NEED TO KNOW
- A Bert Newton biopic is reportedly in the works.
- According to industry insiders, Netflix and the ABC are trying to secure exclusive rights to bring his life to the small screen.
- The Australian TV legend died in 2021, aged 83, following a severe health decline over previous years.
- Source say there’s s immense pressure on producers to get his story right.
New Idea can exclusively reveal that a major high-profile project charting the extraordinary life and career of late Australian television royalty, Bert Newton, is officially in the works.
According to industry insiders, both Netflix Australia and the ABC are rumoured to be quietly vying to secure the exclusive rights to bring ‘Moonface’s’ story to the small screen.
The multi-episode limited series would delve into every decade of Bert’s iconic life and career.
Honouring Bert Newton’s legacy
While previous miniseries like 2007’s The King, about Bert’s best friend Graham Kennedy, and Molly Meldrum’s Molly in 2017, proved to be massive ratings hits, subsequent biopics like 2023’s Warnie were weighed down by off-screen scandals and negative headlines.
Because of this, sources note there is “immense pressure” on producers to get Bert’s story right, making the official blessing and cooperation of his family “absolutely essential”.
“Everyone wants to get this right,” says our source.
Behind the scenes, a fierce battle is also playing out over the source material.
It’s said producers are hoping to craft an original script rather than licensing Bert’s 1970s autobiography or Graeme Blundell’s 2014 definitive biography to avoid multimillion-dollar rights fees.
“Whether the family will agree to a completely independent narrative remains to be seen,” our source tells us.
Honouring the wishes of Bert’s family
Keeping Bert’s widow Patti, 81, and daughter Lauren, 47, onside is reportedly “non-negotiable” for whichever company ultimately wins the rights.
Word is that the creative camp behind the project is reportedly determined to secure the full blessing of both Patti and Lauren.
The hope would be to bring them on board as creative consultants to guide the script, authenticate intimate behind-the-scenes details, and eventually help promote the project to Australian audiences who still hold Bert dear.
It remains to be seen if Bert and Patti’s 49-year-old son Matthew, a director in his own right, would be involved.
Telling the story of the man who helped put Australian TV on the map is no small feat, and insiders hint the script will cover all his professional highs.
Simultaneously, sources say the project “wouldn’t shy away from Bert’s scandals”, such as his brief two-week engagement to fellow TV personality Susan-Gaye Anderson in 1962, his stint in a psychiatric ward two years later following a breakdown, and a gambling addiction in the 1990s that almost bankrupted him and Patti.
“There is a lot of life to cover,” adds our source.
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