Daryl Somers will host a special tribute to GTV9 Melbourne's Studio 9 in 'Studio 9 Unplugged' on Friday, November 19 at 8.30pm.
The special highlights package seems to have been setup to celebrate the end of Somer's Hey Hey It's Saturday (broadcast from Studio 9) rather then to mark any sort of anniversary for the actual studio.
Studio 9 does, however, hold a significant place in Australian television history. It was the first studio in the world to be purpose-built for one television show and one star (long before the American breakfast shows caught onto the idea). The show was In Melbourne Tonight and the star was Graham Kenedy. Since then, it has been the powerhouse for around 9,000 hours of live television.
The special will feature tributes to Graham Kennedy, Bert Newton, the Hey Hey years featuring Ossie and Jackie, and the Logie winning duo Ernie Sigley and Denise Drysdale.
A highlights package of international stars will also be shown, featuring Celine Dion, Ricky Martin, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, John Farnham, The Village People, Savage Garden, David Bowie, INXS, Sammy David Jnr and Kylie Minogue.
Daryl Somers himself first appeared in Studio 9 as a schoolboy contestant on New Faces.
"I didn't realise back then that Studio 9 would be my home for nearly 30 years," Daryl said, "It is a place that has brought some magic into everyone's lives for 4 decades and I am proud to be part of celebrating that achievement with this program."
