Show Preview: Hamish and Andy's Gap Year

What do we know?

Hamish and Andy will host a show from a "desk" in a warehouse, where they will interview various celebrity guests, as well as cut to pre-filmed segments, out and about in New York. What the rest of the show will be made up of is unknown.


Who's in it?

Hamish Blake and Andy Lee will host.

Their radio show's "button pusher" Jack Post will feature as a "butler" of sorts, and has hinted that he will be wearing a suit t-shirt with white gloves.

Ryan Shelton will appear in an as-yet unknown capacity. Will he file individual comedy segments filmed in NY, or will he be another co-host?


What does Episode 1 hold in store? 

Taylor Swift will be a guest, as first alluded to by Hamish and Andy on last Friday's show, and also confirmed by Channel Nine today.
She is obviously great friends with the boys, especially after the gave her the "Australian" nickname "Swifty Taylor" a couple of years ago.


Will it Work?

Hamish and Andy will not try to reinvent the wheel with this one. They have a great brand and they know it. They also have hours of TV and Radio experience under their belts, so opening night jitters shouldn't be too much of a problem.

They also have hoardes of fans that will follow them wherever they go. The main thing that they need to work on is honing their focus and product. If the show seems too slap-dash with no structure, it will turn away people who aren't mad fans- there is little chance it will be too much the other way, with Nine stating beforehand that they would give the pair complete creative control... However, they still need to make sure they don't make the show too casual in its approach.

There is no doubt that it will work, as their specials on Ten have been successes- point a camera at the boys running amok somewhere and hilarity will follow.

The only question is whether the show will become a huge hit- and this can only be achieved if they can bring some of that live and edgy radio energy into a studio.

During their specials on Ten, they often had in-studio links between segments- these were the weakest parts of those shows. If these (which this time will be longer and likely feature guests and other hijinks) are less scripted and contrived in their Nine show, it will be the best thing they have ever done.


Ratings Predictor

Their large listener base will likely provide for a solid audience in Episode 1 (especially given they have been in New York broadcasting for a couple of months now, talking about the show). So think at least 1.2 million listeners will tune in.

Then add in the promotion-factor- Nine have put up billboard ads all across Australia. Add another 200 thousand.

Then consider that there will be very little competition from other networks- Seven has the cancelled Law and Order: LA premiere, while Ten has The Renovators, which doesnt look like it will put up much of a fight. ABC1 also has the very average Crownies. Add another 200,000 people curious channel-surfers.

Then add another 200,00 or so for the sheer fact that it's a new, expensive product, and a pure comedy show.

I put the premiere's ratings at 1.7-1.8 million.


When does it air?

Hamish and Andy's Gap Year airs on Thursday at 8:30PM.