Drunk History Australia

Australian television series

Drunk History Australia

Genre| Comedy
Based on| Drunk History
by Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner
Written by|

* Paul Ayre
* Benjamin Howling
* Daniel Reisinger
* Scott Abbott

Directed by|

* Daniel Reisinger
* Helena Brooks
* Jack Steele
* Benjamin Howling

Country of origin| Australia
Original language| English
No. of series| 1
No. of episodes| 7 (inc. pilot)
Production
Executive producers|

* Chris Culvenor
* Paul Franklin
* Benjamin Howling
* Sophia Mogford

Producers|

* Ashley Davies
* Scott Abbott

Running time| 27–32 minutes
Production company| Eureka Productions
Original release
Network| Network Ten
Release| 20 August 2018 (2018-08-20) –
26 October 2020 (2020-10-26)
Related
Drunk History

Drunk History Australia is an Australian educational comedy television series based on the American series of the same name, which is in-turn based on the web series from Funny or Die.[1]

## Description

[edit]

In each episode, an inebriated celebrity struggles to recount a historical event, while actors reconstruct and enact the narrator's anecdotes while lip syncing the dialogue.[2]

In addition to celebrity guest stars, the show's characters are played by regulars such as David Collins, Yvie Jones, Cameron Knight, Adam Dunn, Sara West, Greta Lee Jackson, Aaron Chen, Paul Ayre, Lana Kington, Harry Keep, Seaton Kay-Smith, Bruce Guo, Emma Thompson and Hamish Adams-Cairns.

## Production

[edit]

A pilot was commissioned in 2018 by Network Ten for Pilot Week, in which a 30-minute pilot episode aired along with several other new show pilots.[3][4] The episode featured stories about Ned Kelly and Phar Lap and was presented by comedians Stephen Curry & Rhys Darby.[4][5]

The first season was commissioned in 2019[6] by Network Ten and was released prematurely on 27 March 2020 on their streaming service 10 Play,[7] prior to its official premiere on 14 September 2020.[8][9]

## Series overview

[edit]

Series| Episodes| Originally released

|
|

First released| Last released
Pilot| 1| 20 August 2018 (2018-08-20)
1| 6| 14 September 2020 (2020-09-14)| 26 October 2020 (2020-10-26)

## Episodes

[edit]

### Pilot

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Original release date| AUS viewers

|
|
|
|

1| 1| "Pilot"| 20 August 2018 (2018-08-20)| 367,000[10]

Retellings:

Stephen Curry on Ned Kelly
Rhys Darby on Phar Lap
Cast:
Gyton Grantley as Ned Kelly
Aaron Glenane as Dan Kelly
Greta Lee Jackson as Constable Lonigan
Ryan Fitzgerald as Phar Lap
David Collins as Tommy Woodcock

### Series 1 (2020)

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Original release date| AUS viewers

|
|
|
|

2| 1| "Episode 1"| 14 September 2020 (2020-09-14)| 276,000[11]

Retellings:

Anne Edmonds on Dame Nellie Melba
Harley Breen on the Burke and Wills expedition
Cast:
Susie Youssef as Dame Nellie Melba
Darren McMullen as Prince Phillipe d'Orléans
Yvie Jones as Madame Marchesi
James Mathison as Robert O'Hara Burke
Osher Günsberg as William John Wills
Cameron Knight as William Brahe

3| 2| "Episode 2"| 21 September 2020 (2020-09-21)| 310,000[12]

Retellings:

Darren McMullen on the story of the Cannibal Convicts
Nikki Osborne on the first Miss Australia, Beryl Mills
Cast:
Wayne Hope as Alexander Pearce
Phil Lloyd as Robert Greenhill
Nicholas Boshier as Matthew Travers
Alex Nation as Beryl Mills

4| 3| "Episode 3"| 28 September 2020 (2020-09-28)| 241,000[13]

Retellings:

Matt Okine on the story of Waltzing Matilda
Em Rusciano on Dawn Fraser at the 1964 Summer Olympics
Cast:
Tex Perkins as Banjo Paterson
Tanya Hennessy as Christina Macpherson
Jane Allsop as Sarah Riley
Bjorn Stewart as Bob McPherson
Erin McNaught as Dawn Fraser
Peter Phelps as Lee Robinson

5| 4| "Episode 4"| 5 October 2020 (2020-10-05)| 310,000[14]

Retellings:

James Mathison on the Dismissal of Gough Whitlam
Joel Creasey on the Emu Wars
Cast:
Stephen Curry as Gough Whitlam
Bernard Curry as John Kerr
Greta Lee Jackson as Malcolm Fraser
Mark Humphries as Billy Snedden
Phil Lloyd as Major G.P.W. Meredith
Annie Maynard as Sergeant S. McMurray
Trevor Ashley as Carol the Emu

6| 5| "Episode 5"| 12 October 2020 (2020-10-12)| 241,000[15]

Retellings:

Brendan Fevola on Abe Saffron aka "Mr Sin"
Steph Tidsell on Mary Ann Bugg, the female bushranger
Cast:
Les Hill as Abe Saffron
Costa Georgiadis as Jim Anderson
Nakkiah Lui as Shirley Bega
Michelle Brasier as Juanita Nelson
Natasha Wanganeen as Mary Ann Bugg
Grant Denyer as Captain Thunderbolt
Elaine Crombie as Charlotte Bugg

7| 6| "Episode 6"| 26 October 2020 (2020-10-26)| 213,000[16]

Retellings:

Heath Franklin on Don Bradman
Becky Lucas on Lillian Armfield
Cast:
Dave Hughes as Don Bradman
Bev Killick as Emily Bradman
Leeanna Walsman as Lillian Armfield
Roxy Jacenko as Kate Leigh
Demi Lardner as Botany May Smith

## Controversy

[edit]

The pilot drew mostly positive reviews, but some viewers were unhappy that the show seemed to glamourise excessive binge drinking in a country which has an extensive history of drinking problems.[17][18]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Moran, Robert (9 September 2021). "'Getting tipsy' on one of TV's wildest shows". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
2. ^ "Get Your Beers Out 'Cause Drunk History Australia Is Coming To 10 and 10 play". 10 Play. Network Ten. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
3. ^ Knox, Dave (7 August 2018). "Ten's Pilot Week Schedule 2018". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
4. ^ a b "All About Drunk History". 10 Play. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
5. ^ "Screen Guide — Drunk History, Australia". Retrieved 10 October 2019.
6. ^ Knox, Dave (10 October 2019). "2020 Upfronts: 10: Five Bedrooms, Masked Singer, DWTS Renewed". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
7. ^ Knox, David (27 March 2020). "10 Play: Drunk History Australia". TV Tonight. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
8. ^ "Get Your Beers Out 'Cause Drunk History Australia Is Coming To 10 and 10 play". 10 Play. ViacomCBS ANZ. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
9. ^ Knox, David (2 September 2020). "Airdate: Drunk History Australia". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
10. ^ Knox, David (21 August 2018). "Monday 20 August 2018". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
11. ^ Knox, David (15 September 2020). "Masked Singer finishes on high". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
12. ^ Knox, David (22 September 2020). "Block shuts down but AFL helps Seven win Monday". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
13. ^ Knox, David (29 September 2020). "The Block, HYBPA? win Monday slots". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
14. ^ Knox, David (6 October 2020). "Networks struggle with early evening shows on Monday". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
15. ^ Knox, David (13 October 2020). "The Block, HYBPA? win Monday slots". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
16. ^ Knox, David (27 October 2020). "Never mind primetime, Bluey was Monday's star performer". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
17. ^ Knox, David (20 August 2019). "Steve Curry happily "potty mouth" for Drunk History". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
18. ^ Knox, David (20 August 2019). "Pilot Week vote: Would you watch more of Drunk History?". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 March 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Drunk History Australia at IMDb

*[No.]: Number
*[inc.]: including
*[aka]: also known as