Many Australians have felt like their Wednesday nights have been mysteriously missing something for over a year now.
More specifically, a music quiz-sized hole in their evening programming ever since popular ABC show Spicks and Specks delivered its final broadcast last November, followed by a brief live tour.
Good news then music TV fans, Spicks and Specks will be returning to the airwaves in 2013 – and no these aren’t re-runs, but indeed, a brand new series.
As Australian media website mUmBRELLA confirms, representative from ABC have revealed that the popular music quiz show would be returning to TV screens as part of a raft of new shows the broadcaster has planned for next year including a new series from Summer Heights High/Angry Boys creator Chris Lilley.
Additionally, the TV show’s Twitter feed – which has laid dormant since June – posted this message this morning:
https://twitter.com/SpicksSpecksABC/status/273945378150285312
ABC‘s only official word on the show’s return is a mysterious statement reading, “We welcome the return of Australia’s favourite music quiz show Spicks and Specks – but it will be no cover version.”
The Sydney Morning Herald also points that details are scarce about the new season, but mention a photograph of the empty set with the tagline: “The seats are empty for now, but watch this space.”
There is no confirmation about whether beloved host Adam Hills and regular team captains Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough will be returning for the resurrected Spicks and Specks, and considering that retiring the show was due to them all looking to pursue other avenues in their respsective careers – Hills his stand-up comedy and On Gordon St Tonight duties, Warhurst her new series Nice, and Brough his comedy, creativity, and all-around niceties – there is an opportunity for a new team to take the helm of the music quiz show.“We welcome the return of Australia’s favourite music quiz show Spicks and Specks – but it will be no cover version.”
Spicks and Specks, which first aired in June 2005, swiftly became a permanent fixture on music/trivia/variety show lovers’ TV screens on a Wednesday night as well as in the TV ratings; but after seven seasons and 277 episodes, the team hung up their instruments last November with the hosts and presenters wanting to go out on a high.
Host Adam Hills said at the time that the decision came down to recognising the best time to leave was while being on top. “I have loved every second of my involvement with Spicks and Specks, and especially working with Alan and Myf,” said Hills. “We always said we wanted to leave when we were on top and while we were still having fun, and now feels like the right time.”
Myf Warhurst said of the show’s run, “It’s been a wonderful privilege to be part of Spicks and Specks. I’ve worked with an incredible team of people, both on and off screen, and miraculously, managed to keep a job on TV for seven years, on a show that people love… This seems like the perfect time to wind things up.”
Considering that there’s less and less opportunities for musicians to appear on Australian television, let alone perform their music (an issue we explored in our opinion piece on the subject), the return of Spicks and Specks in 2013 is a welcome addition to TV screens.
Whether it’s with it’s the classic lineup, with a whole set of fresh faces, or perhaps a cherrypicked selection of familiar guests (our money’s on serires regulars Hamish Blake or Denise Scott being approached for Team Captain positions) – there’s officially reason to celebrate the Spicks and Specks band getting back together.
