After Countdown’s New Year’s Eve special ignited calls for a comeback, original host and Aussie legend, Molly Meldrum has thrown his support behind the show being brought back on air.
As reported by News.com.au’s Cameron Adams, Meldrum is right behind Countdown coming back to TV.
“I think the ABC is interested. They did a brilliant job with the New Year’s Eve Countdown and the new Countdown should go in that 6pm Sunday timeslot” Meldrum said.
The night after the New Year’s special Meldrum posted an extensive statement to his Facebook, praising performances from Phil Jamieson, Montaigne and Stella Donnelly as well as hosts Charlie Pickering and Zan Rowe.
“So proud to have been part of Countdown and to see how its message still resonates today, we have incredible talent in this country, we should continue to support Aussie acts wherever possible.” Meldrum said.
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There is, however, one change the Meldrum would like to see – he doesn’t want to be in front of the camera.
“I’d love to work on it as a producer, help find some new talent, but it needs to be revamped with young presenters, not me,” he said.
ABC slowly rebuilt the Countdown brand all throughout 2017, airing a Classic Countdown highlights special in September as well as releasing an accompanying soundtrack album.
Meldrum is confident about a Countdown comeback, signing off his Facebook post by saying that the return would be “the best present this country could ever have for music”.
Read Meldrum's full statement below.
"The New Year's Eve ABC Show from the Sydney Opera House was absolutely spectacular!
The whole production was superb. From the incredible performances by Jimmy Barnes, JPY, Marcia Hines, Colin Hay and Kate Ceberano, which brought back so many great memories - and then seeing Mahalia Barnes, Casey Donovan, Stella Donnelly and Isaiah’s equally incredible performances, inspired by the songs of Countdown, it was so fantastic.
The backing singers were also incredible; the wonderful Wolfgram Sisters.
Shane Howard from Goanna singing "Solid Rock" with Isaiah, the song was so relevant back then and is still now, it was so together, an amazing moment in music.
Phil Jamieson from Grinspoon singing "Evie 1, 2 and 3" woah! It was a fitting tribute to George Young and also a song from Malcolm Young, we will miss them both.
Sadly they didn’t sing “Oh When the Saints Go Marching In”. But i am always a bit of a dreamer about the Saints and I guess that song “Impossible Dream” really sums me up.
Montaigne performed "Ashes to Ashes”, it was mind-blowing, the David Bowie song could also be a tribute to Steve Smith and the Australian Cricket Team for their brilliant playing because they not only got the Ashes back to Australia but they also got the Ashes to Ashes with the English team.
Stella Donnelly from Perth gave her all to Cindy Lauper’s classic “Time After Time”, even Cindy would have dropped a tear or two to that.
Amazing effort the backing band, all brilliant musicians and worked so hard and fitted in with everyone it was incredible, well done to them and all the people with lighting and crew, they all deserve a big mention.
I loved the bit about the Countdown sisters; Linda and Karen (I love Paul McCartney) Freedman, because that personified what Countdown was all about.
Charlie Pickering was a master host along with Zan Rowe taking us on an incredible journey down memory lane, and the cherry on top; the class act of finishing with "Love Is In The Air”, well it brought a tear to my eye. Love is in the air, thank you and well done ABC.
So proud to have been part of Countdown and to see how it’s message still resonates today, we have incredible talent in this country, we should continue to support Aussie Acts wherever possible. We have in our country an incredible amount of young talent and that also includes young record producers and the like.
Support the older artists too, they are incredible, and even ABC need another show in the 6-7pm time slot, like they did with Countdown, they can’t go wrong. If the ABC did that again and go around the country, all the rural areas etc, that would be the best present this country could ever have for music.
Love Molly X"
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