WE INTERRUPT THIS BROADCAST: Tuesdays, 7.30pm, Channel 7 and 7plus
If your eyes glaze over with the thought of so-called "reality" shows - think SAS Australia, Married at First Sight, The Bachelor, Shark Tank, Masked Singer et al. - Channel 7's latest comic offering can ease your pain.
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We Interrupt This Broadcast is a melange of parodies that will have you laughing out loud as it sticks it to the botoxed lips, buffed bods, rose ceremonies, hyped celebrities and tears that lovers of "reality" TV soak up.
Ensemble member Duncan Fellows says there are some days when skits need numerous retakes because the cast can't keep a straight face.
"You might do 10 skits on any given day when five were okay, three were really good and two were special.
"Some days are much easier than others, but on a few days, like when we were doing skits around Farmer Wants a Wife, we had to retake and retake because we'd breakup when the character someone was playing did something unexpected.
"We were encouraged to try some things. When you are making something funny you have to have the elasticity to be creative. It's fantastic to work with such great comic actors."
Guests Virginia Gay, Georgie Parker, Elliot Loney, Nina Oyama and Olivia Suliemon join cast members Fellows, Christie Whelan Browne, Bridie Connell, Michelle Brasier, Adele Vuko, Greg Larsen, Ben Russell and Bjorn Stewart in taking the mickey out of audience favourites.
"When we were doing table reads, a couple of the girls came up with a riff about the Kardashians. These comedians come out with such gold. Everyone in the ensemble contributed. When you see something you've written come to life it's rewarding.
Fellows is a fan of vintage shows so one of his favourite skits in We Interrupt this Broadcast is an hilarious swipe at ABC TV's Play School, with Christie Whelan Brown.
"Christie is an athlete, she is so good, so prepared. The skit was right up my alley. We were all laughing at the way we used to do things.
Fellows says the writing is "terrific".
"What I didn't realise was how many writers were involved. Apparently there were some 1500 or 1600 skits of which 500 were turned into the ones we shot.
"Once all the writers are out of therapy they will be raring to go again."
He also praised the editors.
"We finished [filming] the night before Christmas Eve. But as we were all saying 'we've got to the end of the line', the production team had so much work ahead of them. You put your work in but you are an the mercy and benefit of the edit."
