As the end of 2019 fast approaches – seriously, where did the year go? – all the major networks are sharing their plans for year ahead.
At the Nine Upfronts in Sydney on Wednesday, the network unveiled their line-up of new and returning TV shows for Nine, 9Gem, 9Life, 9Go! and catch-up service 9Now in 2020.
First, Nine will wrap up 2019 with Carols By Candlelight, hosted by Sonia Kruger and David Campbell.
After the Christmas break, Nine’s 2020 broadcast will kick off with The Australian Open, followed by prime-time reality shows including Married At First Sight, LEGO Masters, The Voice Australia, Australian Ninja Warrior and The Block.
Scroll through to see everything new – and returning – to Nine in 2020.
REALITY TV
Ratings smash-hit Married At First Sight will return with love experts Mel Schilling, Dr Trisha Stratford and John Aiken back to help 20 Australian singles find love… with a stranger, on their wedding day.
With two major success stories this year – Jules Robinson and Cameron Merchant, Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli – the show will be back, and better than ever for its seventh season in 2020.
LEGO Masters, which burst on to the scene earlier this year, will be back with host Hamish Blake and judge Ryan “Brickman” McNaught.
Eight passionate new LEGO creators will face-off in huge new challenges, where they’ll create mind-blowing models and masterpieces.
The Voice Australia is back for its ninth season, with all four superstar coaches returning to the iconic big red chair.
Kelly Rowland, Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian and Boy George will be back to coach All Star and new contestants, as they aim to win the $100,000 prize money and recording contract.
Rebecca Maddern, Ben Fordham and Freddie Flintoff will be back on our screens for the fourth season of the exhilarating reality series Australian Ninja Warrior.
Despite rumours of his retirement, Scott Cam will return as host of The Block alongside Shelley Craft. Judges Neale Whitaker, Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer, foreman Keith Schleiger and his right-hand man, Dan Reilly, will all return for the show’s 16th season.
The new blockheads will be taking on working on a huge block of land in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton.
A controversial new series called The Parent Jury will premiere, following ‘brave’ mums and dads who believe their parenting style is the best will be put to the ultimate test.
Travel Guides returns, with some hilarious new travellers joining the crew as our holidaymakers hit Europe, the Middle East, USA, Africa, Asia and undiscovered corners of Australia.
DRAMA
Nine will serve up a bevy of delightful new dramas in 2020, beginning with the return of forensic psychiatrist Jane Halifax in HALIFAX: Retribution.
As previously revealed, Rebecca will be returning to the iconic role alongside Anthony LaPaglia (as head of Task Force Stingray, Inspector Tom Saracen).
The network unveiled more of the stellar cast at the Upfronts, with Claudia Karvan (Secret Life Of Us, Jack Irish), Jacqueline McKenzie (Safe Harbour, Romper Stomper), Rick Donald (800 Words, Wentworth), Craig Hall (A Place to Call Home), Michala Banas (Bad Mothers), Mavournee Hazel (Neighbours), Louisa Mignone (Rake), Stephen Curry (The King) and John Waters (Rake) joining the series.
A new drama mini-series called Informer 3838 – based on the events involving gangland lawyer turned police informer Nicola Gobbo – will captivate audiences with a star-studded cast.
Ella Scott Lynch (Love Child, Doctor Doctor, Upright) will play the gangland lawyer known as Lawyer X, Nicola Gobbo.
She’s joined by returning Underbelly stars Gyton Grantley (House Husbands, The Dressmaker) as Carl Williams and Robert Mammone (Fat Tony & Co., Mystery Road, Water Diviner) will again play Tony Mokbel.
Also joining the series Rhys Muldoon (Rake, House Husbands), Stephen Peacocke (Five Bedrooms, Home and Away), Richard Davies (Offspring, Tidelands), Olympia Valance (Neighbours, Playing For Keeps), Jane Harber (Offspring, A Moody Christmas) and Hollie Andrew (Fat Tony & Co., Somersault).
Yes, TV WEEK readers, Steve Peacocke will be appearing in two Aussie TV shows in 2020, with the return of Five Bedrooms to Network 10 confirmed last week.
Doctor Doctor will make its hotly anticipated return in 2020, with its fourth season finally due to return.
Dr Hugh Knight (Rodger Corser) is back, along with Nicole da Silva (Charlie), Ryan Johnson (Matt), Tina Bursill (Meryl), Hayley McElhinney (Penny), Matt Castley (Ajax), Chloe Bayliss (Hayley), Belinda Bromilow (Betty), Charles Wu (Ken) and Miranda Tapsell (April).
Joining the gang in Whyhope are Dustin Clare (Glitch, Wolf Creek, Spartacus, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities), Kate Jenkinson (Wentworth, Offspring, Tangle) and Robyn Nevin (Top of the Lake, Upper Middle Bogan, Back in Very Small Business).
REAL LIFE
A new variety show called Step Back in Time will offer viewers a blast from the past through a familiar lens, as they celebrate key moments in pop culture in front of a live studio audience.
A gritty new medical observational documentary called Emergency will give viewers unprecedented access to one of Australia’s busiest hospital emergency departments.
Fan-favourite documentary series Paramedics returns, offering insight to the daily lives of emergency service heroes working for Ambulance Victoria.
RBT also returns, taking viewers behind the lines of the South Australian Police Force and their random breath testing operations.
Viewers can take a peek behind the fences of Taronga Zoo in a new documentary set at the famous Sydney Zoo. Taronga: Who’s Who In The Zoo will unveil what it takes to run one of the world’s most famous and magnificent zoos, with no area off limits.
BBC documentary series Seven Worlds, One Planet, presented by Sir David Attenborough, will premiere on Nine in early 2020. It takes viewers to the seven continents, with each one-hour episode telling the story of specific wildlife and landscapes.
The 62nd TV WEEK Logie Awards will return to Nine in 2020, broadcast live and exclusively from Queensland’s Gold Coast.
NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS
The network’s 5:00am Nine News Early Edition will continue to air, leading in to the Today show. Today Extra will continue to air from 9:00am each weekday with Nine’s Morning News wrapping up the early broadcasts at 11:30am. Meanwhile, Weekend Today will continue at 7:00am on Saturdays and Sundays.
Nine News Now at 3:00pm will continue, with each capital city receiving a localised bulletin of Nine’s Afternoon News at 4:00pm. At 6.00pm Nine News continues coverage, ending at 7:00pm before the network’s final news offering A Current Affair.
60 Minutes will air Sunday nights, continuing its position as the network’s public affairs program since 1979.
SPORT
The Australian Open will air across Nine, 9Gem and 9Now, with broadcast hosts Rebecca Maddern, James Bracey and Tony Jones.
They’ll be joined by commentators John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Sam Smith, Todd Woodbridge, Lleyton Hewitt, Alicia Molik, Jelena Dokic, Sam Groth, Dylan Alcott and Casey Dellacqua. Coverage begins on January 3 with the brand-new ATP Cup.
The 2020 NRL Premiership begins in March, when fans will be able to watch and stream every one of Nine’s NRL games, across Nine and 9Now. The commentary box will feature rugby league experts including Phil Gould, Andrew Johns, Billy Slater, Brad Fittler, Johnathan Thurston, Paul Vautin, Ruan Sims, Darren Lockyer, Wally Lewis, Peter Sterling, Allana Ferguson, Sam Thaiday and Paul Gallen.
Along with the NRL Premiership, State of Origin and Women’s State of Origin will return to Nine.
The 2020 Men and Women’s Cricket T20 World Cups, which will be held in Australia, will be shown live on Nine. The women’s World Cup commences on February 21, with the men’s World Cup starting later in the year, on October 18.
Suncorp Super Netball will return, with Australian netball Hall of Famer, Liz Ellis, spearheading Nine’s coverage of two live games per week.
The annual international Quad Series returns to Nine in 2020 with Australia taking on England, New Zealand and South Africa. The Australian Diamonds will again play the New Zealand Silver Ferns in the Constellation Cup, in October 2020.