In this episode I’m joined by Endemol Shine Australia’s Director of Comedy - David McDonald. David has a career spanning more than 30 years in comedy and entertainment - overseeing hit shows like Lego masters, Gogglebox and Shaun Micallef's Origin Oddesey. We discuss his career journey from the early years working in scripted comedy, how he injects humour into prime time entertainment shows and the navigating creative risks in the age of social media.

⭐️ CREDITS:
Host and Producer: Hayley Ferguson

Audio Editor: Andrew Soo

LISTEN MORE:
If you enjoyed this episode check out my interviews with:

In Conversation with Top Reality TV Executives Live at SXSW Sydney: Behind TV's Most Addictive Shows

Creative Director, ITV Studios Australia - Alex Mavroidakis

Head of Unscripted Production, BBC Studios Australia - Arianna Gusi

Head of Global Formats, Eureka Productions - Wes Dening

Support the show

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📸 Instagram: @beyondrealityau
📘 Facebook: @beyondrealityaus
🐦 X (Twitter): @beyondrealityau
📝 Blog: beyondrealityau.com

☕ SUPPORT THE SHOW

Beyond Reality is an independent podcast. If you’d like to support us, you can make a one-off contribution [HERE] (for the price of a coffee!).
There’s absolutely no obligation — but every little bit helps keep the show going. Thank you for being part of the Beyond Reality community.

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Enjoyed this episode?
Share it on social media or leave a rating & review in your podcast app — it’s the best way to help others discover Beyond Reality.

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In this episode I chat with Ben Shackleford, a multimedia producer with a background in unscripted entertainment. He's worked on shows like Top Gear Australia, Lego Masters and The Mole. We discuss how the industry is changing and how he's evolved his career along the way.

⭐️ CREDITS:
Host and Producer: Hayley Ferguson

Audio Editor: Andrew Soo

LISTEN MORE:
If you enjoyed this episode check out my interviews with:

Creative Director, ITV Studios Australia - Alex Mavroidakis

Head of Unscripted Production, BBC Studios Australia - Arianna Gusi

Head of Global Formats, Eureka Productions - Wes Dening

Support the show

🔔 FIND US

Never miss an episode — hit follow on your favourite podcast app.
You can also connect with us here:
📸 Instagram: @beyondrealityau
📘 Facebook: @beyondrealityaus
🐦 X (Twitter): @beyondrealityau
📝 Blog: beyondrealityau.com

☕ SUPPORT THE SHOW

Beyond Reality is an independent podcast. If you’d like to support us, you can make a one-off contribution [HERE] (for the price of a coffee!).
There’s absolutely no obligation — but every little bit helps keep the show going. Thank you for being part of the Beyond Reality community.

⭐ SPREAD THE WORD

Enjoyed this episode?
Share it on social media or leave a rating & review in your podcast app — it’s the best way to help others discover Beyond Reality.

🎙 START YOUR OWN PODCAST

Thinking about launching your own show? Beyond Reality is hosted on Buzzsprout, our favourite platform for podcast hosting, promotion and tracking. Sign up using this link here and get a $20 credit towards your podcast.

Ever wonder how hit shows like Alone, Lego Masters, or K-Popped get made? In this special live episode from SXSW Sydney, host Hayley Ferguson sits down with three of Australia's top unscripted television executives to pull back the curtain.

David McDonald (Director of Comedy, Endemol Shine Australia), Keely Sonntag (Head of Unscripted and Development, ITV Studios Australia), and Wes Dening (Head of Global Formats, Eureka Productions) share their incredible origin stories -from actively avoiding the industry to being a Big Brother contestant - and dive deep into the secrets of the trade.

They discuss the critical importance of authenticity, the make-or-break role of casting (and why "getting a bad edit" is a myth), and how they adapted massive global formats for an Australian audience. Plus, they share their best advice for pitching your own TV show idea and predict what's next for the future of reality TV in the age of AI.

LISTEN MORE

Head of Unscripted & Development, ITV Studios Australia - Keely Sonntag

Head of Global Formats, Eureka Productions - Wes Dening

CREDITS:

Host & Producer - Hayley Ferguson

Support the show

🔔 FIND US

Never miss an episode — hit follow on your favourite podcast app.
You can also connect with us here:
📸 Instagram: @beyondrealityau
📘 Facebook: @beyondrealityaus
🐦 X (Twitter): @beyondrealityau
📝 Blog: beyondrealityau.com

☕ SUPPORT THE SHOW

Beyond Reality is an independent podcast. If you’d like to support us, you can make a one-off contribution [HERE] (for the price of a coffee!).
There’s absolutely no obligation — but every little bit helps keep the show going. Thank you for being part of the Beyond Reality community.

⭐ SPREAD THE WORD

Enjoyed this episode?
Share it on social media or leave a rating & review in your podcast app — it’s the best way to help others discover Beyond Reality.

🎙 START YOUR OWN PODCAST

Thinking about launching your own show? Beyond Reality is hosted on Buzzsprout, our favourite platform for podcast hosting, promotion and tracking. Sign up using this link here and get a $20 credit towards your podcast.