The Sideshow(2007)

The Sideshow is an Australian variety programme that aired on ABC TV in 2007, hosted by Paul McDermott. Blending stand-up comedy, sketches, live music, circus stunts, cabaret and burlesque, the show began as family entertainment at 7:30 pm before shifting to a late-night 9:25 pm slot in August, allowing for edgier adult humour. Created by Ted Robinson and produced by GNW TV, it drew 300,000 to 400,000 viewers with a devoted cult following. The series embraced a deliberately loose aesthetic, with cameras and crew intentionally visible on set. Shot in Studio 22 at ABC's Ultimo studios in Sydney, The Sideshow recycled talent from Robinson's early-'90s variety show The Big Gig. Ten initial episodes aired from April, with the series finale on 1 December 2007.