Thank God You're Here

Thank God You're Here

Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment, Television
Founded	April 5, 2006 (2006-04-05)
Founder	Working Dog Productions
Headquarters	Melbourne , Australia
Area served	Australia
Key people	Shane Bourne (host, original), Tom Gleisner (judge, original), Celia Pacquola (host, revival)
Products	Improvisational comedy television program
Owner	Working Dog Productions
Parent	Network 10 (original and current broadcaster), Seven Network (season 4 broadcaster)

Thank God You're Here is an Australian improvisational comedy series developed by Working Dog Productions. It debuted on 5 April 2006 on Network 10, which broadcast the initial three seasons and resumed airing from the fifth season onward; the fourth season was shown on the Seven Network.

The format involves performers stepping into an unfamiliar scene greeted with the phrase "Thank God you're here!" and improvising their way through the scenario. At each episode's conclusion, a winner is selected. This program stood out as Australia's most popular new show in 2006, drawing an average audience of 1.7 million viewers following its early episodes.

Initially hosted by Shane Bourne with Tom Gleisner serving as judge, the series was revived after a fourteen-year break for its fifth season, now hosted by Celia Pacquola alongside a rotating panel of guest judges. The show's concept has been licensed internationally. The sixth season aired in 2024, but there are no plans for a 2025 season due to production exhaustion.

Synopsis

Contestants, attired in costume, engage briefly with the host before being invited to "walk through the blue door" onto a concealed set. Upon entry, they receive the greeting "Thank God you're here!" from the ensemble cast while remaining in character and must improvise responses to in-character inquiries about the scene, including names of characters or objects involved.

Throughout each episode, pre-recorded challenges are shown at least twice per contestant, often filmed on location. These tasks include commentating on unfamiliar topics, conducting interviews or interrogations (such as by police or customs officers), selling various items (including cars, boats, pianos, and houses), or promoting products (for example, weight-loss aids or housing projects). Ensemble cast members typically portray other characters in these segments. Starting with the third season, a new feature was added where Gleisner showcases authentic Thank God You're Here-style moments from real life, such as the Guy Goma BBC interview and politicians improvising under pressure.

Following individual scenes, all four participants engage in a final group challenge. A judge then selects a winner based largely on subjective criteria. Additionally, honorable and dishonorable mentions are awarded to provide commentary on performances. The victor receives a trophy modeled after the show’s iconic blue door logo.

Some episodes feature variations on the standard greeting to suit particular settings—for instance, "Thank the gods you're here!" for Viking-themed scenes or "Thank God you're alive" in car crash scenarios—and occasionally employ alternative entrances for comedic effect, such as when contestant (Matthew Newton) appeared emerging from a wrecked vehicle lodged in a second-story apartment.

First revived series

In the fourth season, a segment was introduced where Gleisner presents a fabricated commercial starring retired Australian cricketer (Damien Fleming) endorsing unrelated businesses (such as French restaurants or sewage treatment plants). Recurring jokes involve comparing Fleming’s choice of companies to his medium pace bowling style, using invented jargon, and referencing a man named "Steve" who agrees with Fleming’s remarks ("bit like my bowling, eh, Steve?").

Second revived series

Since the launch of the fifth series, the program's structure underwent changes: performers no longer participate in the "during the week" segments that are shot on location alongside the ensemble cast. The initial judge role, originally devised by Tom Gleisner, has been replaced by a weekly rotating special guest judge who offers concise feedback following each performance.

Ensemble cast

The ensemble cast consists of skilled improvisational actors who assist guest stars within scripted setups. Their expertise in improvisation guarantees timely and fitting responses to guest contributions, albeit typically within limited scope. Additionally, this group appears in mid-week tasks portraying customers or members of the public during real-world engagements.

Notable regular members of the ensemble include:

Various special guests have appeared either portraying themselves or as part of the ensemble, including prominent personalities such as Damien Fleming, Melissa Tkautz, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Kate Ceberano, and The Veronicas. Some have also taken on roles as fictional presenters in location-based challenges.

Show promotion

Shortly after the premiere episode, host Shane Bourne and judge Tom Gleisner appeared on Rove Live on April 11, 2006, to promote the program. During their appearance, they engaged in an improvised game titled Where The Bloody Hell Have You Been, which reflected the show’s unscripted scene format.

Music

The series' opening theme is "Come Anytime" by Hoodoo Gurus. Additional featured tracks include:

• Season One interludes: "Don't You Know Who I Am" by Small Mercies
• Season Two additions: "Reminder" by Kisschasy and "Pellet Gun" by Small Mercies
• Season Three additions: "Everlasting" by Horsell Common and "Beautiful Disguise" by Tokenview

First Network 10 iteration (2006–2007)

The Season One finale, secured by actor Angus Sampson, drew a nationwide audience of 2.13 million viewers.

The second season was broadcast from September 6 to November 8, 2006, at 7:30 pm AEST, consistently ranking among Australia’s top three programs. It notably increased viewership for the subsequent series House and closely rivaled Border Security: Australia's Front Line on the competing Seven Network. Thank God You're Here averaged two million viewers weekly, with its final episode in 2006 attracting a national audience of 1.85 million.

Filming for Series Three commenced on June 21, 2007, featuring guests such as Stephen Curry, Josh Lawson, Peter Helliar, and Cal Wilson. The series premiered on Wednesday, July 11, 2007, retaining its original timeslot at 7:30 pm.

Seven Network revival (2009)

Towards the end of 2008, the program was brought back by the Seven Network, with production relocating from Global Television Studios in Nunawading to the Poultry Pavilion at Melbourne Showgrounds in Flemington. This transition occurred alongside the shutdown of Global and a change to Cutting Edge as the broadcast service provider. Recording commenced on 19 March 2009 in front of a live audience numbering 500.

To accommodate larger sets and a bigger audience, production was moved to the showgrounds pavilion, supplemented by temporary buildings serving as offices and dressing areas. Nonetheless, the venue lacked adequate sound insulation; ambient noise from nearby trains often interfered with audio quality, and rainfall created notable challenges for filming.

Network 10 second revival (2023–present)

In April 2023, Network 10 announced the commissioning of a fifth season, marking the program’s second revival. Celia Pacquola was named as host, with the series introducing weekly guest judges, a refreshed ensemble cast, and a "new generation" of special guests. Production took place at Melbourne Showgrounds.

Awards

|- !rowspan=2|2007 |rowspan=2|TV Week Logies |Most Popular Light Entertainment Program | |- |Most Outstanding Comedy Program | |- !rowspan=2|2008 |rowspan=2|TV Week Logies |Most Outstanding Comedy Program | |- |Most Popular Light Entertainment Program | |- !2010 |TV Week Logies |Most Outstanding Light Entertainment | |- !2025 |TV Week Logies |Best Competition Reality Program | |

Home media

Every season has been made available on DVD within Australia: Season 1 released on 8 November 2006, Season 2 on 23 August 2007, Season 3 on 28 November 2007, and Season 4 on 5 November 2009.

Thank God You're Here – Complete Series One
Set details	Special features
10 Episodes 51 Scenarios 3-Disc Collection Widescreen (16:9) Format English Subtitles for Hearing Impaired English Audio (Dolby Digital 2.0 & 5.1)	Behind-the-scenes documentary Unseen highlights Vintage pilot performance by Frank Woodley Physical Thank God You're Here game included in DVD packaging
Release dates
Region 4
8 November 2006

Thank God You're Here – Complete Series Two
Set details	Special features
10 Episodes 51 Scenarios 3-Disc Collection Widescreen (16:9) Format English Subtitles for Hearing Impaired English Audio (Dolby Digital 2.0 & 5.1) and narration for visually impaired viewers	No additional special features included.
Region 4
23 August 2007

Thank God You're Here – Complete Series Three
Set details	Special features
11 Episodes 56 Scenarios 3-Disc Collection Widescreen (16:9) Format English Subtitles for Hearing Impaired English Audio (Dolby Digital 2.0 & 5.1)	No additional special features included.
Region 4
28 November 2007

Thank God You're Here – Complete Series One, Two & Three
Set details	Special features
Total of 31 Episodes Contains 158 Scenarios Box set of 9 Discs Widescreen (16:9) Format English Subtitles for Hearing Impaired English Audio (Dolby Digital 2.0 & 5.1)	Features identical to those in Series One release.
Region 4
28 November 2007

Thank God You're Here – Complete Series Four
Set details	Special features
Contains 10 Episodes Includes 51 Scenarios Set of 3 Discs Widescreen (16:9) Format English Subtitles for Hearing Impaired English Audio (Dolby Digital 2.0 & 5.1)	Extended, uncut scenarios aired during the week.
Region 4
5 November 2009

Streaming

During June and July 2020, all episodes were made available on Network 10's on-demand streaming platform, 10Play.

Board game

The "Thank God You're Here" board game was introduced in December 2009, containing 70 different scenarios designed for players to recreate the show's format at home. Distribution is limited and includes availability at What's New retail outlets.

International versions

Fremantle manages global distribution of the format, which has been licensed in 18 countries, including the United States. Adaptations internationally are required to maintain the original sketch concepts and must receive Fremantle's authorization for any alterations such as themed episodes.

Country	Name	Host	Channel	Language	Premiere	Judge
Australia (original)	Thank God You're Here	Shane Bourne (2006–2009) Celia Pacquola (2023–)	Network 10	English	5 April 2006 2 August 2023 (revival)	Tom Gleisner (2006–2009)
			Seven Network		29 April 2009 (first revival)
Template:Country data Armenia	3 պատ (3 Walls)	Garik Papoyan, Felix Khachatryan	Armenia TV	Armenian	2009–2010
Template:Country data Azerbaijan	Haradasan bu vaxtacan?	Turane Huseynli	İctimai Television	Azerbaijani	6 October 2019	Orkhan Fikretoglu (2019-2020), Vado Korovin (2021-2022)
Belgium	GodzijDank	Matthias Coppens	vtm	Dutch	16 March 2007
Canada Template:Country data Quebec	Dieu merci!	Éric Salvail	TVA	French	27 September 2007	Gaston Lepage
Template:Country data China	谢天谢地你来啦	Cui Yongyuan	CCTV-1	Chinese	October 2011
Czech Republic	Konečně jsi tady	Josef Carda	TV Prima	Czech	4 March 2007
Denmark	Gu' ske lov du kom	Mads Vangsø	TV3	Danish	30 September 2006	Sebastian Dorset, Hella Joof, Søs Egelind, Sidse Babett Knudsen
Estonia	Jumal tänatud, et sa siin oled!	Andrus Vaarik	Kanal 2	Estonian	6 October 2007	Eino Baskin
France	Enfin te Voilà !	Ariane Massenet	Comédie+	French	2013
Germany	Gott sei dank … dass Sie da sind!	Knacki Deuser	ProSieben	German	30 November 2006
Indonesia	id:Akhirnya Datang Juga	Winky Wiryawan, Narji, Olga Syahputra	Trans TV	Indonesian	21 October 2007	Didi Petet, Parto Patrio, Desy Ratnasari
		Boy William, Indra Bekti	MNCTV		21 May 2011	Desy Ratnasari, Jaja Miharja, Jojon
		Winky Wiryawan	GTV		26 February 2024	Abdel Achrian, Denny Chandra
	Ini Dia!	Kevin Julio, Surya Insomnia	NET.		10 December 2016	Denny Chandra, Dwi Sasono, Ferry Salim, Arie Untung
Template:Country data Israel	Tov Shebata	Moni Moshonov	Arutz 10	Hebrew	5 June 2007	Tomer Sharon
Italy	Grazie Al Cielo Sei Qui!	Leonardo Manera	La7	Italian	22 March 2009
Lithuania	Ačiū Dievui, atėjai	Egidijus Sipavičius	TV3 Lithuania	Lithuanian	1 September 2007	Arkadijus Vinokuras
Template:Country data Mongolia	Бурхны авралаар чи ирлээ	Turbat Barhuu	Edutainment TV	Mongolian	3 May 2020	P.Erdenezaan, Ch.Delgertsetseg
Netherlands	Gelukkig Je Bent Er	Carlo Boszhard	RTL 4	Dutch	September 2006
Portugal	Ainda Bem Que Apareceste	Virgílio Castelo	RTP1	Portuguese	October 2008	Nilton
Russia	Слава Богу, ты пришёл!	(Hosts: Mikhail Shats, Igor Vernik) STS Russian channel Russian language Premiere:24 September 2006 Judges: Andrey Urgant, Sergei Svetlakov (2018)

• The original Australian series was rebroadcast on Foxtel's Comedy Channel starting January 2015.
• The Czech adaptation was temporarily halted to better tailor it to local preferences.
• The Dutch and Danish editions premiered in late September and early October of 2006 respectively.
• Germany's version aired on ProSieben near the end of 2006 but was discontinued after six episodes due to poor viewership.
• Russia produced five seasons from its debut in September 2006 until spring 2010; a refreshed edition began airing in October 2018.
• Sweden launched its adaptation on TV4 in March 2007, closely mirroring the Australian original.
• The American iteration aired on NBC in April 2007 with David Alan Grier hosting and Dave Foley judging but was canceled after seven episodes despite prominent guest appearances.
• The UK version premiered on ITV in January 2008 featuring Paul Merton as host and was produced by FremantleMedia.
• From its sixth season onward, Vietnam's version shifted to studio audience voting instead of a judge; hosts may vary depending on availability.

External links

• Official website for Thank God You're Here