The Big Gig

The Big Gig was a popular Australian TV comedy series from 1989-92 originally named Tuesday Night Live and based on the British TV series Saturday Live. It was broadcast by the ABC and was produced and directed by Ted Robinson, who started his career as the director of the second series of the acclaimed The Aunty Jack Show in the early 1970s and Neil Wilson who has worked for more than a decade throughout Asia and recently was consultant Producer and Director of Dancing with the Stars in Mumbai, India. Largely based around performers sourced from the thriving Melbourne stand-up comedy scene of that time, the series brought a number of new comedy acts to national prominence and made major stars of its host, stand-up comedian Wendy Harmer, who later became a top-rating host on morning radio in Sydney in the 1990s, and the regularly featured act, The Doug Anthony All-Stars.

Directed by —, The Big Gig leans on a strong ensemble — Jean Kittson, Glynn Nicholas, Doug Anthony All Stars — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 0.