''The Chaser's Media Circus'' is an Australian television comedy quiz show which was broadcast on the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia’s principal public service broadcaster. It is funded primarily by grants from the federal government and is administered by a government-appointed board of directors. The ABC is ...

(ABC) television station

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

. The series was produced by the Australian satirical group,

The Chaser The Chaser are an Australian satirical comedy group, best known for their television programmes and satirical news masthead. The group take their name from their satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste. Th ...

, consisting of Chris Taylor, Julian Morrow, Craig Reucassel,

Andrew Hansen Andrew John Hansen (born 18 September 1974) is an Australian comedian, musician and author, best known for being a member of satirical team The Chaser. As a member of The Chaser, Hansen's television work includes co-writing and starring in A ...

and Chas Licciardello. The show was a panel-like game and quiz show, with contestants using their knowledge about current media events to win. It was hosted by Craig Reucassel and featured Chas Licciardello interjecting occasionally with 'fact-checks'.

team members Chris Taylor, Julian Morrow and

appeared as contestants. Guests throughout the series included celebrities, politicians and journalists such as

Anthony Albanese Anthony Norman Albanese ( or ; born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician serving as the 31st and current prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been the Leaders of the Australian Labor Party#Leader, leader of the Labor Party si ...

, Hannah Gadsby,

Lawrence Mooney Lawrence Mooney (born 22 April 1965) is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, and former television and radio presenter. Radio career Mooney has held various jobs including a customs officer, cleaner, salesman, furniture polisher and collectin ...

John Safran John Michael Safran (; born 13 August 1972) is an Australian radio personality, satirist, documentary maker and author, known for combining humour with religious, political and ethnic issues. First gaining fame appearing in '' Race Around the W ...

Waleed Aly Waleed Aly (born 15 August 1978) is an Australian television presenter, journalist, academic, and lawyer. Aly is a lecturer in politics at Monash University working in their Global Terrorism Research Centre, and a co-host of Network Ten's ne ...

Dave Hughes David William Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, television and radio presenter. He is known for his larrikin personality, drawling Australian accent, and deadpan comedic delivery. Hughes has previously been co-host of '' Hughesy & K ...

Mia Freedman Mia Freedman, also known as Mia Lavigne, (born 1 October 1971) is the co-founder of women’s digital media company Mamamia. She was the youngest editor of the Australian edition of ''Cosmopolitan'' in 1996, aged 24. Career Freedman began her ...

, Lewis Hobba, Peter Berner,

Nick Xenophon Nick Xenophon ( Nicholas Xenophou; ; born 29 January 1959) is an Australian lawyer and former politician who was a Australian Senate, Senator for South Australia from 2008 until 2017. As a centrist, populist, independent politician, he twice sh ...

Tom Gleeson Thomas Francis Gleeson (born 2 June 1974) is an Australian stand-up comedian, writer, television and radio presenter. Gleeson currently hosts '' Hard Quiz'' and '' Taskmaster Australia'' and previously co-hosted ''The Weekly with Charlie Picker ...

Susie Youssef Susie Youssef is an Australian writer, actor and comedian who works in television, on radio and stage. She is best known for her appearances in the television series '' The Project'', '' Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia'', and '' Rosehaven ...

, Chris Kenny, Zoë Coombs Marr,

Annabel Crabb Annabel Crabb is an Australian political journalist, commentator and television host who is the ABC's chief online political writer. She has worked for Adelaide's '' The Advertiser'', ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', ''The Age'', the '' Sunday A ...

, Alex Lee, Karl Chandler, Kirsten Drysdale, Zoe Norton Lodge, Stephen K. Amos and

Tom Ballard Thomas Ballard (1630–1689) was a colonial Virginia landowner and politician. Thomas or Tom Ballard may also refer to: * Thomas Ballard Jr. (1654–1710), member of the Virginia House of Burgesses * Thomas Ballard (MP for Coventry), member of P ...

. Formerly imprisoned Al Jazeera Journalist Peter Greste was on the show when he learned his fellow journalists had been pardoned by Egypt. It also featured pre-recorded satirical segments about news events and media coverage between live segments. In June 2015 it was announced that the show had been renewed for a second season which would consist of eight to ten episodes, airing in the second half of 2015.

Origins

In November 2013, the ABC confirmed a new series under the working title, ''We'll Have to Leave It There''. Hansen announced on Twitter that the series will be filmed from 14 October to 2 December 2014. The show was renamed ''The Chaser's Media Circus'' and premiered on 15 October 2014. A second and final season aired on 10 September 2015.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chaser's Media Circus, The 2010s Australian comedy television series 2010s Australian game shows 2014 Australian television series debuts Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming Australian panel games Australian satirical television shows The Chaser Australian English-language television shows Television shows set in New South Wales