Beauty and the Beast (talk show)

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Beauty and the Beast is an Australian panel television show that has appeared in numerous versions since the early days of Australian television. The first version began in 1963 on the Seven Network with host Eric Baume as the "Beast". Baume was later replaced by male presenters including John Laws, Stuart Wagstaff, Noel Ferrier and Rex Mossop. The original "Beauties" included Maggie Tabberer, Dita Cobb, Ena Harwood (mother of Andrew Harwood), Pat Firman, Patricia Lovell, Hazel Phillips, Noeline Brown and Freda Lesslie.^[1]

Viewers write in asking for advice about personal problems such as family squabbles, questions of social etiquette, marriage problems, contraception, work or career problems. The host of the program - usually an intentionally brusque and outspoken older male - presents each viewer question in turn and a panel of female celebrities provide their advice on the problem and the panel discusses the problem and the advice given offering opinions and views.

In 1982, the format was revived, with two rival versions, both carrying the same title, appearing on different networks. Network Ten's version had John Laws as host, later replaced by Clive Robertson. The Seven Network version was hosted by Derryn Hinch.

A more recent version of the program has run on both Network Ten and Foxtel, hosted by radio broadcaster Stan Zemanek and then by radio broadcaster Doug Mulray. The series returned to W. exclusively in 2005 after a 3 year hiatus. Zemanek died on 12 July 2007.

It was also an afternoon New Zealand television series made in Dunedin by TVNZ (1976–85), hosted by Selwyn Toogood with four women panelists, including Shona McFarlane and Catherine Tizard (later Governor-General). A show with a similar concept called How's Life? aired in the early 2000s in New Zealand hosted by Charlotte Dawson.

[edit] Panel members

Notable female panel members in the Network Ten and Foxtel version version have included Tracey Bevan, Ann-Maree Biggar, Jan Bowen, Ita Buttrose, Carlotta, Jo Casamento, Angela Catterns, Dita Cobb, Beccy Cole, Alyssa-Jane Cook, Louise Crawford, Clio Cresswell, Elaine Davies, Charlotte Dawson, Delilah, Penne Dennison, Anne Deveson, Miranda Devine, Clare Dunne, Maureen Duval, Susie Elelman, Diana 'Bubbles' Fisher, Lisa Forrest, Rachel Friend, Antonella Gambotto-Burke, Chelsea Gibb, Cleo Glyde, Tottie Goldsmith, Libbi Gorr, Belinda Green, Johanna Griggs, Donna Gubbay, Rose Hancock-Porteous, Ena Harwood, Louisa Hatfield, Fiona Horne, Christa Hughes, Frida Irving, Shauna Jensen, Leigh Johnson, Gretel Killeen, Renae Leith, Rebecca Le Tourneau, Jeanne Little, Rachael Lloyd, Prue McSween, Gillian Minervini, Carol Moores, Julia Morris, Jan Murray (with whom Stan had an ongoing battle), Ali Mutch, Indira Naidoo, Judy Nunn, Lisa Oldfield, Cindy Pan, Jacqueline Pascarl, Carmelle Pavann, Dr Patricia Petersen, Diana Roger, Kristine Stanley, Maggie Tabberer, Heather Turland, Rowena Wallace, Lisa Wilkinson, Sally Williams, Rebecca Wilson, Adriana Xenides, and Tania Zaetta.