ABC's bold move: Can Tony Armstrong's satirical special become a series?
January 22, 2026 — 3:54pm
In the promotional trailer for the ABC's new satirical news show, 'Always Was Tonight', host Tony Armstrong promised a unique brand of comedy: "Black, cracked, and risking the sack." And he delivered.
The 30-minute special, released around January 26, took on prominent figures like Sky News, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, and even the ABC itself. Armstrong, in character as the White Australia ambassador, Bjorn Stewart, joked about the "white corroboree" events like the Adelaide Writers Festival and ABC staff meetings.
The show's finale was a powerful rendition of 'I Still Call Australia Home' by children in prison, some wearing spit hoods, protesting Australia's low age of criminal responsibility and the reintroduction of spit hoods in NT youth detention.
This segment, in particular, left Armstrong in stitches, "I can't believe we're saying this on the telly," he said post-show. "I'm so proud of everyone's work. We didn't want to look back and regret not going further."
The special, a brainchild of executive producer Rowdie Walden, took six to seven months to produce. "He fought hard for the idea at the ABC," Armstrong explained. "When more talent joined, it became a done deal. We had such great talent that we convinced the ABC to let us make this show."
"We made it for ourselves, but we invited everyone. We knew we wanted to create something we'd enjoy watching."
This show is a significant commission for the ABC, which has faced criticism for its recent programming, often perceived as familiar and risk-averse, catering to older, white audiences. While the ABC has comparable series like 'The Weekly with Charlie Pickering', it has been criticized for not nurturing new hosting talent or supporting riskier projects that might attract conservative commentary.
The memory of Tom Ballard's 'Tonightly', axed in 2018, still haunts local comedians, who have called for more "radical, risk-taking" content. Despite this, Armstrong is optimistic that the special could evolve into a full series next year, a prospect he's excited about hosting.
"The first decision to champion a show like this is always the hardest," he said. "I'm thrilled we were given the freedom to be bold."
In an era where younger audiences consume comedy and politics on social media, Armstrong emphasizes the importance of being bold. "Red-hot takes get more attention, and it's challenging to achieve that with ABC guidelines and TV standards."
"You have to be bold and make a statement, or it's not interesting. I think the appetite for this kind of content grows when TV executives see it can work."
The show's initial audience of 261,000 is lower than its lead-in, 'The Weekly', which had 423,000 viewers. However, with its rewatchable gags and the ongoing discourse around January 26, the show's future isn't sealed.
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