Big Bite
Encyclopedia
Big Bite was an Australia
n sketch comedy
television series, which ran on the Seven Network
from 8 May, 2003 to 4 March, 2004 in a prime time timeslot on Thursdays. Since the end of the series episodes have been repeated on the Foxtel
cable channel, The Comedy Channel
and recently, reruns were shown on 7TWO
.
who started his television career on the show & went on to host Deal or No Deal
, Dragons' Den
, The Rich List
and Weekend Sunrise
. Chris Lilley
's character Mr G
first appeared here, later appearing in Summer Heights High
and releasing a novelty single.
In addition to Lilley and O'Keefe, other performers on the show included improvisational comedian Rebecca De Unamuno
, experimental theatre star Melissa Madden Gray (now known internationally for her cabaret character 'Meow Meow'), Kate McCartney (who would go on to success as an award-winning animator), Richard Pyros
(today a member of The Sydney Theatre Company's 'Residents' acting ensemble) and Jake Stone, now lead singer of popular Australian hip-hop band Bluejuice
. Other television personalities associated with the show included now Comedy Channel presenter Cameron Knight
, comedian Charlie Pickering
and actor Charlie Clausen
. Many of the actors from this series would later appear on The Hamish and Andy Show.
Regular cast member Tristan Jepson
, who wrote and played Tom Gleisner in the show's acclaimed parody of The Panel
committed suicide at the age of 26 in late 2004 after suffering from clinical depression. During the television broadcast of the 2005 Australian Film Institute Awards
, Jepson was honoured among the roll call of performers to have died in the previous year.
The show's co-creators included Andrew Jones and head writer Rick Kalowski
, who have gone to success as a sought-after writing team. The show's directors included Ted Emery (Fast Forward, The Micallef Program
, Kath & Kim
) and Matthew Saville
(director of Noise) as well as the comedy series We Can Be Heroes and the Graham Kennedy biopic The King
.
Big Bite was nominated for Best Television Comedy Series at the 2003 Australian Film Institute Awards
, becoming the first commercial network comedy series ever nominated in any category of those awards.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
television series, which ran on the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
from 8 May, 2003 to 4 March, 2004 in a prime time timeslot on Thursdays. Since the end of the series episodes have been repeated on the Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
cable channel, The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel is an Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television.-History:...
and recently, reruns were shown on 7TWO
7Two
7TWO is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel which was launched by the Seven Network on Sunday 1 November 2009 at 12pm....
.
Overview
Only moderately successful on its initial broadcast and despite an initially mixed reception, the show has gradually begun to develop something of a cult following, due to having begat the careers of a number of now prominent performers, directors and writers such as Andrew O'KeefeAndrew O'Keefe
Andrew Patrick O'Keefe is an Australian entertainer, best known for being the host of the hit game-show Deal or No Deal. He is also the co-host of Weekend Sunrise....
who started his television career on the show & went on to host Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal (Australian game show)
Deal or No Deal is an Australian game show airing on the Seven Network and in New Zealand on Prime . It was the first international version of the game show, after the original Dutch version. It was the first of the versions to use the Deal or No Deal name...
, Dragons' Den
Dragons' Den
Dragons' Den is a series of reality television programmes featuring entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas in order to secure investment finance from a panel of venture capitalists. The show originated in Japan as "Manē no Tora"...
, The Rich List
The Rich List
The Rich List is a game show which has the following versions:*The Rich List , formerly aired on Channel Seven and hosted by Andrew O'Keefe*Rich List , currently airs on Sat.1 and is hosted by Kai Pflaume...
and Weekend Sunrise
Weekend Sunrise
Weekend Sunrise is an Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Seven Network. On Saturdays, it runs from 7am to 9am whilst on Sundays it runs from 7am to 10am.-History:...
. Chris Lilley
Chris Lilley (comedian)
-External links:****...
's character Mr G
Mr G
Helen "Greg" Gregson, best known as Mr G, is one of the three fictional characters portrayed by Chris Lilley in the mockumentary series, Summer Heights High.-Biography:Mr G is a thirty-six year old drama teacher at Summer Heights High...
first appeared here, later appearing in Summer Heights High
Summer Heights High
Summer Heights High is a Logie Award-winning Australian television mockumentary series written by and starring Chris Lilley. It is a parody of high-school life epitomised by its three protagonists: effeminate and megalomaniacal "Director of Performing Arts" Mr G; self-absorbed, privileged teenager...
and releasing a novelty single.
In addition to Lilley and O'Keefe, other performers on the show included improvisational comedian Rebecca De Unamuno
Rebecca De Unamuno
Rebecca De Unamuno is an Australian actress and comedian. De Unamuno has written and performed for a number of television comedy series, short films and stand up comedy shows.-Career:...
, experimental theatre star Melissa Madden Gray (now known internationally for her cabaret character 'Meow Meow'), Kate McCartney (who would go on to success as an award-winning animator), Richard Pyros
Richard Pyros
Richard Pyros is a British-born Australian actor who first achieved fame in the hit Australian Channel Seven TV show, Big Bite which was nominated for two AFI Awards in 2003...
(today a member of The Sydney Theatre Company's 'Residents' acting ensemble) and Jake Stone, now lead singer of popular Australian hip-hop band Bluejuice
Bluejuice
Bluejuice is a rock band based in Sydney, Australia. The group consists of Jake Stone, Stavros Yiannoukas, Jamie Cibej, Jerry Craib and James Hauptmann.They have released three studio albums; Problems, Head of the Hawk and Company....
. Other television personalities associated with the show included now Comedy Channel presenter Cameron Knight
Cameron Knight
Cameron "Cam" Knight is an Australian comedian and television personality, born 1976 in Cummins, South Australia.-Career:He studied at the South Australian Centre for the Performing Arts before making his break into television as a member of the Big Bite sketch comedy show...
, comedian Charlie Pickering
Charlie Pickering
Charlie Pickering he grew up in Melbourne, Australia and attended an Independent Anglican Boys' School; Brighton Grammar...
and actor Charlie Clausen
Charlie Clausen
Charlie Clausen is an Australian actor most known for his role as Jake Harrison on McLeod's Daughters in 2003 and as Acting Sergeant Alex Kirby on the police drama series Blue Heelers, which he starred in for the majority of Season 12 and Season 13...
. Many of the actors from this series would later appear on The Hamish and Andy Show.
Regular cast member Tristan Jepson
Tristan Jepson
Tristan Jepson was an Australian law graduate and writer.-Biography:Jepson was educated at Trinity Grammar School and the University of New South Wales. While still an undergraduate law student, he began to write and perform comedy as director of the University of New South Wales' Law Revue...
, who wrote and played Tom Gleisner in the show's acclaimed parody of The Panel
The Panel
The Panel was an Australian television talk show broadcast by Network Ten and its affiliates; it was also simulcast on the Triple M radio network...
committed suicide at the age of 26 in late 2004 after suffering from clinical depression. During the television broadcast of the 2005 Australian Film Institute Awards
Australian Film Institute Awards
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
, Jepson was honoured among the roll call of performers to have died in the previous year.
The show's co-creators included Andrew Jones and head writer Rick Kalowski
Rick Kalowski
Rick Kalowski is an Australian television and film writer/producer, best known for his work on the high-rating but controversial ABC1 sitcom At Home with Julia...
, who have gone to success as a sought-after writing team. The show's directors included Ted Emery (Fast Forward, The Micallef Program
The Micallef Program
The Micallef Pogram is an Australian sketch comedy TV series hosted by Shaun Micallef, and written by Micallef and Gary McCaffrie, that ran from 1998 to 2001 on ABC TV. It was known as The Micallef Program in its first series, The Micallef Programme in its second series and The Micallef Pogram in...
, Kath & Kim
Kath & Kim
Kath & Kim is a Logie Award-winning character-driven Australian television situation comedy series. The series was created by, and is written by Jane Turner and Gina Riley who play the title characters: a suburban mother and daughter with a dysfunctional relationship...
) and Matthew Saville
Matthew Saville
Matthew Saville is an Australian television and film director, who began his career working as a titles designer for many Australian television series...
(director of Noise) as well as the comedy series We Can Be Heroes and the Graham Kennedy biopic The King
The King (2007 film)
The King: The Story of Graham Kennedy is an Australian telemovie examining the life of Australian entertainer Graham Kennedy.Produced in Australia by the Sydney based independent production company Crackerjack Productions for TV1 and the Nine Network, The King was first shown on 20 May 2007 on TV1...
.
Big Bite was nominated for Best Television Comedy Series at the 2003 Australian Film Institute Awards
Australian Film Institute Awards
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
, becoming the first commercial network comedy series ever nominated in any category of those awards.