1990 in Australian television

Events

• January - The 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand are broadcast on Nine Network.
• 20 January - Australian longest running children's Saturday morning series Saturday Disney along with music video programme Video Smash Hits debut on Seven Network.
• 29 January - Welsh children's animated series Fireman Sam premieres on ABC.
• 3 February - Paul Keane was ready to get axed from his long-running role as Des Clarke in Neighbours, but has instead opted to take a four-month hiatus and was expected to return in April. Keane’s break from the show comes as cast morale is at an all-time low following the departure of several key cast members, but producers are confident that Des will return with some good storylines.
• 13 February - ABC debuts a new current affairs program Lateline.
• 20 February - In Neighbours, Toby & Noelene Mangel depart.
• 23 February - In Neighbours, this was Bronwyn Davies' final episode.
• 28 February - In Neighbours, this was Hilary Robinson's final episode.
• 31 March - Neighbours Producers have chosen to write out the popular character of Sharon Davies - the on-screen sister to Rachel Friend's former character Bronwyn Davies, played by 19-year-old Jessica Muschamp said the exit of Neighbours may have been a "blessing in disguise." She finished her final credits in Neighbours in five weeks and after leaving the series, she went to English pantomime performances over Christmas and was considering mini-series and theatre roles in Australia.
• April - Jennifer Keyte becomes the first solo woman newsreader on a commercial network in Australia when Glenn Taylor leaves the Melbourne beurau of Seven News.
• 9 June - Neighbours star Linda Hartley has decided to leave the Neighbours after a behind-the-scenes battle between producers Grundy Television and the Network Ten. Hartley had requested for a hiatus from the series to allow time to travel overseas and to pursue an opportunity for a singing career including a recording contract with Sony Music Australia, but Grundys were not keen to renew her contract, claiming the show had exceeded its casting budget. However, budget cuts ran out, negotiations broke down again and Hartley has chosen to leave the series.
• 2 July - Canadian children's animated series Babar based on a series of children's books by Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff premieres on ABC.
• 15 July - After a long absence of six months, the Australian comedy series The Comedy Company returns on Network Ten.
• 3 September - Australian children's TV series Johnson and Friends debuts on ABC.
• 5 September - In Neighbours, this was Beverly Robinson's final episode.
• 7 September - In Neighbours Kerry Mangel was stabbed in the head while duck hunting in September, leaving Joe Mangel in Saw-styled screaming and crying. This was the final episode.
• 10 October - In Neighbours, this was Des Clarke's final episode.
• 11 November - Australian comedy series The Comedy Company airs its final episode on Network Ten before getting axed after very bad ratings and failed to match the success of its 1988 seasons.
• December - The Seven Network wins the 1990 ratings year with a record of 35.6% share for Total People. The most watched program was Seven's AFL: 1990 AFL Grand Final.
• 8 December - Neighbours producers have announced that star Ashley Paske will not renew his contract with the Network Ten series when it expires in January. He is expected to be seen on-air until May.
• 22 December - Neighbours star Richard Norton has been informed by producers that they won’t be renewing his contract when it expires in February.
• 31 December - Queensland becomes the second Aggregated market with local stations Sunshine Television (which now becomes Seven Queensland), WIN and QTV (now becomes Southern Cross Ten).
• Australian lifestyle and gardening series Gardening Australia debuts on ABC.

Premieres

Domestic series

International series

Program	Network	Debut date
The Giddy Game Show	ABC TV	4 January
Pinny's House	ABC TV	24 January
Fireman Sam	ABC TV	29 January
The Watch House	ABC TV	28 March
Alexei Sayle's Stuff	ABC TV	18 June
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers	Seven Network	July
Babar	ABC TV	2 July
Moondial	ABC TV	10 August
Mike and Angelo	ABC TV	20 August
Press Gang	ABC TV	10 September
The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley	ABC TV	27 September
Round the Bend	ABC TV	19 November
Wowser	Nine Network	19 November
Rod, Jane and Freddy	ABC TV	18 December
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh	Seven Network	1990
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	Seven Network	1990

Television shows

ABC TV

• Four Corners (1961–present)
• Mr. Squiggle and Friends (1959–1999)
• Rage (1987-beyond)
• G.P. (1989–1996)

Seven Network

• Wheel of Fortune (1981–1996, 1996–2003, 2004-beyond)
• Home and Away (1988–present)
• Family Feud (1988–1996)
• Fast Forward (1989–1994)

Nine Network

• Sale of the Century (1980–2001)
• A Current Affair (1971–1978, 1988–2005, 2006–present)
• Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971–1999)
• The Midday Show (1973–1998)
• 60 Minutes (1979–present)
• The Flying Doctors (1986–1991)
• Australia's Funniest Home Video Show (1990–2000, 2000–2004, 2005–2007)
• Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971 – 1999)
• Sunday (1981 – 2008)
• Today (1982 – present)

Network Ten

• Neighbours (1985 – 1990)
• The Comedy Company (1988 – 1990)

Ending this year

References