View source for Wide World of Sports (Australian TV program)

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Nine's Wide World of Sports logo.svg
| caption              =
| alt_name             =
| genre                = Sports
| creator              =
| writer               =
| director             =
| creative_director    =
| developer            =
| presenter            = [[Roz Kelly]]
| starring             =
| voices               =
| narrated             =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme            =
| endtheme             =
| composer             =
| country              = Australia
| language             = English
| num_seasons          = 24
| num_episodes         =
| list_episodes        =
| executive_producer   =
| producer             =
| editor               =
| location             = [[TCN-9]] [[Willoughby, New South Wales]]
| cinematography       =
| camera               =
| runtime              = 60 minutes<br />(including commercials)
| network              = [[Nine Network]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1981|05|23|df=y}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|1999}}
| first_aired2         = {{Start date|2008|03|16|df=y}}
| last_aired2          = {{End date|2016}}
| first_aired3         = {{start date|2024|03|03|df=y}}
| last_aired3          = present
| related              = {{Plainlist|
* [[Sports Sunday]]
}}
}}
'''''Wide World of Sports''''' is an Australian sports television program broadcast on the [[Nine Network]].
The show is hosted by [[Roz Kelly (sports presenter)|Roz Kelly]], with former Australian cricket captain [[Mark Taylor (cricketer)|Mark Taylor]], [[Gus Worland]], Chloe Dalton and a roster of rotating panelists.
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|''Sports Sunday'']] airing its first episode on 5 March 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2017-02-02 |title=Airdate: Sports Sunday |url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2017/02/airdate-sports-sunday.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170313184211/http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2017/02/airdate-sports-sunday.html |archive-date=2017-03-13 |access-date=2017-03-12 |website=[[TV Tonight]]}}</ref> It returned on 3 March 2024, after a seven-year hiatus, as a rename of ''Sports Sunday''.<ref name=":0" />
==History==
===1981–1999 – Weekly shows===
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 (sports journalist)|Mike Gibson]] and [[Ian Chappell]], before being hosted in the 1990s by [[Max Walker (cricketer)|Max Walker]] and [[Ken Sutcliffe]].{{cn|date=November 2024}} Ian Maurice was the regular anchor at the WWOS Update Desk.{{cn|date=November 2024}}
After being briefly repackaged in 1999 as ''Sports Saturday'',<ref>{{Cite Trove newspaper | 280058936 |title=Hills Messenger (Port Adelaide, SA : 1984 - 2011) |access-date={{date|2024-09-15}}}} p. 19. Midweek television guide from an [[Adelaide, South Australia|Adelaide]] newspaper.</ref> the show ended later that year; its purpose largely rendered obsolete due in large part to the rise of subscription sports channels in Australia, including [[Fox Sports (Australia)|Fox Sports]], which [[Publishing_and_Broadcasting_Limited|Nine's owner]] owned half of.
It was unrelated to the series ''Wide World of Sports'' aired by [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] in the United States, which started in 1961.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Furlong |first=William Barry |date=1981-04-19 |title='Wild World of Sports' - Some Hits, Some Errors |page=27 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/19/arts/wild-world-of-sports-some-hits-some-errors.html |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126015901/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/19/arts/wild-world-of-sports-some-hits-some-errors.html |archive-date=2018-01-26}}</ref>
In the early 1980s, well-known hosts and presenters on Wide World of Sports included [[Mike Gibson (sports journalist)|Mike Gibson]]<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-09-23 |title=Mike Gibson, veteran sports presenter and commentator, dies aged 75 |work=[[The Guardian]] |agency=[[Australian Associated Press]] |url=http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/23/mike-gibson-veteran-sports-presenter-and-commentator-dies-aged-75 |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020052035/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/23/mike-gibson-veteran-sports-presenter-and-commentator-dies-aged-75 |archive-date=2015-10-20}}</ref><ref name="empathise">{{Cite news |last=Nicolussi |first=Christian |date=2015-09-23 |title=Mike Gibson's ability to empathise with punters made him a storyteller without peer |work=Perth Now |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/other-sports/mike-gibsons-ability-to-empathise-with-punters-made-him-a-storyteller-without-peer-ng-c426c180cdc32276b43205d828da37b4 |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729073418/https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/other-sports/mike-gibsons-ability-to-empathise-with-punters-made-him-a-storyteller-without-peer-ng-c426c180cdc32276b43205d828da37b4 |archive-date=2021-07-29 |via=[[Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> and [[Ian Chappell]],<ref name="empathise" /> both the inaugural hosts of the Saturday afternoon program in 1981.<ref name="DAILYmike">{{Cite news |date=2015-09-23 |title=Legendary sports commentator and journalist Mike Gibson dies aged 75 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|Daily Telegraph]] |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/legendary-sports-commentator-and-journalist-mike-gibson-dies-aged-75/news-story/95a69e4f7a21a4d8f9779189e748e79f |access-date=2020-08-27}}</ref> [[Billy Birmingham]] in 1984 released a [[It's Just Not Cricket|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,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Conkey |first=Benjamin |date=2015-11-09 |title=Billy Birmingham to retire 'The 12th Man' |url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2015/11/09/billy-birmingham-to-retire-the-12th-man/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116133338/https://www.theroar.com.au/2015/11/09/billy-birmingham-to-retire-the-12th-man/ |archive-date=2018-11-16 |access-date=2020-08-27 |website=[[The Roar (website)|The Roar]]}}</ref> A later album was called ''The Wired World of Sports.'' Among the hosts satirized were his friend Mike Gibson.<ref name="DAILYmike" /> The television show won "Most Popular Sports Program" at the Logie Awards in 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-01-01 |title=TV WEEK Logie Award Winners 1980 to 1989 |url=https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/tv/tv-week-logie-award-winners-1980-to-1989-40386 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729080109/https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/tv/tv-week-logie-award-winners-1980-to-1989-40386 |archive-date=2021-07-29 |access-date=2020-08-27 |website=Now To Love}}</ref>
In 1990s, the Wide World of Sports marketed sports paraphernalia such as signed and framed bats, and items from the [[Australian Rugby League]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wright |first=Charles |date=1999-05-15 |title=The road to riches down memory lane |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/the-road-to-riches-down-memory-lane-19990515-k8quf |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729081403/https://www.afr.com/companies/the-road-to-riches-down-memory-lane-19990515-k8quf |archive-date=2021-07-29}}</ref> Paul Sheahan hosted Nine's ''Wide World of Sports'' program until 1999.<ref name="MCCnews">{{Cite news |date=November 2016 |title='Tangles' was all heart |pages=4 |work=MCC News |publisher=[[Melbourne Cricket Club]] |url=https://www.mcg.org.au/_/media/files/mcc/publications/mcc-news-november_web.pdf?la=en |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729082826/https://www.mcg.org.au/_/media/files/mcc/publications/mcc-news-november_web.pdf?la=en |archive-date=2021-07-29}}</ref> Max Walker hosted until it ended in 1999.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pierik |first=Jon |date=2016-09-28 |title=Former Australian cricketer Max Walker dies at 68 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |agency=AAP |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/84744681/former-australian-cricketer-max-walker-dies-at-68 |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207230247/https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/84744681/former-australian-cricketer-max-walker-dies-at-68 |archive-date=2018-12-07 |via=[[The Age]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-09-28 |title=Max Walker dies aged 68 |work=[[Sunshine Coast Daily]] |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/sport/max-walker-dies-aged-68/news-story/bb7dd750ed11d37e94983aa48063766e |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528212735/https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/breaking-news-max-walker-dies-aged-68/3094520/ |archive-date=2020-05-28}}</ref>
===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,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Chris |date=2008-03-01 |title=A 'Wide World' opens for Gilly |work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23305387-5001023,00.html |url-status=dead |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811200127/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/a-wide-world-opens-for-gilly/story-e6frexni-1111115690155 |archive-date=2011-08-11}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2008-03-11 |title=Returning: Wide World of Sports |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2008/03/returning-wide-world-of-sports.html/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204557/https://tvtonight.com.au/2008/03/returning-wide-world-of-sports.html |archive-date=2016-03-03 |access-date=2020-08-27 |website=[[TV Tonight]]}}</ref> 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]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schmidt |first=Lucinda |date=2011-07-19 |title=Profile: Grant Hackett |work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |department=Money |url=https://www.smh.com.au/money/investing/profile-grant-hackett-20110719-1hm27.html |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722131128/https://www.smh.com.au/money/investing/profile-grant-hackett-20110719-1hm27.html |archive-date=2011-07-22}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bucklow |first=Andrew |date=2016-03-02 |title=Emma Freedman back at Channel Nine 14 months after sacking |language=en |work=[[News.com.au]] |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/morning-shows/emma-freedman-is-back-at-channel-nine-14-months-after-being-sacked/news-story/4b2b19e8fa7e4e6c401c7c55fa4302c9 |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161016180349/https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/morning-shows/emma-freedman-is-back-at-channel-nine-14-months-after-being-sacked/news-story/4b2b19e8fa7e4e6c401c7c55fa4302c9 |archive-date=2016-10-16}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2018-08-09 |title=John McEnroe, Todd Woodbridge sign on Nine's Australian Open team |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2018/08/john-mcenroe-todd-woodbridge-sign-on-nines-australian-open-team.html/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109012604/https://tvtonight.com.au/2018/08/john-mcenroe-todd-woodbridge-sign-on-nines-australian-open-team.html |archive-date=2020-11-09 |access-date=2020-08-27 |website=[[TV Tonight]]}}</ref>
[[Macquarie Media]] in 2020 began airing an hour-long ''Wide World of Sports'' radio broadcast hosted by [[Mark Levy (sportscaster)|Mark Levy]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cheik-Hussein |first=Miriam |date=2019-12-16 |title=Nine to bring Wide World of Sports to radio |url=https://www.adnews.com.au/news/nine-to-bring-wide-world-of-sports-to-radio |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730003320/https://www.adnews.com.au/news/nine-to-bring-wide-world-of-sports-to-radio |archive-date=2021-07-30 |access-date=2020-08-27 |website=AdNews}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-17 |title=Wide World of Sports coming to 2GB and 4BC in 2020 |url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/wide-world-of-sports-coming-to-2gb-and-4bc-in-2020/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815012649/https://www.mediaweek.com.au/wide-world-of-sports-coming-to-2gb-and-4bc-in-2020/ |archive-date=2020-08-15 |access-date=2020-08-27 |website=[[Mediaweek (Australian magazine)|Mediaweek]]}}</ref>
===2024-present - Show's second return to TV===
In March 2024, after a seven-year hiatus, it was announced that the ''Wide World of Sports'' weekly television program would return to Nine on 3 March 2024, as a rename of ''[[Sports Sunday]]'', hosted by [[Roz Kelly (sports presenter)|Roz Kelly]]. In the first episode of 2024, Kelly was joined by former cricket captain [[Mark Taylor (cricketer)|Mark Taylor]], [[Australian Football League|AFL]] great [[Jimmy Bartel]] and the Australian Paralympian [[Ellie Cole]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=3 March 2024 |title=Returning: Wide World of Sports |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/03/returning-wide-world-of-sports-3.html |access-date=3 March 2024 |website=TV Tonight |language=en-AU}}</ref>
==Hosts==
===Current===
* [[Roz Kelly (sports presenter)|Roz Kelly]]
===Past===
* [[Ian Chappell]]
* [[Lisa Curry]]
* [[Sally Fitzgibbons]]
* [[Emma Freedman]]
* Ian Maurice
* [[Mike Gibson (sports journalist)|Mike Gibson]]
* [[Tony Greig]]
* [[Max Walker]]
* [[Adam Gilchrist]]
* [[Giaan Rooney]]
* [[Yvonne Sampson]]
* [[Michael Slater]]
* Clint Stanaway
* [[John Steffenson]]
* [[Ken Sutcliffe]]
* Richie Calendar
==Awards==
The show won the [[Logie Award]] for the [[Logie Award for Most Popular Sports Program|Most Popular Sports Program]] in 1987, and was nominated for every year from 2009 to 2017.
==See also==
{{Portal|Television|Australia}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://wwos.com.au/ ''Wide World of Sports''] home page.
{{Nine Network programming}}
[[Category:Nine's Wide World of Sports]]
[[Category:1981 Australian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1999 Australian television series endings]]
[[Category:2008 Australian television series debuts]]
[[Category:2016 Australian television series endings]]
[[Category:2024 Australian television series debuts]]
[[Category:Australian English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Australian sports television series]]