Bert's third axing

Bert Newton's What A Year has been axed, following the fate of Bert's Family Feud and 20 to 1, the other shows he's done for Channel 9 in the past couple of years: News.com story.

It's been depressing to see the kinds of pathetic light entertainment filler Channel 9 has put Bert in. Good Morning Australia on Channel Ten would counted as 'pathetic light entertainment filler' too, but, somehow, for me it worked.

There was something really special about the often no-name guests, the dozy pace, the cozy atmosphere, and Bert's self-deprecating, slightly subversive style: his knowing looks to camera; his talking to Tonia Toddman in filthy double-entendres; his subtly mocking the guest psychic; his strange interactions with Belvedere, the boy-faced crew member. With its three hours of relaxed crappiness and the frequent, disjointed throws to infomercial interviews, Good Morning Australia was a show which virtually insisted that you only half pay attention, soaking up Bert's charisma as you do other things. Perfect morning television.

The shows Channel 9 stuck Bert in were exactly the wrong types of show for him. He's still on contract with 9; here's hoping they find something better for him. From the News.com story:

One of his former colleagues at Ten said many at the network were saddened at the disappointing response to his new programs on Nine.

"You have to understand, a lot of people loved Bert here," the source said.

"He was with us for a long time, but here he was a star because, with our youth line-up, he was kind of an oddity.

"Over at Nine, where their viewers and stars are a lot older, he was just another guy who had been around forever, so he couldn't really make a big impact.

"There was this whole cult thing that started to build about how 'Bert was cool' when he was a big name at Ten.

"Nine obviously hoped to cash in on it, but, once again, they didn't seem to get it."