“All power to him”: Amanda Keller reveals why Chris Brown is jumping ship
After Dr Chris Brown announced his departure from Channel Ten to join rival network Channel Seven, his former Living Room co-star spoke candidly about the situation on WSFM’s Jonesy & Amanda, while delivering a dig to the network.
Brown’s career move has come after 15 years at Channel Ten, with his time at Seven set to begin on July 1. Chris will still star alongside friend and co-host Julia Morris for 2023’s I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! before departing for the rival network.
Chris is only one on a list of notable TV personalities to jump ship from Ten, with fellow The Project hosts Carrie Bickmore, Lisa Wilkinson, and Peter Helliar already having severed ties.
It is reported that Chris’ new contract is worth a staggering $1m a year for two years.
“Chris Brown has provided Australians with warmth and compassion as the resident vet on Bondi Vet, treating animals large and small,” said a 10 spokesperson. “He has served up a multitude of uplifting, inspiring and hilarious stories with Amanda, Barry and Miguel on The Living Room couch and Chris, along with Julia Morris is contracted to the upcoming season of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! which will be back on screens and back in the South African jungle in April.”
And now Keller, who co-starred with Brown on Ten’s The Living Room before the award-winning program was “rested” for 2023, said the network’s unwillingness to renew the lifestyle show for this year was a “risk”.
In October, Keller had revealed the cast was “sad” to be taking a break from the show, and that it was a network decision to temporarily halt filming.
“I said at the time, this is the risk you take as a network. None of us are on contracts, they haven’t rested the show and retained us on contract,” Keller said today on WSFM’s Jonesy & Amanda.
“So as Chris said, ‘I’m working one month a year on television’,” Keller said.
“In terms of television, he’s doing I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, which pretty much goes for a month, and then he has 11 months where he’s looking for a TV project.”
Keller also gave more details about what Brown will tackle once he moves to Seven.
“He’s got ideas for his own programs and Channel 7 have said come and do it over here and all power to him,” Keller said.
“Why would Chris not jump somewhere where he’s offered a variety of work for a year?”
Chris launched his television career with Channel Seven, starring on Harry’s Practice and putting his skill as a vet to the test in 2003. The role earned him a Logie Award nomination for “Most Popular New Talent”.
Of Chris’ return to the network, Seven West Media CEO James Warburton said, “we are very pleased to welcome Chris back to Seven. It’s been too long.
“Chris is one of the most popular and recognised people on Australian TV, bringing warmth, intelligence and a great sense of humour to everything he does. We can’t wait to have him on board and to announce the great new content he will star in.”
Images: TV Tonight / Getty Images