringing a pathetic naïveté to the character”.

It’s not Shaun’s first time with MTC (he joked in an interview “he haunts them every 10 years”), but is has been a while since he played in a more serious role.

Uncle Vanya is at the Arts Centre Melbourne until August 22nd.

Origin Odyssey Season Two in August

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Shaun with Pia on Origin Odyssey

Shaun is back to return to the roots of well known comedians and celebrities – not Homer’s Odyssey, but an Origin Odyssey!

Announced as returning for a second season last year, Origin Odyssey sees Shaun travel with his guests to their ancestral homelands, uncovering history and stories along the way, along with a dose of Shaun’s humor.

This season, Shaun is travelling with Pia Miranda, Tony Armstrong, Kate Langbroek, Luke McGregor, Denise Scott and Matt Okine, visiting Ghana, Germany, Jamaica, Scotland, Ireland and Italy to discover some road-less-travelled family heritages.

Season Two of Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey starts 7:30pm Tuesday 18 August on SBS, and can also be seen on SBS On Demand. Season One is already on SBS On Demand!

Exploring a book about Flinders

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Shaun has turned his literary hand to historical figures before, such as in The President’s Desk and De’ath Takes A Holiday, but now he’s taking less of a comedic re-telling approach and more of a factual one – focusing on Australia’s most famous explorer – Matthew Flinders.

Charting the chaos, comedy and contradictions behind the founding of Australia, Shaun takes a “wildly funny and meticulously researched reexamination” of the life of Flinders. As well as charting the chaotic route around Australia and beyond, Micallef asks bigger questions about who we are as a country and what it means to hold onto a legacy in an ever-changing-its-mind world.

“Matthew Flinders” will be available September 29th.

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

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!

Second Prize for Dancing

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The Dancing with the Stars Season 22 final has been run and won; and Shaun came… second!

Which is actually a fantastic effort, given Shaun’s dancing skill probably placed him in the middle of the competition. But his entertainment value was enough to sway the judges and the audience. And it’s what we love about him – he really seemed to enjoy his time on the show and especially his last dance, which had so many little personal touches.

After it was whittled down to a final two, the public was able to vote for their favourite. Kyle Shilling, from Home and Away, was chosen as the winner.

Congratulations to Shaun and Ash-leigh for a brilliant season and effort!