ABC commissions Julia Gillard sitcom

Monday, 18 July 2011. By Media Spy. Twitter

Amanda Bishop and Phil Lloyd will play Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Tim Mathieson in the new ABC sitcom (Image: ABC Television)

Production will begin this week on a new ABC sitcom about the lives of Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her partner Tim Mathieson in The Lodge.

The four-part sitcom, entitled At Home with Julia, will star Amanda Bishop as the Prime Minister and Phil Lloyd as Tim Mathieson.

Bishop has previously played a comedic version of the Prime Minister in the Seven Network's comedy Double Take, while Lloyd is best known for his starring role on Review With Myles Barlow.

"They're just like any other busy modern couple," said Rick Kalowski, the programme's executive producer.

"Trying to balance their relationship with critical tasks like introducing taxes no-one voted for."

The ABC's head of comedy, Debbie Lee, added: "We've long been concerned about generous Government funding for the ABC. Hopefully At Home with Julia will put a stop to that."

The series will be produced by Quail Television for the ABC.

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Sabe52

Sorry folks, this smacks of taking advantage in a rather pathetic way of a female leader. Good on you Julia, tough it out and prove the morons wrong.
Pbowlay

Surely my dollars could be spent on something more worthwhile?
We see a sit-com every newsday about Juliar.
Crazypete

Rick Kalowski is a great comedy writer. He wrote the honourable wally norman which is one of the best comedy films of the past ten years. He was effectively the head writer of The Big Bite, a great channel 7 series. He was then primarily responsible for the success of Comedy Inc. And then he did Double Take. Congrats to Rick for getting out there and doing something. I'm sure it will be very entertaining.
MCS in Q

They'd better hurry up. I don't think she will be in the job by Christmas and even if she was, we have seen enough and don't even want to see the funny side. It's no longer a laughing matter.
Fredo

double take was sick. that guillard song was massive. i cant wait.
elgee

Hopefully, as Julia 'tries to prove the morons wrong' she'll provide some new material for the show.
expat

The timing of the show seems to make complete sense.It ties up very nicely with something I perceive has been happening in the ABC for a long time.It's role as a trail blazer is fast disappearing and now becoming a reflection of the Australian scene as it .What is it then?One aspect that readily comes to mind is the willingness to go at minorities.In keeping with the new found 'True Blue' status of the ABC what a perfect target it has found.An unmarried female Prime Minister(Living in sin...God Forbid!!!)! would probably rate as a minority in most people's eyes..At least, Little Johny will be happy to see his protege get a leg up.As for me.Perhaps, the ABC can now set its writers on a comedy based around other career women and call it 'The Glass Ceiling.'What a riot that would be..As for me,It's times like this I am glad I am an expat.