The Block closes, more reality TV awaits

The Block has ended, but there's no end of locally-made reality shows filling Australian TV networks' schedules through 2014.

They've downed tools on The Block: Fans v Faves and The Biggest Loser: Challenge ends on Sunday, but there's no end in sight for locally produced reality shows.

More than a dozen are still to air in 2014. The most dubious - likely to be either an instant hit or an unmitigated disaster - might just be the Nine Network's Married At First Sight, which is taken from a Danish format.

It involves relationship experts pairing four men with four women: the newly matched Aussie couples first set eyes on each other at the altar, and then have to come to grips with being married to a perfect stranger.

It's not the only "dating" show Nine hopes its viewers will fall in love with.

When Love Comes To Town is a variation on The Farmer Wants A Wife: it's hosted by Natalie Gruzlewski and will air after Easter.

The series is based on Norwegian dating show Babes On A Bus. A dozen girls are bussed around Australia, visiting towns such as Robe, Cobram and Mt Isa to meet local bachelors.

If a girl finds "Mr Right", she jumps off the bus and her spot is filled by a "newbie" to ensure the numbers are topped up for the next stop.

Network Ten will serve up another season of girls-meet-boy series The Bachelor. The Seven Network's only match-making series will be Beauty And The Geek. (It ditched Please, Marry My Boy.)

Seven will screen Bringing Sexy Back: it's similar to the US reality show Extreme Makeover, which ended in 2007.

Hosted by Sunrise presenter Samantha Armytage, Bringing Sexy Back will give ultimate make-overs for "people stuck in a rut".

Seven has still to announce when Bringing Sexy Back will air, but House Rules and the new auction series Under The Hammer are flagged to begin after Easter.

In House Rules, contestants' homes are refurbished: the show started off disastrously for Seven in 2013 but later went gang-busters. Under The Hammer follows home buyers.

House Rules and Under The Hammer could go head-to-head with Nine's blockbuster singing series The Voice, which has recruited Kylie and The Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am as mentors.

The Voice will start after Easter. It will be followed in the second half of 2014 by The Voice Kids.

That could result in a ratings sing-off between The Voice Kids and Seven's The X Factor, which has just gone into production in Melbourne. Dancing With The Stars will also return.

Meanwhile, Nine is producing another series of The Block for 2014, and casting auditions have started for Big Brother.

Ten's only other reality show for the year is MasterChef, which "starts soon". The format now includes Sydney chef Kylie Kwong as a regular mentor.

Foxtel channel Fox8 will construct the catwalk for Australia's Next Top Model and will also screen The Recruit, an AFL talent-search series.

The Recruit is a 10-episode show which rewards the winner with a guaranteed spot on an AFL club's roster.

REALITY TV SHOWS STILL TO AIR IN 2014:

Seven: House Rules, The X Factor, Under The Hammer, Beauty And The Geek, Bringing Sexy Back, The Amazing Race (Aust v NZ), Dancing With The Stars.

Nine: The Voice, When Love Comes To Town, Big Brother, The Block (season nine), The Voice Kids, Married At First Sight.

Ten: MasterChef, The Bachelor.

Foxtel: Australia's Next Top Model, The Recruit, Real Housewives Of Melbourne Reunion.


Share

4 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world