ABC TV will soon reveal former federal Labor Party and One Nation NSW leader, Mark Latham, as the new host of its Monday nightpolitical discussion program. (NOTE TO SUBS: Or is it Thursday night? Can someone check and FFS delete this note before publication.)

I understand from my ABC sources that the public broadcaster’s outgoing chair Ita Buttrose has personally picked Latham as a way to deflect criticism that the show was “too left wing”.

“When you think about it, Ita’s got it Right again… I mean right again,” a senior ABC source privy to discussions about the role said.

“I was in the meetings to decide on a new host and Ita let everyone in the room have their say.

“Some wanted to tweak the program by enlisting former Channel 7 Sunrise host David Koch and he came in for an audition. (below)

“They argued that along with Kochie we could also bring on board the Cash Cow to build viewer numbers by giving away money for the longest, most self-indulgent, and most-meandering audience question.

“But Ita cut that one down by pointing out it would break the show’s, if not the ABC’s budget.

“Another idea was to recruit Daryl Somers (below) and broaden the show’s appeal by having more musical guests and old-style – very old-style – comedy spots, plus having Dickie Knee ask questions on behalf of home viewers.

“It would also mean changing the show’s name to Hey, Hey It’s Monday! (NOTE: Hey, Hey It’s Thursday? – Subs please check and adjust)

“Ita killed off that option too, very quickly. After watching an audition tape of Daryl and his crew she said she didn’t have any financial or creative arguments against it. She just said watching Hey, Hey It’s Saturday always made her vomit.

“Then she lobbed Mark Latham’s name into the mix and everyone was stunned into silence.

“But she made the valid point that Latham has been the leader of a left-leaning party and a right-leaning party too before adding: ‘If that’s not balance then Bluey can bite my arse.’

“Everyone in the room was immediately convinced and the idea received unanimous approval.”

My ABC source said although the corporation had previously announced Q&A’s return for 2024 with Patricia Karvelas continuing as host, circumstances had changed recently.

“Patricia made it known that she wanted to beef up her opening welcome to viewers in which she pays her respects to the traditional custodian of the land on which the show is produced,” my source told me.

“She argued that the show was broadcast nationwide so she should recognise the peoples of all individual First Nations.

“Even when it was pointed that there were hundreds of them and it would consume all of the show’s running time and more she was still insistent.

“Ita found out about PK’s demand and that’s when she stepped in,” the source explained.

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