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Daryl Somers drops big hint over Hey Hey It's Saturday tour

Daryl Somers, 72, was named Victorian of the Year during a ceremony at Melbourne Town Hall on Monday. During his speech, the TV veteran revealed that he was "serious" about touring highlights from his iconic show, Hey Hey It's Saturday. “I’m seriously considering going out and touring with the archives because we’ve digitised well over 20 years worth of Hey Hey,” Somers revealed. “There are some marvellous backstories to things that happened over that time.” The presenter accepted the honour for his charitable contributions and services to entertainment, after a nearly 30 year career on the show, which ran until 1999. He told the audience that he was a "performer at heart" and missed the excitement of live entertainment. During his speech, he also admitted that even though it was an honour to receive the award, it had come at a difficult time, following the death of close friend and former co-star John Blackman, who served as Hey, Hey’s voiceover artist for the show. Blackman passed away on June 4 after a battle with cancer. “It is an honour, I’m a born-and-bred Victorian,” he said. “You think about the highs and lows in life and this is a high for me at the end of a rather solemn week. “Last week, we laid to rest my dear friend John Blackman. John was a passionate and loyal Victorian as well. “He is not here, but in part I’d like to dedicate this award to him because we had an endearing friendship. I love the guy – we went back over 50 years.” Somers also thanked his team and his wife, Julie for supporting him throughout his career. The TV veteran was also involved with plenty of charities over the years including Lost Dogs Home, Kids Under Cover and Camp Quality. Images: Channel 9

Daryl Somers receives unique gift at John Blackman's emotional funeral

The who's-who of Australian TV have turned out to farewell John Blackman at an emotional funeral in Melbourne. Hey Hey it's Saturday host Daryl Somers led the tributes to his late friend, reflecting on their decades-long friendship and side-by-side career. "He was so wonderful and he was so sharp and saw humour in everything. John was an optimist and we loved him so much,” Somers said. During the heartfelt memorial, Somers received a precious gift from Blackman's wife of 52 years Cecile, who gifted him the famous Dickie Knee puppet to the remaining Hey Hey It's Saturday stars. John Blackman's co-stars from across three decades of Australian TV were also in attendance, with Wilbur Wilde, Red Symonds, Eddie McGuire and Nine's Livinia Nixon among mourners. "There was a whole lotta love in the room, for him, for everything that he's done for everybody, for the kindness he's shown everyone," Nixon said. Mourners reflected on his quick wit and most famous character Dickie Knee, who took the mickey out of some of the biggest stars of the time. "A very sad day though it's kind of a very special time, all that time in variety. And another one's gone," Entertainer Rhonda Burchmore said. Some of Blackman's old radio colleagues also paid tribute, with veteran 3AW presenter Philip Brady saying, "We became best buddies a long, long time ago and had so many laughs together over the years." "And I'll be forever grateful to John for the humour he brought into our lives. He really enriched our lives and we are poorer for his passing." At the time of his death, Blackman had been suffering bone and skin cancer, and had undergone major surgeries to control the disease. Image credits: Nine

Caring

Daryl Somers breaks silence after John Blackman's tragic passing

Hey Hey it's Saturday star Daryl Somers has broken his silence after the sudden death of his friend and colleague John Blackman. Somers and Blackman worked together on the Nine Network variety show for decades, with Blackman becoming a household name for voicing the cheeky and loveable stick puppet Dickey Knee. John tragically <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/australia-is-a-sadder-place-shock-as-john-blackman-s-death-confirmed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a> at the age of 76 on Wednesday, after a lengthy battle with cancer and undergoing numerous operations on his face and skull to remove cancerous tumours. Now, Daryl Somers has paid tribute to Blackman, reflecting on the hilarious times they spent together. “He had a God-given talent to make people laugh, especially me,” Daryl Somers told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-05/john-blackman-hey-hey-its-saturday-star-dies/103937036" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. The TV host said he was “devastated” by the death of such a “beloved friend”. “He used to say his mission on Hey Hey was to break me up, and at times I’d be crying with uncontrollable laughter,” Somers said. “Sadly, today, I’m just crying.” Channel Nine and 3AW confirmed the entertainer's death on Wednesday, describing him in a statement as "a cherished voice in Australian media". "John, renowned as the iconic voiceover artist for 'Hey Hey It's Saturday,' brought joy and laughter into countless homes every weekend," the statement said. "His distinctive voice and quick wit became a hallmark of the show, endearing him to generations of viewers." Image credits: Nine Network

Caring

Sudden exit leaves Dancing With the Stars viewers stunned

Fans of Dancing With the Stars were left in shock as celebrity chef Matt Preston made an unexpected decision to quit the show on Sunday night, creating a first in the series' history. After finding himself in the bottom two and facing a dance-off against former AFL star Gavin Wanganeen to secure his spot in the competition, the former MasterChef judge interrupted host Daryl Somers to drop a bombshell announcement. “I’ve loved everything about this, but my ankle is cooked,” Preston revealed to Somers and co-host Sonia Kruger. “I can’t dance again tonight so what I want to do is to concede and give the win to Gavin, who did brilliantly today and I’m so proud to be doing this for you, brother.” Somers, clearly taken aback, expressed that such a situation had never occurred before and invited the judges to share their thoughts on Preston's decision. “I mean, injuries happen and there’s nothing you can do about that,” Craig Revel Horwood said. “I’ve been a dancer all my life, if you’re injured you shouldn’t dance on an injury – so Matt, I think you’ve made the right decision. Sad to see you go, but Gavin, darling welcome, for you get another life on the show now.” “You’re absolutely doing the right thing and thank you for giving us determination and your courage, you’ve been wonderful,” Sharna Burgess agreed. “And I’m gonna give you a big hug after the show.” During a recent candid interview on the Stellar podcast "Something To Talk About," Preston shed light on his motivation for joining the dancing competition in the first place, explaining his desire to step far outside his comfort zone. “An opportunity like Dancing comes along and you go, ‘I don’t need to do it.’ And then you go, ‘Well, let’s have a crack,’” he said. “There’s one word that I keep hearing a lot from certain people of a certain age who’ve achieved a lot, and that’s the fear of ‘humiliation’. I think this is a really debilitating idea, this idea that your children are going to think less of you or your friends are going to joke about you. “Humiliation is just an anxiety that really has no place in the modern world.” Images: Channel 10

"An ugly bum": Karl unleashes on Gladys' ex-lover

Karl Stefanovic and Peter Dutton have joined forced to slam Gladys Berejiklian’s ex, while dismissing the findings of the ICAC report that called out her "corrupt" practices. The Liberal party leader spoke with Stefanovic as a guest on the Today show, who both called out Daryl Maguire for being “a bum.” “She’s first-class and what you see in public is what you get in private as well,” Dutton said. “She’s just a very decent person. She chose a bum basically and he was a bad guy. I think that she has, you know, paid a big price for that. And her integrity is not in question. She’s not a corrupt person." “And I think she should hold her head high. She had a bad relationship, as everybody does, and I hope that that’s not the defining moment for her because she’s a much better person and we all know that.” Host Karl Stefanovic then interjected, “Not to kick a man when he’s down, not just a bum, an ugly bum.” Their comments come after a <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/serious-corrupt-conduct-gladys-report-handed-down" target="_blank" rel="noopener">corruption probe</a> has found Gladys Berejiklian and her former boyfriend engaged in "serious corrupt conduct". ICAC found Ms Berejiklian breached public trust between 2016 to 2017 by failing to disclose her five-year relationship with Mr Maguire, which the watchdog found could have had the “potential to influence the performance of her public duty”. Ms Berejiklian spoke out about the findings, saying "Serving the people of NSW was an honour and privilege. At all times I have worked my hardest in the public interest. Nothing in this report demonstrates otherwise." "Thank you to members of the public for their incredible support. This will sustain me always." Image credits: Today / Getty Images

"An extraordinary experience": Daryl Braithwaite reflects on Harry Styles concert

Daryl Braithwaite has shared what it was like sharing the stage with Harry Styles during his sold-out Australian tour. The Aussie music icon<a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/daryl-braithwaite-joins-harry-styles-on-stage-for-a-show-stopping-performance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> joined Styles on stage</a> during his final show in Australia, at Sydney's Accor Stadium, where the pair performed a duet of Daryl's 1990 cover of The Horses in front of 70,000 people. Braithwaite took to Facebook to recount the experience, as he described the performance as "extraordinary". "This all started in Perth on Monday 20th February, 21 days ago. During that time I have had such an extraordinary experience," he said. "My thanks to all the people that have passed on such lovely comments to me over that period. Thank you Harry for the great thrill and pleasure that it gave me and your lovely army to sing The Horses with you." <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDarylBraithwaite%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02n3RPgqahuBKWbUgotb182kLk2C3YVYn3TfGgwPw1nuHr8jGPazLYnS4zE7bricgRl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="684" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> The post prompted an outpouring of love from fans of both Braithwaite and Styles, as many called for the duo to collaborate again. “Great that Harry got to meet one of Australia’s top music legends,” one fan wrote. “Still love you Daryl, as I did from when I was 14.” "I’d love to hear and see the pair of you sitting down with just a guitar singing some sweet tunes," wrote another. Another fan said, “Such a pleasure to watch you on stage with Harry, such joy you shared and we all felt it, thank you.” <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7206678993213426945&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40yourislandgyalmb%2Fvideo%2F7206678993213426945%3Fembed_source%3D121331973%252C120811592%252C120810756%253Bnull%253Bembed_name%26refer%3Dembed%26referer_url%3Dcdn.embedly.com%252Fwidgets%252Fmedia.html%253Fsrc%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.tiktok.com%25252Fembed%25252Fv2%25252F7206678993213426945%2526display_name%253Dtiktok%2526url%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.tiktok.com%25252F%252540yourislandgyalmb%25252Fvideo%25252F7206678993213426945%2526image%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%25252Fobj%25252Ftos-alisg-p-0037%25252F15d698da8fda4e8e9aea6713dcd8c6bf_1677935718%25253Fx-expires%25253D1678075200%252526x-signature%25253Dn3BzCrm7n9lxLVMnztJiIKKoiTA%2525253D%2526key%253D59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203%2526type%253Dtext%25252Fhtml%2526schema%253Dtiktok%26referer_video_id%3D7206678993213426945&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F15d698da8fda4e8e9aea6713dcd8c6bf_1677935718%3Fx-expires%3D1678860000%26x-signature%3DRRxbHXrpFr9%252Fo64W7ZEtImKNGZg%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> Many noted that in his Sherbet days, Braithwaite was as much a teen icon as Styles is now. <div> “Daryl, I remember a time when you got the same attention as Harry does,” one fan noted, adding heart-eye emojis. “If only Harry knew and appreciated that YOU were the heart throb of my teens,” another noted. Image credits: Facebook </div>

Music

Daryl Braithwaite joins Harry Styles on stage for a show-stopping performance

As Harry Styles finished up his Love on Tour shows in Australia, he was joined by an impressive 70,000-strong crowd in Sydney's Accor Stadium. On Saturday night, after two weeks Down Under, Styles performed his final show in Australia before heading to New Zealand. As a special treat for his fans to commemorate the final Aussie show, the British pop icon brought an Aussie legend to the stage. “It’s our last show in Australia, so it only felt right to do something a little bit special,” Harry told his fans. “Please welcome, Mr Daryl Braithwaite!” In a true display of Australianism, Daryl Braithwaite led a duet of The Horses as the entire crowd sang along, with Styles dancing alongside him. <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7206678993213426945&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40yourislandgyalmb%2Fvideo%2F7206678993213426945&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F15d698da8fda4e8e9aea6713dcd8c6bf_1677935718%3Fx-expires%3D1678075200%26x-signature%3Dn3BzCrm7n9lxLVMnztJiIKKoiTA%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> As the song finished, Harry told the crowd the "Aussie was coursing through my veins," before explaining, “He’s a TimTam, he’s a shoey, he’s Vegemite ... He’s Mr Daryl Braithwaite!” The iconic on-stage moment comes just days after Daryl attended Harry's Melbourne show, in which Styles also sang a cover of The Horses, not knowing the man behind the song's Aussie fame was in the crowd. Braithwaite was impressed by Styles' cover, sharing his admiration for him on Facebook, writing, “What an extraordinary night it was at Harry’s gig." "I just love the feeling of these massive concerts as they take on a life of their own." “Harry Styles is so good at what he does and they loved him. I was completely overwhelmed by the night.” When Styles first performed The Horses in Perth, he described the track as "catnip" to Aussies, with every member of the audience knowing every word to the iconic song. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Daryl Braithwaite watching Harry cover The Horses at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia - February 25 (via fenellamai) <a href="https://t.co/zsEot2TbQt">pic.twitter.com/zsEot2TbQt</a> — HSD Love On Tour (@hsdlot) <a href="https://twitter.com/hsdlot/status/1629529137680351232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2023</a></blockquote> “I’ve been playing that a couple of times here and there,” Styles said of the song. “And every time you are around an Australian, this happens.” Styles then turned his back to the Perth audience, pretended to hear the song, quickly twisting his head with interest, and asked, “Is that Daryl Braithwaite?” Image credits: Instagram

Music

Daryl Braithwaite crashes Harry Styles' sold out tour

As Harry Styles continues his sold out Australian tour, the British pop star has added an unusual track into his nightly setlist. Starting the new tradition at his first show in Perth, Styles has treated Aussie audiences with his own rendition of The Horses, originally sung by Rickie Lee Jones in 1989, but famously covered by Daryl Braithwaite in 1990. As Styles makes his way around Australia, his own version of the song has had audiences belting out the tune night after night, with one artist left very impressed. Performing in Melbourne's sold out Marvel Stadium, Daryl Braithwaite himself was seen in the audience, singing along to the song that made him a household name. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Daryl Braithwaite watching Harry cover The Horses at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia - February 25 (via fenellamai) <a href="https://t.co/zsEot2TbQt">pic.twitter.com/zsEot2TbQt</a> — HSD Love On Tour (@hsdlot) <a href="https://twitter.com/hsdlot/status/1629529137680351232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2023</a></blockquote> Impressed with the cover, Braithwaite shared his admiration for Styles on Facebook, saying, “What an extraordinary night it was at Harry’s gig." <span style="caret-color: #050505; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: #ffffff;">"I just love the feeling of these massive concerts as they take on a life of their own." “Harry Styles is so good at what he does and they loved him. I was completely overwhelmed by the night.” When Styles first performed The Horses in Perth, he described the track as "catnip" to Aussies, with every member of the audience knowing every word to the iconic song. “I’ve been playing that a couple of times here and there,” Styles said of the song. “And every time you are around an Australian, this happens.” Styles then turned his back to the Perth audience, pretended to hear the song, quickly twisting his head with interest, and asked, “Is that Daryl Braithwaite?” On Saturday, after a rousing rendition, he told Melbourne fans, “I can feel Australia coursing through my veins. I can feel it.” Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Unlikely classmates: Olivia spotted in same row as another Aussie icon

An Australian icon has shared their primary school class photo, which features a young Olivia Newton-John before she shot to stardom. The photo also unearthed the little known fact that Olivia went to school with another giant of the Australian entertainment industry: Daryl Braithwaite. Just days after Olivia <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/honouring-dame-olivia-newton-john" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died from breast cancer</a>, Braithwaite, 73, shared the black-and-white class photo taken at Christ Church Grammar School in Melbourne in 1961. “This is a lovely shot to look back at when Olivia was at (school) with all her friends back in 1961. Olivia is 2nd from the right and 3rd row from the bottom,” wrote Braithwaite, who is in the same row on the very far left. He added, “She also loved all animals and was a beautiful soul who left a legacy that will endure forever.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/08/289791995_622869719154215_9160388663808533621_n.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> His post was flooded with comments, as people couldn't believe Daryl and Olivia's friendship went all the way back to primary school. One person said, "Who would of thought that two of Australia's greatest ever singers would come out of that class photo." Braithwaite has previously opened up about how the duo were briefly “boyfriend and girlfriend” while at the same school, before Newton-John moved to London in her teenage years. “She was one of the prettiest girls in the class, (we were) 11 or 12 I think,” he told The Morning Show in 2017. “I don’t know how, we must have sat next to each other and thought, ‘Oh yeah that’s good’ and we were talking and then we held hands and then it was over.” After their fleeting romance, Braithwaite said that the pair always stayed friends. He told <a href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/celeb-news/daryl-braithwaite-olivia-newton-john-romance-64213" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Now to Love</a> in 2020, “It is one of those friendships where there was a decade, or maybe more, where we didn’t speak to each other, mainly because we were too busy or whatever, but over the last year or so I have made more contact with her than ever before, and she is lovely, she really is.” Image credits: Instagram

Relationships

Maguire's ICAC testimony full of personal revelations

Daryl Maguire, former NSW Liberal MP and ex-secret-boyfriend of former Premier Gladys Berejiklian, faced ICAC on Thursday, as part of their inquiry into Berejiklian’s conduct while premier. The inquiry started on Thursday morning with Assistant Commissioner Ruth McColl, SC, rejecting an application made by Berejiklian’s barristers to make part of the hearings private in anticipation of Maguire being questioned about his relationship with the former premier. Berejiklian’s team said that the proposed questions raised “personal privacy concerns of the highest order for my client” and could lead to intense media scrutiny, humiliation, and harm. Ms McColl felt that it was not in the public interest for her to make such an order. Giving evidence remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions, Maguire informed ICAC that he was in a relationship with Berejiklian from 2015 until at least July 2018, when she asked him to quit politics following his evidence at another corruption inquiry. Despite this, Berejiklian confirmed at the ICAC in October of last year that the pair kept in touch until September. Maguire’s testimony was full of revelations about the couple’s relationship. The former state MP admitted to attempting to get confidential information from state MPs about land in Cawdor in the Wollondilly Shire to assist his property developer friend William Leong. He said, “I asked their view on what they thought would happen.” He agreed with former deputy premier John Barilaro’s statement that he was a “pain in the arse” in advocating for projects in his electorate. He also agreed that he was determined when advocating for millions of dollars in funding for two organisations in his electorate, the Australian Clay Target Association and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music. He admitted to lobbying the former state treasurer as well as Berejiklian about funding for these organisations. In addition, Maguire admitted he was a “serial pest” when it came to lobbying sports minister Stuart Ayres and Berejiklian about funding for a multimillion-dollar proposal regarding the Australian Clay Target Association. Ayres eventually signed off on $40,000 for the club in 2016. He is not accused of wrongdoing. The association later received $5.5 million from the state government to upgrade its facilities. Regarding his relationship with Berejiklian, Maguire said that he had a key to her home and that the couple contemplated marriage. In addition, he said they loved each other and had discussed having children. He told the ICAC that Berejiklian had not yet asked for her house key back. Berejiklian is expected to face the inquiry on Friday. She denies wrongdoing and has said that history will show she was acting in the best interests of the people of NSW. Image: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images, Joel Carrett - Pool/Getty Images

News

“It didn’t stack up”: ICAC investigation into Gladys Berejiklian begins

On the opening day of a corruption inquiry into Gladys Berjiklian, private evidence was revealed of the then-premier expressing her “shock” when she was forced to sack former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire. The video evidence was recorded over a month ago, prior to the former Premier announcing her shock departure from the top job. In the clip from 2020, Ms Berejiklian is questioned via video link by Scott Robertson, the Council Assisting of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Mr Robertston directed his questions towards what she knew about Mr Maguire’s allegedly corrupt behaviour when she asked him to resign as Parliamentary Secretary in 2018. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844928/icac1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ad5c3f39aedf4c75924e2c789902fcfe" /> Image: ICAC “Did you suspect Mr Maguire was engaged in corrupt conduct?” Mr Robertson <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/icac-gladys-berejiklian-corruption-inquiry-first-day-hears-private-evidence/f054f374-bf74-4af2-9b92-2a99a81c1a23" target="_blank">asked</a>. “I couldn’t make any assumption at that stage, he was professing his innocence,” Ms Berejiklian replied. After being repeatedly pressed about her suspicions, Ms Berejiklian eventually answered “no”. Once the recording finished, Mr Robertson told the Commission that there were questions about whether the evidence should be accepted in the current investigation. If not, Mr Robertston continued, the Commission should “consider why Ms Berejiklian did not make a report to this Commission concerning Mr Maguire”. The current investigation The ICAC is investigating allegations that Ms Berejiklian breached her own ministerial standards by not disclosing her relationship with Mr Maguire when she was Treasurer under Mike Baird or to her own cabinet when she was Premier. “There will be evidence to the effect that a number of public officials would have acted differently if they knew about Ms Berejiklian’s relationship with Mr Maguire,” Mr Robertson <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/investigations/live-streaming-of-public-inquiries/operation-keppel-live-stream" target="_blank">said</a> in his opening address. Mr Robertson provided examples of Ms Berejiklian declaring past conflicts of interest, such as the appointment of people she knew to government boards, and the employment of her cousins by the public service. But, Ms Berejiklian “never gave a disclosure to the NSW ministerial code of conduct about Mr Maguire”. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844929/icac2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/334e03d0134049d6856159180fd42c92" /> Image: ICAC Ms Berejiklian is also being investigated for three other allegations surrounding the awarding of two grants to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music and the Australian Clay Target Association in Wagga Wagga. First, it is alleged that she breached the public trust by failing to report any suspicions of corrupt conduct in relation to Mr Maguire. Allegations that Ms Berejiklian behaved in a way “that was liable to allow or encourage” Mr Maguire’s allegedly corrupt conduct are also being investigated in the inquiry. She has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. “It didn’t stack up” Michael Toohey from the Office of Sport appeared as the first witness, and rubbished the $5.5 million grant awarded to the Australian Clay Target Association. “There wasn’t any real design work … it didn’t stack up,” Mr Toohey told the ICAC. Mr Maguire publicly touted the project and claimed that the gun range could be used as the venue of the 2018 Sydney Invictus Games if it received funding. “Invictus Games doesn’t have shooting events,” Mr Toohey said. Day two sees second witness speak On <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/berejiklian-inquiry-live-updates-paul-doorn-to-appear-as-icac-investigation-into-conduct-of-former-nsw-premier-continues-20211018-p590zt.html">day two</a> of the inquiry, the ICAC heard that the Office of Sport was asked to draft an urgent funding submission for the grant, despite the office regarding it as a low priority project. Former Office of Sport executive director Paul Doorn told the ICAC on Tuesday that he could not remember why the submission was so urgent. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844930/icac3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f37a0f9a86a24cb49468ef43b22580ae" /> Paul Doorn appears as a witness during day two of the ICAC’s investigation. Image: ICAC He already told the ICAC that the project didn’t appear to benefit the state of NSW, and upgrading the Wagga Wagga club could pose a risk of cannibalising any events that would go to the government-owned shooting facility in Olympic Park. “Why would you invest in a facility where you’ve already got a facility that could host [major events?” Mr Doorn said. The commission also heard that Mr Maguire, who was the member for Wagga Wagga, lobbied for government funding for the facility twice, but that the proposal lacked details. Mr Doorn also agreed that he would have told the government that the information provided was insufficient for funding to be allocated to the gun club. The investigation is ongoing, with Mr Baird, Stuart Ayres, John Barilaro, and Ms Berejiklian to give evidence over the next two weeks. Image: 9NEWS

Legal

“I felt let down”: Kamahl’s open letter to Daryl Somers after Hey Hey smash hit

After Hey Hey It’s Saturday raked in views once again with the airing of the show’s <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/huge-twist-in-hey-hey-it-s-saturday-ratings-smash" target="_blank">50th anniversary special</a>, singer Kamahl has shared an open letter to host Daryl Somers. The show was recently hit with criticism after a compilation of vintage clips went viral earlier this year, with many of them revealing the mocking and belittling treatment Kamahl received. Somers publicly apologised to Kahaml in March and stated that all of the show’s team “do not condone racism in any form”. Kamahl released his open letter to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/flashback/kamahl-pens-open-letter-to-daryl-somers-one-unanswered-question/news-story/1f1038f0559bc7df8a1151c760958454" target="_blank">news.com.au</a> several days after the anniversary special, saying that he has “one unanswered question” for the host. The singer opened with the “warmest congratulations” to Somers and the team that produced the anniversary show. “The accolades that you received within the program were well-earned and rightly acknowledge your place in Australian TV history,” he wrote. “As an Australian entertainer, my being part of that history for a number of years is truly humbling.” Kamahl went on to describe a particular incident in an episode from 1984, where he was ambushed while singing and hit in the face with a white powder puff. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844801/kamahl-somers1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5f07f1a4e6ec47fdbc956b0a60e90414" /> Image: Hey Hey It’s Saturday The stunt came a week before Kamahl was due to perform for the second time at New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall. He said it was “puzzling” to him that the show “decided on setting me up as the butt of a rather crude joke in preference to acknowledging my achievement”. “The fact that I had poured my heart and soul into making that concert a success made the stunt on Hey Hey that evening an incredibly dispiriting experience,” he said. “As a supporter of Hey Hey, I have to say that at the time I felt let down by your show and it is a disappointment that still remains with me today.” With that moment in mind, the singer had one question for Hey Hey’s host. “If I had been any other Australian artist about to embark on such a massive venture would I have received such treatment?” he wrote. “In a week where you are deservedly receiving such plaudits for your career milestone, I am left wondering why when you had the opportunity to acknowledge mine you chose not to.” In a reference to the original clip, Kamahl concluded the letter with the question, “Why are people so unkind?”. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844802/kamahl-somers2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a8359af51cbc4f1c82f15de1fdd0323c" /> Image: @johnpatterson / Twitter The cartoon was one of several that flashed up on screen during his 1984 appearance, which shocked many as it circulated on social media. Image: Getty Images

Daryl Somers issues apology to Kamahl

Former Hey Hey It's Saturday host Daryl Somers has issued an apology to Kamahl after the Malaysian-born singer opened up about the "humiliation" he endured on the once-beloved variety show. In the statement, Somers says he “deeply regret(s) any hurt felt” by Kamahl and that he “never set out to offend anybody.” Unearthed skits from the show - including one in which Kamahl was hit in the face with white powder and told "you're a real white man" afterwards - have been making the rounds on the internet recently, with Kamahl commenting on the racial abuse he was subjected to on the show. “They wouldn’t hit John Farnham or Jimmy Barnes in the face with a powder puff,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/AngelaBishop/status/1376658568858923015" target="_blank">he told Studio 10 on Tuesday</a>, adding it “hurt” to be humiliated on live national television. Responding to the uproar in a statement to 3AW, Somers - who is gearing up to host Channel 7's Dancing with the Stars: All Stars - apologised to Kamahl and others who found the show's content "offensive". “I want to make it very clear that I and all members of the Hey Hey team do not condone racism in any form,” Somers said. “I have always considered Kamahl a friend and supporter of the show, so I deeply regret any hurt felt by him as a result of anything that took place on the programme in the past.” He went on to say he supports diversity in the entertainment industry, claiming the show “never set out to offend anybody but always strived to provide family entertainment”. He added that he is “proud” of the long-running show’s contribution to Australian television, but added that “in the context of modern society” the material was “plainly inappropriate” and “would not go to air today”. The “long overdue” apology — which begins with Somers asserting that he is “currently in the middle of recording Dancing With The Stars: All Stars” — has been slammed by some social media users. “Just say sorry. No need to contextualise. It was vile then and remains so now,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/JaniceKPetersen/status/1377039408143036416" target="_blank">one said</a>. “The Daryl Somers “apology” to Kamahl … the good old “these things were ‘appropriate’ in the past & we are so much more evolved now” defence. Yeah nup; it was racist back then & it’s still racist now,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/TracyWesterman/status/1377055382451855363" target="_blank">another wrote</a>. “At no point in Daryl Somers’ ‘apology’ did he apologise. He does fit in a hell of a lot of flexing though,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/thebigjohnnyd/status/1377043262377132034" target="_blank">one more quipped.</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/AdamNBednarczyk/status/1377062331776036864" target="_blank">Another chimed in</a>: “I see this more as a PR-written “apology” than a Daryl Somers’ apology but anyway, let’s move on.” Kamahl, however, has accepted the apology, writing: “To whom it may concern, “This is to say that I, Kandiah Kamalesvaran, AKA Kamahl, accept and acknowledge the apology from friend Daryl Somers, unreservedly”.

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Daryl Somers is back!

Some former Dancing With The Stars favourites are back in the new Dancing With The Stars: All Stars, including the original hosts and the judges of the series reuniting for the reboot! TV legend Daryl Somers hosted the first seven seasons of the program and has returned alongside Sonia Kruger. Original judges are also returning, which are Helen Richey, Todd McKenney, Paul Mercurio and Mark Wilson, much to the delight of die-hard fans. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CMjm2VLpcyw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CMjm2VLpcyw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by DancingAU (@dancingau)</a> </div> </blockquote> The full cast has been revealed too, with Ada Nicodemou, Bec Hewitt, Erin McNaught, Fifi Box, Jamie Durie, Kyly Clarke, Luke Jacobz, Lincoln Lewis, Manu Feildel and Tom Williams planning to light up the dance floor with their moves. Fans remember Manu Feildel from season 11, but Bec Hewitt will be appearing on TV for the first time in 14 years as she's from season one. Wildcard entrants can't be forgotten either, as Schapelle Corby, former Bachelor Matty Johnson, TV host Renee Bargh and model-actress Jessica Gomes are waiting in the wings. The two-week special will air on Seven after Easter.

TV legend Daryl Somers' bizarre backstage behaviour on Hey Hey It's Saturday

In 1971, Hey Hey It’s Saturday first appeared on Aussie screens and nearly five decades on, the iconic show is still remembered. Now, regular guest Red Symons has revealed one of the most unusual habits of show business legend and host of the show, Daryl Somers. In an interview with Studio 10, Symons finally confirmed a long-standing rumour about Somers’ bizarre backstage behaviour. Studio 10’s Craig Bennett asked Symons: “There was this crazy rumour, Red. Maybe you can put it to bed... or take the covers off it? Daryl would wear slippers with bells on them so people would skedaddle when they knew he was coming?” The 69-year-old confirmed that the rumour was indeed true. <img style="width: 500px; height: 278.391167192429px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7821230/2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a0c44926fe5242abaa42424d432e0540" /> Laughing in response, Symons said: “'I'm not sure what his intention was, but it was useful to know he was coming!” Symons also reflected on his segment on Hey Hey It’s Saturday, titled Red Faces. “The luxury of Red Faces was there was nothing at stake and the prize was nothing!” he said. “It was an opportunity for people that had little party tricks that they did in the pub. That's what was very nice about it. “Whereas when you get to the next-level competitiveness of the various shows there has been since, it's all so desperately important and there's so much money involved and this is your entire career. “But on Red Faces nobody took it seriously, not the audience, not the performers and not the judges,” he explained. The stars of the iconic show returned for a brief revival in 2009, following its axing in 1999. However, the 20-episode comeback was cancelled in 2010 despite the impressive line-up of celebrity guests. Kylie Minogue, Rex Lee and Toby Abbot were just some of the famous faces who appeared on the show for its short-lived return. Were you a fan of Hey Hey It’s Saturday? Let us know in the comments below.

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