australian television information archive

Shane Bourne to play cop in TV drama

Thank God You're Here anchor man Shane Bourne is putting his hosting duties on the back burner to focus on acting.

Bourne recently began filming a pilot episode of City Homicide for the Seven Network, but says accepting the role wasn't easy.

He plays the head detective in the new crime drama being filmed in Melbourne.

"Someone said it's like childbirth when you go back to a drama because it's hard work," the 56-year-old said.

"I had to give it some serious thought. You do 12-hour days, you're up at the crack (of dawn), come home, learn your script and it's a bit of a nightmare."

However, there was enough potential in the script to lure Bourne and other stars Kimberley Davies, Nadine Garner, David Field and Travis McMahon.

Once the pilot is finished, Seven will assess whether it should become a series.

"What appealed to me was the storyline and the character, which has a bit of depth," Bourne said.

"It's got everything a good cop drama should. It would be a shame if it didn't make it to series."

No stranger to drama, Bourne spent three years on the ABC's legal and medical series MDA and also has featured in The Flying Doctors, Cop Shop and The Sullivans.

While he enjoys hosting the high-rating Network Ten theatre-sports program Thank God You're Here, he relishes the challenge of acting.

"I really love doing drama, it's a good balance for me when I am doing the other stuff," he says.

"There is something about doing that character thing that appeals."

While the future of Australian drama appears grim, Bourne says actors and networks need to support locally produced programs like City Homicide.

"The landscape isn't looking fabulous with drama at the moment," he said.

"You can go and do something high art, but it's not going to last. You have to pitch it somewhere where it's accessible. We have a history of watching crime shows, especially that American stuff, so it would be good to hear a few more Aussie accents."

Recently Ten announced Thank God You're Here, which secured an average of 1.85 million viewers for its series two finale, will return in 2007 with Bourne as host.

From December 9, he will also be seen on the five-part ABC series How The Hell Did We Get Here?, about the events that shaped the baby boomer generation.

"There is a list of shows similar to this where they just wheel someone in who has nothing to do with what happened at that time," Bourne said, making reference to the Nine Network programs 20 to 1 and What A Year.

"But this isn't just a compilation of celebs. People that were affected or were there at the time give their sides of the story. You have Amanda Vanstone (Australia's Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) talking about AC/DC and Angry Anderson talking about the dismissal of Gough Whitlam. It makes for very interesting viewing."

November 21, 2006
AAP