Good Morning Australia (1992 TV program)
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | January 20, 1992 |
| Defunct | December 16, 2005 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Key people | Bert Newton (host), John Foreman (musical director 1992–2004), Mark Amato (musical director 2004–2005) |
| Products | Breakfast television variety series |
| Parent | Network Ten |
Good Morning Australia (GMA), also recognized as GMA with Bert Newton and initially called The Morning Show, was an Australian breakfast television variety series broadcast on Network Ten with Bert Newton as host from 20 January 1992 until 16 December 2005. The show regularly included segments and featured celebrity guests.
Airing on weekdays from 9:00am until approximately 11:00 to 11:30am, it acted as a lead-in to the 11:30 News broadcast.
Program history
Launching on 20 January 1992 under the name The Morning Show, it was rebranded as Good Morning Australia on 1 February 1993 after the conclusion of an earlier Network Ten breakfast news program with the same title that ran from 1981 to 1992.
Replacing Sydney’s long-standing program Til-Ten, which was hosted by Joan McInnes, GMA became the first nationally broadcast morning talk show in Australia, maintaining strong ratings dominance until October 2002 when the Nine Network introduced Mornings with Kerri-Anne.
Production originally took place at Ten’s Nunawading Studios in Melbourne but relocated later in 1992 to Network Ten’s South Yarra studios. The program offered a wide variety of segments such as cooking demonstrations, craft projects, gardening tips, movie critiques, and parenting advice, alongside interviews with celebrities. A distinctive feature was the "In Bed with Bert" segment, where regular panelists responded to questions submitted by viewers.
Members of the off-camera team often formed the studio audience; starting in 2005, Friday recordings were open for public attendance. Bert Newton typically ended each episode by saying: "We'll see you tomorrow [or Monday] morning at 9:00".
At first, live broadcasts occurred only on Mondays and Tuesdays, but by mid-2004, the show expanded to live broadcasts every weekday to rival Mornings with Kerri Anne.
In October 2005, Network Ten declared that GMA would be cancelled after a successful fourteen-year tenure. Subsequently, Bert Newton departed from Ten and returned to the Nine Network. The final live episode was aired on 16 December 2005 and included guests such as former regular Susie Elelman and Maria Venuti. A summer edition ran until 27 January 2006, ending shortly before the premiere of 9am with David and Kim.
Musical direction
John Foreman held the role of musical director from the program’s inception in 1992 until his retirement in 2004. He was followed by Mark Amato for the last two years of the show’s run.
Musicians, entertainers and singers
Prominent musical acts featured on the show include:
| Performers |
| The Seekers |
| Toni Lamond |
| Tina Arena |
| Guy Sebastian |
| Rhonda Burchmore |
| Abby Joyce |
| Carmen Hendricks |
| Anthony Callea |
| Reverend Funk and the Horns of Salvation |
| Cosima De Vito |
| Gloria Gaynor |
| Tommy Rando |
| Susie French |
| Melissa Langton |
| Mark Jones |
| Get O Roukes The Gear |
| Ricki-Lee Coulter |
| Jimmy Cupples |
| Richard Mortimer |
| Kate DeAraugo |
| Hayley Jensen |
| Matt Amy's Really Big Band |
| Shannon Noll |
| Joey Dee |
| Jerson Trinidad |
| Tina Cousins |
| Lucy Gale |
| Angela Librandi |
| Matt Hetherington |
| Kellie Wright |
| Tracy Kingman |
Regular segment contributors
The show regularly included contributors who appeared in specific topical segments. Floor manager and assistant director Robert Mascara was known on-air as "Belvedere," serving as the designated food taste tester during culinary features.
Celebrity chefs
| Chef | Cooking style |
| Elizabeth Chong | Chinese cuisine |
| Iain Hewitson | Multiple cuisines |
| Gabriel Gate | French cuisine |
| Dorinda Hafner | South African cuisine |
| Ken James | |
| Tonia Todman (also crafts presenter) |
Cast Regulars
Yves Hernot Antiques appraisal and art analysis| Name | Segment |
| Patti Newton | Various segments and singing performances |
| Lauren Newton | Field reporting |
| Paul Bongiorno | Political commentary |
| John-Michael Howson | Entertainment news |
| Phillip Brady | Collectibles and nostalgia (milestones and tombstones) |
| Karen Moregold | Astrology insights |
| Jane Edmondson | Gardening tips |
| Chyka Keebaugh | Homemaking and interior styling |
| Tonia Todman | Craft demonstrations |
| Nicky Buckley | Parenting advice |
| Julie Summerfield | Pet care guidance |
| Jemma Gawned | Beauty segments |
| Virginia Hey | Beauty features |
| Colette Mann | Technology gadgets |
| Ann-Maree Biggar | Gadgets and DVD reviews |
| Val Jellay | Film critiques |
| Shane Bourne | DVD evaluations |
| Axle Whitehead | Music reviews |
| Robert Mascara | Appeared as Belvedere on-air persona/studio floor manager |
| Bruce Mansfield | Collectibles expert |
In May 2005, Shannon Watts joined the program, taking over from Ed Phillips, who transitioned to hosting Temptation on the Nine Network. Watts initially presented field reports from prominent events such as the AFL Grand Final and the Australian Grand Prix before moving into advertorial presenting. She featured in more than 160 episodes and continued until the program concluded, subsequently contributing to the successor show 9am with David & Kim.
Fill-in presenters
During Bert Newton's absences, various personalities stepped in as substitutes, including:
| Name | Period of substitution | Noteworthy roles |
| Maggie Tabberer (AM) | 1998-1999 (intermittently) | Fashion editor and media figure |
| Kerri Anne Kennerley | 1995 prior to Monday – Friday | Television presenter, host of Midday and Mornings with Kerri-Anne |
| Rove McManus | 2004– June 10, 2005 | Host of Rove Live |
| Daniel MacPherson | June 13, 2005 | Actor and host of Dancing with the Stars |
| Mark Holden | June 14, 2005 | Musician and judge on Australian Idol |
| Stephen Quartermain | June 15, 2005 | Sports presenter for Ten News First Melbourne |
| Gretel Killeen | June 16, 2005 | Presenter of Big Brother |
Advertorials
The program included advertorial hosts who showcased products from direct sales companies such as Danoz Direct, Guthy Renker, and Global Shop Direct. Notable presenters were:
| Name | Duration |
| Moira McLean | 1992–2005 | |
| Susie Elelman | 1993–1999 | |
| Ed Phillips | 2000 – May 2005 | |
| September–December 2005 | |
| 1990s–2005 |
These advertorial features played a role in generating income for the show through collaborations with both domestic and international direct marketing organizations.
Related shows
Prior to Newton's leadership, Network Ten Melbourne broadcasted comparable programs such as Good Morning Melbourne, presented by Roy Hampson and Annette Allison, which aired under different names including The Roy Hampson Show and Roundabout.
Successor
Following the end of GMA, Network Ten introduced 9am with David & Kim as its replacement. Hosted by musician David Reyne and journalist Kim Watkins, this series maintained a similar format but was produced without a live studio audience, targeting daytime viewers.
See also
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- List of longest-running Australian television series
- List of Australian television series
- 9am with David & Kim
- Elizabeth Chong's Tiny Delights