25 11 2021 - Media release Two of Australia's favourite documentaries return to the ABC in 2022
Miriam Margolyes
ABC and Screen Australia are pleased to announce that production is underway on two remarkable, prime-time factual shows. One takes a fascinating look into the lives of everyday Australians by the irrepressible Miriam Margolyes, and the other is the return of a family favourite live event which promises big creatures, big science, and big thrills that will take the audience on a live adventure that's as wild as it gets.
ABC Head of Factual and Culture Jennifer Collins says, Miriam's last documentary series was a huge success for ABC with her refreshingly honest observations clearly resonating with Australian audiences. With her mix of humour, warmth, and forthright views, I'm delighted that ABC audiences will once again enjoy the company of the delightful Miriam Margolyes".
From documentary to live Event TV Southern Ocean Live is one for the whole family. Last year we shared the wonder of coral spawning on the Great Barrier Reef in Reef Live, and this year we go live from Phillip Island with Southern Ocean Live. Featuring whales, seals and penguins this spectacular must watch factual TV will ignite the passion and curiosity for our incredible natural world.
Alex West, Head of Documentary at Screen Australia said, We're proud to support these two thoughtful and insightful documentaries. Helmed by accomplished director and executive producer Karina Holden, Southern Ocean Live explores our connection to the ocean, both on and below. Meanwhile Ash Davies, on terra firma, directs Miriam Margolyes Australia Unmasked revealing her unique and irreverent observations of Australian culture. Both programs will enrich our understanding of our national Australian identity and I am excited to see them on the ABC next year .
The very funny, very naughty Miriam Margoles is finally out of lockdown and heading back home to Australia in Miriam Margolyes Australia Unmasked, she's once again packing up the campervan and striking out on the road in search of answers. Over three episodes, Miriam seeks to understand what the fair go means in Australia today, and how it is playing out in the diverse lives of her fellow citizens. From the outlaws to the establishment, millennials to boomers, Miriam immerses herself in lives rarely seen on our screen. Now eighty, more fragile but more fearless, Miriam looks into Australia behind the mask.
Laurie Critchley, Southern Pictures said, We're delighted to have Miriam Margolyes return home to Australia to fearlessly investigate the Fair Go, from class and culture to ageism, as she makes her way from Tasmania to the West. Miriam is living proof of how things can get better with age, drawing on her strengths as a documentarian, eagle-eyed observer, and voice of the people. We can't wait to see what she uncovers next.
Australia's Southern Ocean is a wild and dramatic place - full of charismatic creatures and the perfect place for the ABC's next live broadcast adventure, Southern Ocean Live. Hosts Hamish Macdonald and Ann Jones, who will be located at Penguin Parade, on Phillip Island in Victoria, will tell the stories of many incredible creatures, including the resident fairy penguins who raucously return at dusk each night in their thousands.
Not far away, Lucas Handley and Dr Dean Miller are back to report, both on and under the water, the remarkable stories of giant spider crabs, giant cuttlefish and the other sea creatures who also appear in the safe harbour of Southern Australia including Humpbacks, Southern Right whales, dolphins, seals, albatross, and great white sharks.
Northern Pictures, Karina Holden says, Southern Ocean Live will be taking the live natural history format to the next level, as we attempt to bring the audience into the dark, stormy seas of our coastline in mid-winter. With water temperatures under 10 degrees, our diving crew and talent will be in layers of rubber as they broadcast from the night ocean. It will be a super challenging shoot, but we're excited to bring audiences on this dramatic journey with our camera teams.
Miriam Margolyes Australia Unmasked production credit: A Southern Pictures Production with principal production funding from Screen Australia in association with ABC. Financed with support from Screen NSW, Series Director Ash Davies, Series Producer Bethan Arwyn. Executive Producer Laurie Critchley. ABC Executive Producer Leo Faber. ABC Head of Factual and Culture Jennifer Collins.
Southern Ocean Live production credit: A Northern Pictures production with principal production funding from the ABC in association with Screen Australia. Financed with the assistance of Screen NSW, and Film Victoria. Series Director and Executive Producer Karina Holden, Live Producer Kirsty Bradmore, Senior Production Supervisor Kate Bailey. ABC Manager of Documentary Stephen Oliver. ABC Head of Factual and Culture Jennifer Collins.
Miriam Margolyes Australia Unmasked and Southern Ocean Live will both screen on ABC TV and ABC iview in 2022.
Southern Ocean Live
MEDIA ENQUIRIES Bridget Stenhouse | ABC Marketing Communications Specialist
0466 541 642 | [email protected]
Media enquiries Lidia Williams | Acting Senior Publicist
61 2 8113 1091 | 61 468 784 170 | [email protected]
Georgia Hing | Acting Publicist
61 2 8113 1033 | 61 400 025 940 | [email protected]
All other general/non-media enquiries Sydney 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
27/01/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
27/01/2026
Nielsen will continue to drive growth and provide local audience measurement
in...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Amagi Media Labs Limited, the only cloud-native SaaS provider offering end-to-end solutions across live production, content preparation, distribution, and monet...
27/01/2026
Miri Technologies Inc. today unveiled its V410 live 4K video encoder/decoder for streaming, IP-based production workflows and AV-over-IP distribution. Designed ...
27/01/2026
The Paul E. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Massachusetts has chosen Ikegami cameras for incorporation into its broadcast-quality television production facili...
27/01/2026
SipRadius, specialists in secure, low latency media transport, will show the pro AV community its end-to-end solution for high quality content distribution and ...
27/01/2026
Hiltron will highlight the fruits of its 45-plus years of experience in satellite communications system integration and product development at the annual GovSat...
27/01/2026
Klvr will demonstrate how its Charger Pro solution is delivering cost reduction and performance benefits for live entertainment and pro AV markets at ISE 2026 (...
27/01/2026
Amino, a global media technology leader in enterprise video and digital signage, today announced that its Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026 booth (4N700) wil...
27/01/2026
ANI, India's leading news agency and a major content provider across the Asia Pacific region, today announced a significant expansion of its long standing p...
27/01/2026
Independent analysis confirms faster encoding, lower CPU usage, and improved perceptual quality compared to CBR and CRF
VisualOn, a leader in multimedia playba...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
New agreement for uninterrupted UHF connectivity for Australian Defence Force through 2033, With Options Extending to 2041
Luxembourg, January 13, 2026 - Satel...
27/01/2026
RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to support a dynamic programme of cultural events taking place across Ireland this February. From visual art, film, music, ...
26/01/2026
Music videos play a huge part in how fans connect with their favorite songs, but...
26/01/2026
NAIDOC launches 2026 theme 50 Years of Deadly , marks major milestone
25 January, 2026
Media releases
The National NAIDOC Committee has today unveiled its...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
26/01/2026
Advanced Systems Group (ASG) today announced an exclusive partnership with Nu Studio, the company behind the first modular, portable studio designed for immersi...
26/01/2026
OpenDrives, the leader in high-end video data management and workflow solutions, today announced an add-on investment to its previous funding rounds, led by IAG...
26/01/2026
SmallHD today announced a major update to its award-winning PageOS software, introducing Fleet Control, Portrait Mode, expanded Camera Control features, and Dow...
26/01/2026
Whether rigging a PTZ on a truss, sliding a Blackmagic camera across a mezzanine railing, or capturing the mayhem from inside a drum, Filipic delivers visuals t...
26/01/2026
26 Jan 2026
VEON Unveils the New Beeline Uzbekistan Network Operations Center, ...
26/01/2026
Bookish is created by and stars Mark Gatiss
Images available HERE
Following th...
26/01/2026
Monday 26 January 2026
New Sky Original Series explores Entertainment Juggernaut, The X Factor
Sky today confirmed it has greenlit a premium, definitive docum...
26/01/2026
Monday 26 January 2026
Sky confirms major investment to transform Livingston ca...
26/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils Official Trailer for Salvador
Entertainment
26 January 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
DISCOVER THE TRAILER
DO...
26/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Presents Our 2026 Series and Films and Announces New Projects
Entertainment
26 January 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
...
26/01/2026
Back to All News
Made in Louisiana: People We Meet on Vacation' Lights Up New Orleans
Emily Bader and Tom Blyth film on Royal Street in New Orleans' ...
26/01/2026
LinkedIn Gives Professionals the Edge with Verified Skills and Tools to Navigate the Job Search Show Proficiency of AI Tools such as Descript, Lovable, Relay.ap...
26/01/2026
Alfalite, Brainstorm, Dejero, Domo Broadcast Systems, FOR-A, KitPlus, Ontario So...
26/01/2026
Tyngsboro, Mass. - January 26, 2026 - Broadcast Pix is excited to exhibit at the Alliance for Community Media West Region Conference and Trade Show, taking plac...
26/01/2026
Software for Stable Data Management and Lasting Business Success in Uncertain Ti...
26/01/2026
RT is today publishing a statistical summary of the Register of External Activities for the third quarter of 2025.
The RT Register of External Activities com...
25/01/2026
Back to All News
Sins of Kujo' Premieres April 2: Teaser Trailer, Art and ...
24/01/2026
Masami Kawai Selected as the 2026 Merata Mita Fellow; Isabella Madrigal and Tsanavi Spoonhunter Named 2026 Graton Fellows During Native Forum Celebration in Par...
24/01/2026
The MC-55A Peregrine aircraft will give the Royal Australian Air Force information superiority and serve as strategic assets for future Australian Defence Force...
25 11 2021 - Media release Two of Australia's favourite documentaries return to the ABC in 2022 
