The show originally aired from 23 May 1981, until the end of 1999. After a nine-year hiatus, it returned on 16 March 2008 and had its last episode in 2016 following Ken Sutcliffe's retirement. It was replaced by a new sport talk show Sports Sunday airing its first episode on 5 March 2017.[1]
Wide World of Sports (WWoS) is a long-used title for Nine's sport programming. All sports broadcasts on Nine air under the WWoS brand. It was also the name of a popular sports magazine program that aired most Saturdays and Sundays. This program filled many of the summer daytime hours. The program premiered at 1:00 pm on Saturday, 23 May 1981, and was initially hosted by Mike Gibson and Ian Chappell, before being hosted in the 1990s by Max Walker and Ken Sutcliffe. Ian Maurice was the regular anchor at the WWOS Update Desk. The show ended in 1999, due in large part to the rise of Fox Sports (which Nine's owner owned half of) and other subscription sport channels,[citation needed] but the show returned in 2008 on Sunday mornings.
It was unrelated to the series Wide World of Sports aired by ABC in the United States, which started in 1961.[2]
In the early 1980s, well-known hosts and presenters on Wide World of Sports included Mike Gibson[3][4] and Ian Chappell,[4] both the inaugural hosts of the Saturday afternoon program in 1981.[5]Billy Birmingham in 1984 released a comedy album that satirized cricket "and in particular Channel Nine’s iconic commentary team with Richie Benaud the central figure," which became popular in Australia,[6] A later album was called The Wired World of Sports. Among the hosts satirized were his friend Mike Gibson.[5] The television show won "Most Popular Sports Program" at the Logie Awards in 1986.[7]
In 1990s, the Wide World of Sports marketed sports paraphernalia such as signed and framed bats, and items from the Australian Rugby League.[8] Paul Sheahan hosted Nine's Wide World of Sports program until 1999.[9] Max Walker hosted until it ended in 1999.[10][11]
2008-2020 - Show's return to TV
After a ten-year hiatus, it was announced that the Wide World of Sports weekly television program would return to Nine on 16 March 2008,[12] using the same theme song as the old version, as well as accessing old footage for replays. This show was hosted by the previous host Ken Sutcliffe, with footy show star James Brayshaw as well as former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist. Revolving co-hosts included former swimmers Giaan Rooney, Nicole Livingstone and former cricketer Michael Slater.[13] The show originally aired for 90 minutes but was recently extended to two hours. It aired on Sunday mornings at 9am till 11am.
After she was fired in 2014 as a cost-cutting measure, in 2016 Emma Freedman again signed up with Channel Nine's Wide World of Sports as an announcer.[15] The weekly show was no longer airing as of 2017. Sports Sunday replaced the show in the Sunday 10am time slot.
In 2019, it broadcast the Australian Open with its own team of commentators.[16]
Macquarie Media in 2020 began airing an hour-long Wide World of Sports radio broadcast hosted by Mark Levy.[17][18]
^Knox, David (2 February 2017). "Airdate: Sports Sunday". TV Tonight. from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
^Furlong, William Barry (19 April 1981). "'Wild World of Sports' - Some Hits, Some Errors". The New York Times. p. 27. from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^"Mike Gibson, veteran sports presenter and commentator, dies aged 75". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 23 September 2015. from the original on 20 October 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^ abNicolussi, Christian (23 September 2015). "Mike Gibson's ability to empathise with punters made him a storyteller without peer". Perth Now. from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2020 – via Daily Telegraph.
^ ab"Legendary sports commentator and journalist Mike Gibson dies aged 75". Daily Telegraph. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Conkey, Benjamin (9 November 2015). "Billy Birmingham to retire 'The 12th Man'". The Roar. from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^"TV WEEK Logie Award Winners 1980 to 1989". Now To Love. 1 January 2010. from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^Wright, Charles (15 May 1999). "The road to riches down memory lane". Australian Financial Review. from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^"'Tangles' was all heart" (PDF). MCC News. Melbourne Cricket Club. November 2016. p. 4. (PDF) from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^Pierik, Jon (28 September 2016). "Former Australian cricketer Max Walker dies at 68". Stuff. AAP. from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2020 – via The Age.
^"Max Walker dies aged 68". Sunshine Coast Daily. 28 September 2016. from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^Wilson, Chris (1 March 2008). . The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^Knox, David (11 March 2008). "Returning: Wide World of Sports". TV Tonight. from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^Schmidt, Lucinda (19 July 2011). "Profile: Grant Hackett". Money. Sydney Morning Herald. from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^Bucklow, Andrew (2 March 2016). "Emma Freedman back at Channel Nine 14 months after sacking". News.com.au. from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^Knox, David (9 August 2018). "John McEnroe, Todd Woodbridge sign on Nine's Australian Open team". TV Tonight. from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^Cheik-Hussein, Miriam (16 December 2019). "Nine to bring Wide World of Sports to radio". AdNews. from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^"Wide World of Sports coming to 2GB and 4BC in 2020". Mediaweek. 17 December 2019. from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
External links
Wide World of Sports home page.
January 30, 2023
wide, world, sports, australian, program, wide, world, sports, australian, sports, television, program, broadcast, nine, network, wide, world, sportsgenresportspresented, byken, sutcliffe, host, michael, slateremma, freedmanjohn, steffensenclint, stanawaysally. Wide World of Sports is an Australian sports television program It was broadcast on the Nine Network Wide World of SportsGenreSportsPresented byKen Sutcliffe host Michael SlaterEmma FreedmanJohn SteffensenClint StanawaySally FitzgibbonsCountry of originAustraliaOriginal languageEnglishNo of seasons24ProductionProduction locationTCN 9 Willoughby New South WalesRunning time60 minutes including commercials ReleaseOriginal networkNine NetworkOriginal release23 May 1981 1981 05 23 1999 1999 16 March 2008 2008 03 16 2016 2016 ChronologyFollowed bySports SundayThe show originally aired from 23 May 1981 until the end of 1999 After a nine year hiatus it returned on 16 March 2008 and had its last episode in 2016 following Ken Sutcliffe s retirement It was replaced by a new sport talk show Sports Sunday airing its first episode on 5 March 2017 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 1981 1999 Weekly shows 1 2 2008 2020 Show s return to TV 2 Hosts 2 1 Past 3 Awards 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory Edit1981 1999 Weekly shows Edit Wide World of Sports WWoS is a long used title for Nine s sport programming All sports broadcasts on Nine air under the WWoS brand It was also the name of a popular sports magazine program that aired most Saturdays and Sundays This program filled many of the summer daytime hours The program premiered at 1 00 pm on Saturday 23 May 1981 and was initially hosted by Mike Gibson and Ian Chappell before being hosted in the 1990s by Max Walker and Ken Sutcliffe Ian Maurice was the regular anchor at the WWOS Update Desk The show ended in 1999 due in large part to the rise of Fox Sports which Nine s owner owned half of and other subscription sport channels citation needed but the show returned in 2008 on Sunday mornings It was unrelated to the series Wide World of Sports aired by ABC in the United States which started in 1961 2 In the early 1980s well known hosts and presenters on Wide World of Sports included Mike Gibson 3 4 and Ian Chappell 4 both the inaugural hosts of the Saturday afternoon program in 1981 5 Billy Birmingham in 1984 released a comedy album that satirized cricket and in particular Channel Nine s iconic commentary team with Richie Benaud the central figure which became popular in Australia 6 A later album was called The Wired World of Sports Among the hosts satirized were his friend Mike Gibson 5 The television show won Most Popular Sports Program at the Logie Awards in 1986 7 In 1990s the Wide World of Sports marketed sports paraphernalia such as signed and framed bats and items from the Australian Rugby League 8 Paul Sheahan hosted Nine s Wide World of Sports program until 1999 9 Max Walker hosted until it ended in 1999 10 11 2008 2020 Show s return to TV Edit After a ten year hiatus it was announced that the Wide World of Sports weekly television program would return to Nine on 16 March 2008 12 using the same theme song as the old version as well as accessing old footage for replays This show was hosted by the previous host Ken Sutcliffe with footy show star James Brayshaw as well as former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist Revolving co hosts included former swimmers Giaan Rooney Nicole Livingstone and former cricketer Michael Slater 13 The show originally aired for 90 minutes but was recently extended to two hours It aired on Sunday mornings at 9am till 11am In 2009 Grant Hackett 14 and Michael Slater joined the team as co hosts alongside Sutcliffe and Rooney After she was fired in 2014 as a cost cutting measure in 2016 Emma Freedman again signed up with Channel Nine s Wide World of Sports as an announcer 15 The weekly show was no longer airing as of 2017 Sports Sunday replaced the show in the Sunday 10am time slot In 2019 it broadcast the Australian Open with its own team of commentators 16 Macquarie Media in 2020 began airing an hour long Wide World of Sports radio broadcast hosted by Mark Levy 17 18 Hosts EditPast Edit Ian Chappell Lisa Curry Sally Fitzgibbons Emma Freedman Ian Maurice Mike Gibson Tony Greig Max Walker Adam Gilchrist Giaan Rooney Yvonne Sampson Michael Slater Clint Stanaway John Steffenson Ken Sutcliffe Richie CalendarAwards EditThe show won the Logie Award for the Most Popular Sports Program in 1987 and was nominated for every year from 2009 to 2017 See also Edit Television portal Australia portalReferences Edit Knox David 2 February 2017 Airdate Sports Sunday TV Tonight Archived from the original on 13 March 2017 Retrieved 12 March 2017 Furlong William Barry 19 April 1981 Wild World of Sports Some Hits Some Errors The New York Times p 27 Archived from the original on 26 January 2018 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Mike Gibson veteran sports presenter and commentator dies aged 75 The Guardian Australian Associated Press 23 September 2015 Archived from the original on 20 October 2015 Retrieved 27 August 2020 a b Nicolussi Christian 23 September 2015 Mike Gibson s ability to empathise with punters made him a storyteller without peer Perth Now Archived from the original on 29 July 2021 Retrieved 27 August 2020 via Daily Telegraph a b Legendary sports commentator and journalist Mike Gibson dies aged 75 Daily Telegraph 23 September 2015 Retrieved 27 August 2020 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint url status link Conkey Benjamin 9 November 2015 Billy Birmingham to retire The 12th Man The Roar Archived from the original on 16 November 2018 Retrieved 27 August 2020 TV WEEK Logie Award Winners 1980 to 1989 Now To Love 1 January 2010 Archived from the original on 29 July 2021 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Wright Charles 15 May 1999 The road to riches down memory lane Australian Financial Review Archived from the original on 29 July 2021 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Tangles was all heart PDF MCC News Melbourne Cricket Club November 2016 p 4 Archived PDF from the original on 29 July 2021 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Pierik Jon 28 September 2016 Former Australian cricketer Max Walker dies at 68 Stuff AAP Archived from the original on 7 December 2018 Retrieved 27 August 2020 via The Age Max Walker dies aged 68 Sunshine Coast Daily 28 September 2016 Archived from the original on 28 May 2020 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Wilson Chris 1 March 2008 A Wide World opens for Gilly The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on 11 August 2011 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Knox David 11 March 2008 Returning Wide World of Sports TV Tonight Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Schmidt Lucinda 19 July 2011 Profile Grant Hackett Money Sydney Morning Herald Archived from the original on 22 July 2011 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Bucklow Andrew 2 March 2016 Emma Freedman back at Channel Nine 14 months after sacking News com au Archived from the original on 16 October 2016 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Knox David 9 August 2018 John McEnroe Todd Woodbridge sign on Nine s Australian Open team TV Tonight Archived from the original on 9 November 2020 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Cheik Hussein Miriam 16 December 2019 Nine to bring Wide World of Sports to radio AdNews Archived from the original on 30 July 2021 Retrieved 27 August 2020 Wide World of Sports coming to 2GB and 4BC in 2020 Mediaweek 17 December 2019 Archived from the original on 15 August 2020 Retrieved 27 August 2020 External links EditWide World of Sports home page Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wide World of Sports Australian TV program amp oldid 1121590003, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
