Tonightly, the embarrassing ABC production loosely classified as comedy, has been axed.
Tonightly was hosted by ex-JJJ host Tom Ballard, who on a good night looked uncomfortable in front of the camera. On a bad night, it was disastrous television.
Tonightly simply wasn’t funny. The context was often mean-spirited and its treatment of news came across as nasty, not informative. The ABC was forced to apologise for the show after the C word was broadcast for no other reason than shock value.
The show’s host Tom Ballard was also accused of indecent assault of a young comedian JooYung Roberts during the production. Ballard was then put in the unpleasant situation of having to publically defend his reputation. No charged were laid.
Despite pathetic ratings (18000 across five markets according to OzTam and 26,000 nationally) the show was often criticised for crossing the line. While the ABC justified the show for “deliberately pushing boundaries” the broadcaster has admitted Tonightly was an “experiment”.
Tonightly clocked up 150 episodes but will not be renewed.
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