Simon Townsend's Wonder World facts for kids

Simon Townsend's Wonder World! was an Australian children's television show that aired on Network Ten from 1979 until 1987. It was hosted by journalist Simon Townsend.

Format

Each episode of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! featured an introduction by Townsend as the studio host, accompanied by his pet and companion bloodhound Woodrow (Woodrow died in 1986 and was replaced at first with a sulphur-crested cockatoo and then with a baby Labrador retriever. A competition was run amongst the viewers to name the new puppy and as Townsend had recently won a Logie award, the puppy was named Logie). Townsend would then present four individual magazine-style stories, each presented by a different reporter.

The stories covered many subjects. Two researchers, two cinematographers, two sound recordists, four reporters and four editors worked on the time equivalent of a feature film every week – about eighty minutes of screen time shot on 16mm reversal film. Stories were not scripted, relying upon the ingenuity of the reporter and the two-person crew.

Every show also contained a viewer segment, and a music segment – often produced by the program itself. For instance Simon Townsend's Wonder World! made the first ever music video to feature Australian band INXS. During the course of the series, Townsend and his reporters travelled all over Australia and to many and varied locations in America, the UK, Europe, India, Asia and the Pacific region.

Simon Townsend would end every show with the same signature farewell – "And remember, the world really is wonderful!"

Awards and accolades

Simon Townsend's Wonder World! won many awards, including five LOGIE Awards, a TV Star Award and many other trophies, certificates of commendation and popularity prizes. In 1983, Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke presented Simon Townsend with a special – Prime Minister's Award trophy, commemorating the milestone of broadcasting the One Thousandth Episode of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! (as recorded in TV Week, issue of 9 June 1983.) The show still remains the highest rating children's program in Australian TV history.

Townsend was always a great supporter of new Australian talents. Simon's company Townsend Entertainments gave many people their first opportunity to prove themselves in the entertainment business. For example, Townsend Entertainments was the first production company in Australia to give a woman, Bronwyn Nicholas, a full-time position as a cinematographer (cinematography having previously been a male domain). Another Wonder World! cinematographer Andrew Lesnie went on to win an Academy Award for his film work. Many others who are now well known in the film and TV industry got their first break thanks to Simon Townsend's Wonder World!. The program's alumni include: Jonathan Coleman, who became a huge star in both Australia and UK, Amanda Keller, who also became a very popular local radio and TV personality, Angela Catterns, who became a radio star, and Edith Bliss, who starred in both advertising and music. Philip Tanner and Maurice Parker became top producers, while Tanner and Brett Clements later made a fortune from board games that were inspired by a Wonder World! story on Crown & Andrews. Fiona Baker created many hit TV shows (like RPA) for the Nine Network and later for other TV networks, after getting her first job as a researcher on Wonder World! straight out of university.

Reporters

The star reporters on Simon Townsend's Wonder World!, during its seven years on air, included:

• Jonathan Coleman
• Angela Catterns
• Hugh Piper
• Sandy Mauger
• Edith Bliss
• Sheridan Jobbins
• Alita Fahey
• Maurice Parker
• Phillip Tanner
• Hugh Munro
• Brett Clements
• Wednesday Kennedy
• Adam Bowen
• Carolyn Mee
• Malinda Rutter

Wonder World!

In 1992, two of Simon Townsend's former reporters Phillip Tanner and Brett Clements bought the rights to Simon Townsend's Wonder World and sold the concept to the Nine Network which re-launched the show. The successor's new name was shortened to Wonder World!. The "Wonder World!" theme song written for the show at Simon Townsend's request by Australian songwriter/producer Chris Pelcer, remained the show's theme until its final episode.

Harvey Shore was hired to train new reporters and produce the show once again, this time for the Nine Network. The hosts and reporters of this new series were:

• Pascall Fox (famous for her brightly coloured hair, often red or orange. She was later one of the presenters of the Australian version of Ground Force in the early 2000s, and on the Australian version of the show Your Life on the Lawn 2003–2004.)
• Jodie Young
• Nick Penn (celebrated comedian)
• Tony Johnston (who went on to produce many TV shows and to work overseas.)
• Liesl Macdonald

Later reporters included:

• Catriona Rowntree (who became a major star of the Nine Network in Getaway and other series.)
• Dave Kelly (who became a famous film editor and producer)
• Sonia Kruger (who became a star of the Seven network)
• Liesl Macdonald

Appearances on the show:

• Bill Bovill was "Today's Poet" and later referred to it on his blog.

Nine's "Wonder World!" began production in 1993, and rated well in its three-year run.