You Can't Ask That
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Founder | Kirk Docker, Aaron Smith, Jon Casimir |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Television series |
| Parent | ABC Television |
You Can't Ask That is an Australian television program produced by ABC Television, which first aired in August 2016. By June 2022, the show had reached its seventh season, currently broadcasting in Australia.
Production was temporarily halted in 2023, with plans to continue at a later date.
History
Developed in 2015 by Kirk Docker, Aaron Smith, and Jon Casimir, this series originated as a spin-off from Hungry Beast. Its debut episode was broadcast on ABC TV and ABC iview on 3 August 2016. The seventh season commenced airing in Australia in May 2022.
Description
The program offers a window into underrepresented groups by tackling provocative questions gathered from the public, drawing inspiration from Reddit's Ask Me Anything format. It challenges preconceived notions by showcasing diverse Australian minority communities, including Indigenous Australians, individuals with short stature, Muslims, sex workers, and transgender people. Contributions from organizations such as Short Statured People of Australia, Scarlet Alliance, and Alzheimer's Australia supported the production.
Season overview
On 28 September 2016, ABC announced the renewal of the series for a second season. Later, on 25 October 2017, ABC confirmed that a third season would also be produced.
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere | Season finale | ||
| 1 | 10 | 3 August 2016 | 5 October 2016 |
| 2 | 12 | 6 April 2017 | 21 July 2017 |
| 3 | 8 | 11 July 2018 | 29 August 2018 |
| 4 | 8 | 3 April 2019 | 22 May 2019 |
| 5 | 8 | 18 March 2020 | 6 May 2020 |
| 6 | 8 | 28 April 2021 | 16 June 2021 |
| 7 | 8 | 25 May 2022 | 6 July 2022 |
Season 1 (2016)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Short Statured" | 3 August 2016 |
| 2 | 2 | "Wheelchair Users" | 10 August 2016 |
| 3 | 3 | "Transgender" | 17 August 2016 |
| 4 | 4 | "Muslims" | 24 August 2016 |
| 5 | 5 | "Polyamorous" | 31 August 2016 |
| 6 | 6 | "Ex-prisoners" | 7 September 2016 |
| 7 | 7 | "Fat" | 14 September 2016 |
| 8 | '8' | "Indigenous" | "21 September 2016" |
| 9 | '9' | "Sex Workers" | "27 September 2016" |
| 10 | '10' | "Terminally Ill" | "5 October 2016" |
Season 2 (2017)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | '1' | "Blind People" | "6 April 2017" |
| 12 | '2' | "Down Syndrome" | "12 April 2017" |
| 13 | '3' | "Suicide Attempt Survivors" | "19 April 2017" |
| 14 | '4' | "Recent War Veterans" | "26 April 2017" |
| 15 | '5' | "Facial Difference" | "3 May 2017" |
| 16 | '6' | "Refugees" | "10 May 2017" |
| 17 | '7' | "Ice Users" | "17 May 2017" |
| 18 | '8' | "Children of Same-Sex Parents" | "24 May 2017" |
| 19 | '9' | "Centenarians" | "31 May 2017" |
| 20 | '10' | "S&M" | "7 July 2017" |
| 21 | '11' | "Gambling Addicts" | "14 July 2017" |
| 22 | '12' | "Homeless" | "21 July 2017" |
Season 3 (2018)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | "Sexual Assault Survivors" | 11 July 2018 |
| 24 | 2 | "Former Reality TV Participants" | 18 July 2018 |
| 25 | 3 | "Ex-Cult Members" | 25 July 2018 |
| 26 | 4 | "Disorders Related to Eating" | 1 August 2018 |
| 27 | 5 | "Swinger Communities" | 8 August 2018 |
| 28 | 6 | "Living with Schizophrenia" | 15 August 2018 |
| 29 | 7 | "Drag Performers" | 22 August 2018 |
| 30 | 8 | "Clergy Members" | 29 August 2018 |
Season 4 (2019)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 1 | "Domestic and Family Abuse" | 3 April 2019 |
| 32 | 2 | "Australians of African Descent" | 10 April 2019 |
| 33 | 3 | "Intersex Individuals" | 17 April 2019 |
| 34 | 4 | "Carnival Workers and Showpeople" | 24 April 2019 |
| 35 | 5 | "Former Politicians" | 1 May 2019 |
| 36 | 6 | "People with Alcohol Addiction" | 8 May 2019 |
| 37 | 7 | "Deaf Community Members" | 15 May 2019 |
| 38 | 8 | "Survivors of Disasters" | "22 May 2019" |
Season 5 (2020)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 1 | "Firefighting Personnel" | "18 March 2020" |
| 40 | 2 | "Naturists" | 25 March 2020 |
| 41 | 3 | "Individuals Who Have Killed" | 1 April 2020 |
| 42 | 4 | "Autism Spectrum Disorder" | 8 April 2020 |
| 43 | 5 | "People Living with HIV" | 15 April 2020 |
| 44 | 6 | "Olympic and Paralympic Gold Medalists" | 22 April 2020 |
| 45 | 7 | "Public Housing Residents" | 29 April 2020 |
| 46 | 8 | "Children's Perspectives" | 6 May 2020 |
Season 6 (2021)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | 1 | "Infidelity and Cheating" | 28 April 2021 |
| 48 | 2 | "Former Football Players" | 5 May 2021 |
| 49 | 3 | "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)" | 12 May 2021 |
| 50 | 4 | "Amputee Experiences" | 19 May 2021 |
| 51 | 5 | "Families with Missing Loved Ones" | 26 May 2021 |
| 52 | 6 | "Lesbian Community" | 2 June 2021 |
| 53 | 7 | "Chinese Australians' Stories" | 9 June 2021 |
| 54 | 8 | "Adults Who Are Virgins" | 16 June 2021 |
Season 7 (2022)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 1 | "Bogans Culture" | 25 May 2022 |
| 56 | 2 | "Postpartum Depression" | 1 June 2022 |
| 57 | 3 | "Gay Male Experiences" | 8 June 2022 |
| 58 | 4 | "Fashion Models" | 15 June 2022 |
| 59 | 5 | "Addiction to Prescription Drugs" | 22 June 2022 |
| 60 | 6 | "Pornographic Actors and Actresses" | 29 June 2022 |
| 61 | 7 | "Dementia Awareness and Stories" | "6 July 2022" |
Awards and recognition
You Can't Ask That earned the Rose d'Or award for Best Reality or Factual Entertainment in the year 2017, alongside three United Nations Media Awards acknowledging its efforts in advocating disability rights, fostering social unity, and empowering the elderly population. The program was also nominated for a Logie Award in the category of Most Outstanding Factual or Documentary Program in 2018.
International adaptations
In July 2017, Israel's Kan 11 introduced a localized version named "סליחה על השאלה" (Slicha Al HaShe'ela, meaning Excuse me for asking). This adaptation produced 98 episodes over the course of 8 seasons, which included 2 seasons in Arabic and 3 seasons designed specifically for children.
The Dutch broadcaster BNNVARA launched its own version titled "Ik durf het bijna niet te vragen" (I hardly dare to ask) on NPO 3 in February 2019.
In June 2019, CBC Television in Canada debuted an eight-episode local adaptation under the name You Can't Ask That.
An Arabic-language edition called "بلا مؤاخذة" (bila muakhadha, translating to No Blame) premiered in September 2019 on Kan 11’s affiliated channel Makan 33.
Targeting younger viewers, Kan Educational in Israel launched "סליחה על השאלה ילדים" (Slicha Al HaShe'ela Yeladim, or Excuse me for asking kids) in April 2020.
By October 2020, Current Flow Entertainment secured the rights to produce U.S. remakes in both English and Spanish, marking a strategic move into the American television market.