The Cheap Seats
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television entertainment |
| Founded | July 20, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Melanie Bracewell, Tim McDonald, Debra Herman, Michael Hirsh, Rob Sitch, Tom Gleisner, Santo Cilauro |
| Products | Comedic panel show |
| Parent | Working Dog Productions |
The Cheap Seats is a comedic panel show from Australia broadcast on Network 10, which premiered on 20 July 2021. The program features humorous takes on clips drawn from the prior week's news and television programs, hosted by Melanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald. Created by Working Dog Productions, the series benefits from the production team's experience with similar shows such as Have You Been Paying Attention?.
As of now, the show has produced five seasons. Season two launched on 26 April 2022, followed by season three on 9 May 2023, season four on 30 April 2024, and season five set to begin in 2025. The executive production team includes Debra Herman, Michael Hirsh, Rob Sitch, Tom Gleisner, and Santo Cilauro. Designed for an Australian viewership, each episode runs for approximately 40 minutes, utilizing a multi-camera setup and topical satire to engage its audience effectively.
Hosts
The hosting duties of The Cheap Seats are fulfilled by Melanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald.[1][2] The program also features co-hosted segments with presenters such as Mel Tracina focusing on entertainment and Titus O'Reily covering sports. However, since May 2023, O'Reily has been on an extended leave without public details regarding his absence.[3][4]
Recurring segments
- Entertainment: Mel Tracina delivers weekly coverage of entertainment news.
- Sport: A variety of guest contributors, previously including Titus O'Reily, discuss the latest in sports.
- Across the Ditch: Focuses on peculiar news stories originating from New Zealand.
- Archipelago of Love Islands: Mel Tracina humorously presents moments from island dating shows such as Love Island, FBoy Island and Stranded on Honeymoon Island.
- What's on in the Warehouse: The hosts provide commentary on out-of-context footage from What's on in the Warehouse, a promotional series by Australian pharmacy chain Chemist Warehouse.
- Pacific Update Update: Features commentary on segments from the TVNZ news program Pacific Update.
- Crop This!: Showcases unusual gardening stories, often including reports by Seven News journalist Penny McKinlay.
- Mel's Markets: Offers comedic takes on financial market news.
- Pencil It In: Highlights odd events occurring throughout Australia.
- Crime Time: Presents lighthearted clips involving minor crimes across the country.
- House of Bracewellness: Provides commentary on clips from the Seven Network lifestyle series House of Wellness.
- Reporter of the Week: Since its inception in 2023, Mel and Tim acknowledge reporters distinguished by their humor, unexpected moments, or commitment.
- Regional Roundup: Features unusual news stories and happenings from regional towns across Australia.
Season 1 (2021)
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Season 2 (2022)
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Season 3 (2023)
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Season 4 (2024)
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Season 5 (2025)
The fifth season debuted in 2025 featuring refreshed visuals and a newly designed opening sequence.
Awards and nominations
| 2022 | Logie Awards of 2022 | Most Popular New Talent | Melanie Bracewell | Template:Nom | Template:Center |
| Most Popular Comedy Program | The Cheap Seats | Template:Nom | |||
| 2023 | Logie Awards of 2023 | Most Outstanding Entertainment Program | The Cheap Seats | Template:Won | Template:Center |
External links
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