One of the best ideas to come out of Ch10 yet. Chrissie Swan is entertaining and engaging, as as host of Can Of Worms she’ll front the show with her strong personality and encourage the kind of discussion the show can open up. The only shame is that with no Meshel Laurie as co-host it could have meant a prime time television show hosted by two intelligent, respected women – almost an Australian first. From the press release:
TEN is thrilled to welcome back the inimitable Chrissie Swan with a new prime-time gig as host of Can of Worms, the show that gets the nation talking and isn’t afraid to tackle the tough issues.
Smart, sassy, a TV Week Logie winner and a mother of two, Chrissie was the perfect choice to take the Can of Worms baton from Ian “Dicko” Dickson, who publicly sacked himself as host last year. Chrissie Swan said: “I am so excited to be joining the conversation on Can Of Worms.
“In the past year I’ve happily declined many other TV offers, but the opportunity to host a smart, weekly show with all sorts of unexpected moments is the perfect fit for me. I always said I’d do a TV show if it was the right one. This format and the team behind it are too good to be true. Also, the once-a-week filming commitment suits our family perfectly. They won’t even notice I’ve ducked out for a few hours!
“And who could say no to working with Andrew Denton? When I told him I had to discuss this job with my partner before I accepted, he suggested I divorce him if the answer wasn’t positive. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer! So here I am,” she says.
Can of Worms is not a program interested in political correctness or pulling punches. Its premise is simple: celebrity guests on the panel have to give their opinion, and there’s no sitting on the fence. This season promises to get the nation talking once again, delving into subjects that are sometimes uncomfortable, often funny and always interesting…“Is sex more important to men or women?”, “Is it ever OK to hit another person?”, “Is 13 too young to be a model?”.
Network Ten Chief Programming Officer David Mott said: “We have been looking for just the right person to host Can of Worms. Chrissie is the perfect fit for a show that tackles topics that are rarely discussed openly and that will get the nation talking. “This year, Can of Worms will push the boundaries even further. It will discuss ever more robust topics and engage in deeper conversations with a view to evoking the honest truth from Australians. It’s a show not to be missed.”
Co-Executive Producers, Andrew Denton and Anita Jacoby from Zapruder’s other films, said: “Audiences love Chrisse because they know that, with her, they are getting a real person. We think she is the perfect choice to take Can of Worms further into uncharted territory and we can’t wait to get started.”
Can of Worms is produced by Zapruder’s other films in association with Watercooler Media. Can of Worms returns to TEN in August.