David Tench Tonight
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television entertainment |
| Founded | August 17, 2006 |
| Founder | Andrew Denton |
| Fate | Discontinued due to low viewership |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Key people | Andrew Denton (creator), Drew Forsythe (voice of David Tench) |
| Products | Animated talk show |
| Parent | Network Ten |
David Tench Tonight was an Australian talk show with a brief run, produced for Network Ten and hosted by David Tench, a fictional animated character. The name "Tench" partially rearranges the letters in Channel Ten. Australian actor Drew Forsythe provided the character’s voice.
Throughout the series, Tench conducted interviews with numerous celebrities such as Jimmy Barnes, Meat Loaf, Toni Collette, Nelly Furtado, Johnny Knoxville, and future Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The final episode of the 2006 season was broadcast on 23 November, followed by a Christmas special on 25 December. Due to unsatisfactory viewership figures, the program was discontinued on 5 April 2007.
Tenchnology
The character of Tench was generated and animated live using motion capture technology, enabling real-time interaction with guests. When appearing on 11 October 2006, radio presenter Mick Molloy explained that interviewees communicated with a screen positioned behind the desk to engage with Tench.
Created by Andrew Denton and realized by Australian visual effects firm Animal Logic utilizing VICON MX40 technology, the concept of an animated talk show host was not entirely novel—previous examples include Space Ghost Coast to Coast and the British Max Talking Headroom Show. However, David Tench stood out due to its real-time CGI animation allowing for spontaneous guest exchanges.
Viral marketing
Prior to its debut, Network Ten employed viral marketing strategies to build anticipation for the unknown show and its animated host. Short television promos featured quotes from David Tench paired with the slogan, "finally, someone real on television." While this approach generated considerable buzz efficiently, it faced criticism as being a gimmick.
Revelation and premiere
On 31 July 2006, during the finale of Big Brother 2006, Network Ten unveiled David Tench as an animated talk show host characterized by an "American accent," although he frequently used a refined Australian or transatlantic accent.
The inaugural 30-minute episode aired on Thursday, 17 August 2006 at 8:30 pm (AEST), featuring a live studio audience composed of members of the public.
Public opinion and media regarding David Tench
- On the morning of the first episode, The West Australian likened Tench’s appearance to that of Liam Bartlett, who had recently transitioned from Perth radio to 60 Minutes.
- According to eBroadcast, the premiere attracted an average audience of 1.162 million viewers, placing it tenth in ratings but trailing behind new programs like Celebrity Survivor.
- The City Weekly observed that Channel Ten promoted David Tench Tonight as a “legitimate” news segment during its 5 pm bulletin.
- In an interview with Flip Shelton for the Herald Sun, David Tench discussed his background and supposed return from the U.S. to host the show, despite being a fictional character.
- The Daily Telegraph featured coverage on Drew Forsythe, who provided Tench’s voice and utilized motion-capture technology.
- The Australian reported that Andrew Denton and Anita Jacoby presented David Tench internationally at MIPCOM; initially, Network Ten committed to producing 26 episodes to justify development costs. The article also mentioned declining viewer numbers.
- The Daily Telegraph disclosed that The Wiggles underwent a challenging interview during an October 2006 episode and were considering declining a follow-up appearance.
Cancellation
In a 2007 discussion with the Daily Telegraph, Andrew Denton revealed that Network Ten decided to discontinue David Tench Tonight. Following this, the show's official website was removed from access.
Segments
- A Tench Thought – Tench delivers a concise personal reflection.
- Return Fire – Viewer correspondence addressed by Tench with a provocative tone.
- For Legal Reasons – Statements of apology issued due to legal counsel concerning Tench's controversial comments.
- You Got Me, Dave – Forecasts regarding upcoming celebrity guests, including pointed remarks like labeling Germaine Greer a "revolting old reptile" in response to her statements about Steve Irwin.
- Last Burst of Tench – The program concludes with a deliberately challenging remark.
Episode list and guests
| Ep# | Airdate | Guests |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | 17 August 2006 | Patrick Rafter, Ella Hooper |
| 02 | 24 August 2006 | Nelly Furtado, Nick Lachey |
| 03 | 31 August 2006 | Claudia Karvan, Mark Holden |
| 04 | 7 September 2006 | Ronn Moss, Toni Collette |
| 05 | 14 September 2006 | Shannon Noll, Amanda Keller |
| 06 | 21 September 2006 | Jimmy Barnes, Daniel MacPherson |
| 07 | 28 September 2006 | Layne Beachley, Matthew Reilly, Meat Loaf |
| 08 | 5 October 2006 | Georgie Parker, Jason Stevens, Troy Cassar-Daley |
| 09 | 12 October 2006 | Mick Molloy, Tara Moss |
| 10 | 19 October 2006 | Anthony Field and Murray Cook (The Wiggles), Gia Carides |
| 11 | 26 October 2006 | Guy Sebastian, Kate Fischer, Matt Welsh |
| 12 | 2 November 2006 | Adam Gilchrist, Kate Ceberano |
| 13 | 9 November 2006 | Marcia Hines, Father Bob McGuire |
| 14 | 16 November 2006 | Ronan Keating, Liz Ellis, Angry Anderson |
| 15 | 23 November 2006 | Johnny Knoxville, Andrew Gaze, Julia Gillard |
| 16 | 25 December 2006 | Christmas special featuring all past guests |
See also
- List of Australian television series
External links
- IMDb: David Tench Tonight
- Archived summary on TV.com