Sports Tonight (Australian TV program)
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Steve Tucker (executive producer) |
| Defunct | 2011 (original run) |
| Fate | Revived in 2018, ended again in 2019 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Roz Kelly (presenter), Matt White (former presenter), Steve Tucker (executive producer) |
| Products | Sports news program |
| Website | 10play |
Sports Tonight is an Australian program focused on sports news, currently presented by Roz Kelly. The show was initially created under the guidance of executive producer Steve Tucker and originally broadcast from 1993 until 2011, before being relaunched between 2018 and 2020.
Initial Broadcast Period
Between 1993 and 2005, Sports Tonight was a 30-minute show airing on weeknights immediately after Ten Late News. In 2006, the two programs were combined, although some audiences expressed dissatisfaction with the shorter duration of Sports Tonight. The Friday edition remained a separate broadcast dedicated to summarizing football results.
In 2011, the weekend editions airing at 5:30 pm were discontinued due to the weekend news bulletin shifting to a 6 pm timeslot. Instead, a segment of Sports Tonight was incorporated into these weekend news broadcasts. This weekend slot had been part of the schedule since 1999.
As the show approached its conclusion, it was titled Toyota Sports Tonight, reflecting sponsorship by Toyota and its Toyota Aurion model. From late 2006 onward, the program’s on-screen graphics showcased this partnership, with updates continuing into early 2007.
Beginning in March 2009, a nightly edition aired on One at various times, including a Sunday wrap-up episode. By May 2011, the broadcast time shifted to approximately 10:30 pm on weeknights and 11:00 pm on Fridays.
In December 2010, the program refreshed its visual presentation. On 5 July 2011, it was announced that the show would be discontinued, with its final broadcast occurring on 30 September 2011.
Revival
On 4 July 2018, Network Ten declared that Sports Tonight would return after a seven-year hiatus. Matt White was appointed as host alongside panelists Josh Gibson and Laurie Daley. The program resumed airing weekly on Sunday evenings starting from 15 July 2018, later moving to Monday nights following the end of the AFL and NRL seasons. After CBS Studios International acquired Ten Network Holdings in 2017, the show adopted a graphics package consistent with CBS Sports, initially introduced during Super Bowl 50 in February 2016.
In March 2019, Network Ten confirmed another season for that year with Roz Kelly taking over hosting duties and featuring panelists Scott Mackinnon and Ant Sharwood. This iteration aired on Wednesday evenings and concluded its final episode on 27 November 2019.
Hosts and panelists
- Roz Kelly (2019)
Panelists
- Scott Mackinnon (2019–present)
- Ant Sharwood (2019)
Reporters
- Nick Butler
- Lauren Markham
Former hosts
- Tim Webster (1993–2004) – currently with ABC Radio Sydney
- Bill Woods (1993–2005) – presently at Fox Sports Australia
- Leigh Diffey (weekend host, 2005–2006)
- Ryan Phelan (final appearance in 2006)
- Mark Aiston (substitute presenter, 2007–2008) – no longer affiliated with Network Ten
- Brad McEwan (2007–2011) – no longer active in television
- Matt White (1993–2004, returned in 2018) – now working at SEN Sydney
- Rob Canning – no longer appearing on television
- Neil Cordy (fill-in presenter) – no longer involved in media
- Bill McDonald (fill-in) – currently at 4BC Brisbane
Past Panel Members
- Josh Gibson (2018)
- Laurie Daley (2018)
Previous Reporters
- Kelli Underwood – Senior sports and AFL correspondent; currently affiliated with ABC and Fox Sports Australia
- Amy Hetzel – Sydney-based producer and journalist
- Greg Rust – Sydney-based motorsport commentator and reporter
- Nathan Templeton – deceased
- Aimee McKay – Reporter covering Sydney and Adelaide regions; also hosted 'Seriously Footy,' an AFL program centered on the Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions
Accolades
Sports Tonight earned 12 nominations for the Most Popular Sports Program at the Logies, achieving recognition annually from 1997 through 2010, except in 1999 (when the award was not presented) and 2001 (owing to coverage of the Sydney Olympic Games).
External links
- Articles with short description
- Network 10 original programming
- 10 Bold original programming
- 10 Sport
- 1993 Australian television series debuts
- 2011 Australian television series endings
- 2018 Australian television series debuts
- 2019 Australian television series endings
- Television shows set in New South Wales
- Australian television news shows
- 1990s Australian television series
- 2000s Australian television series
- Australian sports television series
- Australian television series revived after cancellation