''The Bounce'' is an Australian sports television program which debuted on 24 March 2010. It was a variety program focused on the

Australian rules Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

football league The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...

, and was hosted by comedian

Peter Helliar Peter Jason Matthew Helliar (born 16 June 1975) is an Australian comedian, actor, television, radio presenter, writer, producer and director. He is best known for his work on television as a former regular co-host of '' The Project'' on Networ ...

. It also featured former Australian rules footballers Matthew Richardson and

Leigh Matthews Leigh Raymond Matthews (born 1 March 1952) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and coached and the . Squat, short-legged and barrel-chested, Matthews earned the ic ...

Demise

After five episodes, on 22 April 2010, the Seven Network announced that the show had been stopped 'indefinitely', at least until the finals series in September. This was cited as due to its poor ratings in the AFL heartland of

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. However, the program was never brought back. Seven instead broadcast a primetime version of

AFL Game Day ''AFL Game Day'' was an Australian television program broadcast on the Seven Network in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania and on 7mate in all other states. In Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania it a ...

during the Finals Series. ''

The AFL Footy Show ''The Footy Show'' was an Australian sports and variety entertainment television program which aired on the Nine Network. The show was dedicated to the Australian Football League (AFL) and Australian rules football. The show featured a panel o ...

'' did a song parodying ''The Bounce'' in their Grand Final show, making fun the show's bad ratings and reviews that had ''

The Vicar Of Dibley ''The Vicar of Dibley'' is a British sitcom which originally ran on BBC One from 10 November 1994 to 1 January 2007. It is set in a fictional small Oxfordshire village called Dibley, which is assigned a female vicar following the 1992 changes ...

'' repeats replacing it. Ironically, ''The AFL Footy Show'' would also be cancelled due to declining ratings by the end of the decade.

References

Australian rules football television series 2010 Australian television series debuts 2010 Australian television series endings Seven Network original programming {{Australia-tv-prog-stub