1990: June 9-15

tvweek_090690 Cover: Sophie Heathcote, Georgie Parker (A Country Practice)

Why Linda’s quitting the neighbourhood
Neighbours star Linda Hartley has decided to leave the popular soap after a behind-the-scenes battle between producers Grundy Television and the Ten Network. Hartley had requested for a break from the series to allow time to travel overseas and to pursue an opportunity for a singing career, but Grundy’s were not keen to renew her contract, claiming the show had exceeded its casting budget. They had planned to write out Hartley’s character, Kerry Mangel, along with other characters Des Clarke (Paul Keane) and Beverley Robinson (Shauna O’Grady), but Ten then stepped in and negotiations between Grundy’s and Hartley resumed. However, negotiations again broke down and Hartley has decided to leave the series, with her final scenes to be taped next month.

The Foreign Legion wants you!
E Street star Bruce Samazan got the shock of his life recently when he received a letter from the French Government calling him to return to France for compulsory military national service. The actor was born in French Malagasy in 1970 but came with his parents to Australia in 1973. “I’ve grown up here living a normal Australian life as an Australian citizen. The only thing different about me is that I also have French citizenship,” he told TV Week. “I now have to prove my Australian citizenship to the French Consulate. If I can’t do that, they are within their rights to find me and take me back.”

colncarpenter How Col’n became Randy
Col’n Carpenter (Kim Gyngell), the lead character in the Network Ten sitcom of the same name, is stuck in bed with a fever and has dreams of being a debonair cabaret singer, Randy Lombardo, who is constantly surrounded by beautiful women. But the same can’t be said for Col’n (pictured), who has never had a girlfriend, but has eyes in particular for one TV presenter… Helen Wellings from The Investigators. “She has charisma and knows so much about household appliances,” according to Col’n. “And I like Magda Szubanski on Fast Forward because she’s a really good laugher. I like some of the SBS women, too. They speak my language, but sometimes the subtitles go before I finish reading them.”

Briefly…
The dreams of A Country Practice’s young couple Matt Tyler (John Tarrant) and Lucy Gardiner (Georgie Parker) are turned into ashes in episodes to go to air this week, when their future home is burnt to the ground in a bushfire that threatens rural Wandin Valley.

Beyond 2000’s globetrotting reporter Amanda Keller has managed some time out from her schedule to get married to her boyfriend of two years, Harley Oliver. The pair were married in Sydney and were soon on their way to Malaysia for their honeymoon.

John Laws says:
”The Couchman show is a carefully stage-managed production. Confrontations are contrived and expected, simply because the producers go to any lengths to bring together people who hold extreme and opposing views on the subject to be debated.”

rebeccasmartProgram Highlights (June 9-15):
Saturday: HSV7
presents the four-hour Earth ‘90 special, Prince Charles – Children And The Environment, where HRH Prince Charles gives a personal view of the environmental problems that face the world today. The program includes appearances by Debbie Gibson, Olivia Newton-John, Julio Iglesias, Audrey Hepburn, John Denver and the Vienna Children’s Choir. SBS presents a replay of the previous night’s World Cup opening ceremony and the overnight game featuring Argentina versus Cameroon. Live coverage resumes after midnight with United Arab Emirates versus Colombia, USSR versus Romania and Italy versus Austria. SBS’ coverage of the World Cup continues each night from midnight through to 7.00am, with replays of matches the following afternoon and a 90-minute highlights package each evening.
Sunday: Sunday night movies are The Principal (GTV9) and The Jewel Of The Nile (ATV10). HSV7 presents the Royal Variety Performance before HRH Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke Of Edinburgh. Later in the evening, GTV9 presents live coverage of the final of the French Open tennis and the Austrian 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix.
Monday: GTV9 presents the debut of children’s drama series Elly And Jools, starring Rebecca Smart (pictured), Anne Tenney and Dennis Miller.
Wednesday: ATV10 presents a delayed telecast of the Rugby League State Of Origin match between Queensland and NSW.
Friday: HSV7 crosses to Perth for a direct telecast of AFL featuring West Coast Eagles versus Hawthorn.

Source: TV Week (Victoria edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide.
9 June 1990. Southdown Press.

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2010/06/1990-june-9-15.html

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