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10-15-2007, 11:31 PM
SHANE Warne's acting debut has proved a winner, with more than 2.3 million viewers tuning in to watch him romance Magda Szubanski on Sunday night.
Warne's guest appearance in the final episode of Kath & Kim outrated the competition, its national audience more than matching the combined audiences of 60 Minutes and Australian Idol.
In Melbourne alone, more than 768,000 people watched the spin bowler as Wayne, a Warnie impersonator who couldn't bowl or use a mobile phone. He married Szubanski's character Sharon Strzelecki at Luna Park in the series four finale.
Although it was filmed months before his much-publicised split from ex-wife Simone Callahan, the episode had some timely jokes about text-messaging and ends with Sharon crying that her marriage was over because Wayne had a new mobile phone.
Although buoyed by the ratings, Kath & Kim executive producer Rick McKenna said Gina Riley and Jane Turner would not agree to another series until they had come up with a funny story line.
McKenna said that for the moment, they were focused on the US version, starring Molly Shannon as Kath Day-Knight.
"They never go into anything half-baked. Gina and Jane want to come up with the ideas first.
"I am just standing outside the Vatican waiting to see if the smoke is black or white. They don't want to overstay their welcome."
Kath & Kim has averaged 2.12 million across the eight-episode season for Channel 7, despite fears from ABC viewers that it would lose its core audience by going to a commercial network.
McKenna said ratings were actually up 15 per cent on the last season at the ABC. And three episodes are among the top 10 shows of the year.
"We were never really concerned about making the move," he said.
"We always saw it as a return to Seven, and I know there are people who scoffed at that line thinking it was said to cover up for the litany of failed shows that had made the move (to commercial networks) before.
"And there has been a litany."
Shaun Micallef's move to Channel 9 failed, The Fat, repackaged as 110% Tony Squires, did not fare well at 7 and Good News Week hosted by Paul McDermott did not survive at Channel 10.
Warne's guest appearance in the final episode of Kath & Kim outrated the competition, its national audience more than matching the combined audiences of 60 Minutes and Australian Idol.
In Melbourne alone, more than 768,000 people watched the spin bowler as Wayne, a Warnie impersonator who couldn't bowl or use a mobile phone. He married Szubanski's character Sharon Strzelecki at Luna Park in the series four finale.
Although it was filmed months before his much-publicised split from ex-wife Simone Callahan, the episode had some timely jokes about text-messaging and ends with Sharon crying that her marriage was over because Wayne had a new mobile phone.
Although buoyed by the ratings, Kath & Kim executive producer Rick McKenna said Gina Riley and Jane Turner would not agree to another series until they had come up with a funny story line.
McKenna said that for the moment, they were focused on the US version, starring Molly Shannon as Kath Day-Knight.
"They never go into anything half-baked. Gina and Jane want to come up with the ideas first.
"I am just standing outside the Vatican waiting to see if the smoke is black or white. They don't want to overstay their welcome."
Kath & Kim has averaged 2.12 million across the eight-episode season for Channel 7, despite fears from ABC viewers that it would lose its core audience by going to a commercial network.
McKenna said ratings were actually up 15 per cent on the last season at the ABC. And three episodes are among the top 10 shows of the year.
"We were never really concerned about making the move," he said.
"We always saw it as a return to Seven, and I know there are people who scoffed at that line thinking it was said to cover up for the litany of failed shows that had made the move (to commercial networks) before.
"And there has been a litany."
Shaun Micallef's move to Channel 9 failed, The Fat, repackaged as 110% Tony Squires, did not fare well at 7 and Good News Week hosted by Paul McDermott did not survive at Channel 10.