Top Pick Tuesday 21 March 8.30Pm Final

1 Top Pick Tuesday 21 March 8.30pm Final Bullied Hosted by Ian Thorpe, Bullied is a controversial and compelling insight into the issue of school bullying that brings victims and their classmates together in an effort to help understand the impacts of bullying and create strategies for change. Chloe is 16 years old and suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes her significant physical disability. From birth, her life has been a fight for survival, and she’s battled to be treated the same as any other child. But since starting High School, Chloe has endured relentless verbal and physical bullying. The physical threats especially, have left both Chloe and her parents fearful of her attending school. The consequences of her becoming involved in a fight or a fall could be devastating. Chloe has tried to ignore her bullies, but nothing she has done has helped so far. Even interventions by her parents and the school have failed to alleviate the problem. Living in a remote town, Chloe’s options for an alternative school are limited, and now she’s at risk of having to drop out of formal, school-based education entirely. Now, both Chloe and her parents have decided to take a stand. Her family don’t want to see the bullying behaviour destroy Chloe’s chances for a proper education, so they’ve agreed to allow her to take hidden cameras into school, in an attempt to gather evidence of her bullying. They hope it’ll be a solution to her torment and create a permanent and positive change at the school. But will the controversial plan produce unexpected results? #Bullied Short synopsis Chloe suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes her significant disabilities. Since starting High School, she’s endured relentless bullying. Chloe attempts to record video, but will the plan produce unexpected results? Production details Bullied is a Lune Media and Keo Films Production in association with the ABC. Presented by Ian Thorpe, Psychologist: Professor Marilyn Campbell. Executive Producers: Leonie Lowe and David Galloway, Series Producer: Julie Hanna, Supervising Producer: Jayne Parker, Producer: Alan Fear, ABC Head of Factual: Steve Bibb, ABC Commissioning Editor: Anita Brown. Contact Bridget Stenhouse, (02) 8333 3847 or [email protected] Program not yet available for preview. For more information and images visit the media portal. 2 Top Pick Tuesday 21 March 8.00pm Series Premiere Todd Sampson’s Life On The Line Todd Sampson puts his faith in science to the ultimate test in a series of epic experiments, trusting his life to the laws of physics. The laws of physics govern all life on this planet. They are one of the few things in life that are universal, immutable and predictable. We rarely think about them yet they affect everything we do. In this six-part series Todd explores the fascinating world of physics, embarking on a series of challenges to reveal these powerful forces. With the help of some of Australia’s leading young physicists, along with a first-class construction and safety team, each episode follows Todd’s journey from the kernel of an idea through to a daring experiment that will show physics in action on an incredible scale. These bold experiments are at the mercy of weather conditions, human error, mechanical failure, and Todd’s own willpower. Yet the science they are based on remains absolute. But it is one thing to believe in the science, and another thing to bet your life on it. Filmed in Melbourne, Sydney, Bankstown, Cockatoo Island, Kangaroo Valley and New Zealand, this series reveals the invisible forces in the world around us. In episode one, exploring the physics of heat transfer, Todd rides a custom-made sled through an 800-degree fire with nothing but water to protect him. With the help of physicist Jessica Bloom, Todd demonstrates water’s unique ability to absorb heat. Even a thin layer of water can save his skin from being burnt in the flames. But it’s a matter of time. After one second in the flames Todd’s protective coating of water will start to vaporise. And if he inhales the flames, he is at risk of suffocating. Filmed away from the public on Cockatoo Island in Sydney, with a team of fire-fighters and paramedics on standby, Todd trusts the science to keep him safe. Short synopsis Todd Sampson puts his faith in science to the ultimate test in a series of epic experiments, trusting his life to the laws of physics. Todd goes feet first into an inferno with only a dousing of water to protect him. Production details Executive Producer: Jennifer Collins. Series Producer and Director: Jeff Siberry. Producers: Todd Sampson, Rachel Hardie, Niamh Linnie, Mick de Montignie. ABC Head of Factual: Steve Bibb. ABC Commissioning Editor: Michael O’Neil. Contact Kim Bassett on 03 9524 2580/0409 600 456 or [email protected] For previews, more information and images visit the media portal. 3 Top Pick Thursday 23 March 8.30pm Newton’s Law As Josephine unexpectedly re-unites with a former client, Lewis’ defence of a privileged thief unearths a troubling link between the boy and her sister, Rose. Josephine is stunned when Nikos – the pyromaniac who allegedly set Newton’s Legal alight – begs for her representation, swearing that he is innocent of the crime. Clearly conflicted, she corrals Claire into representing him but struggles to take a backseat and continues to influence it via Helena. Upstairs, Lewis defends his wealthy friend’s son, Harry, on a burglary charge after trying to flee a house with a bag full of designer sneakers. Despite his policy about not getting too close to clients, Lewis does his best to help Harry, a recovering drug addict but his generosity is put to the test and things rapidly escalate to breaking point. When Josephine discovers that Harry’s rehab medication is the same type her sister Rose was taking, and they both suffered the same side effects, something twigs. Convinced the medication is somehow linked to the attack on Newton’s Legal, Josephine keeps digging to confirm her dark suspicions. #NewtonsLaw Short synopsis As Josephine unexpectedly re-unites with a former client, Lewis’ defence of a privileged thief unearths a troubling link between the boy and her sister, Rose. Production details An Every Cloud Production in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Screen Australia and Film Victoria. Created by Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger. Produced by Fiona Eagger, Deb Cox and Anna Molyneaux. Executive Producers Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox. ABC Executive Producers Brett Sleigh and Alastair McKinnon. Contact Yasmin Kentera on 03 9524 2629 / 0418 813 071 or [email protected] Program not yet available for preview. For more information and images visit the media portal. 4 Top Pick Wednesday 22 March 8.00pm Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery: Tim Ferguson Tim Ferguson was one-third of the legendary Doug Anthony All Stars, who burst out of the national capital in the Eighties and spent a decade shocking and delighting audiences. Their anarchic mix of comedy and music brought them fame at home, in the UK and the US. Diagnosed with MS in his twenties, he has gone on to become one of Australia’s most accomplished comedians and screen writers. He has just directed his first feature film, and has established himself as Australia's leading teacher of comedy. 2014 saw the reunion of the All Stars and they made a triumphant return to the Edinburgh Comedy Festival in 2015. Some of Tim’s childhood years were spent in country NSW on a property outside of Bathurst. Julia and Tim travel to Newbridge where Tim and his two brothers ran amok. Tim talks about his early years spent in Singapore when his father was reporting from Vietnam, the early days of the All Stars and his dislike of institutions. At All Saints College, he recounts the exploits of a special teacher and how attending over nine schools taught him how to adapt. In Canberra they visit the site of the alternative ‘hippy’ school where he completed his schooling. Tim reveals the pain of breaking up with the All Stars and their recent reformation. At the Canberra Mall where the band had their origins as buskers, Tim talks about comedy and how MS hasn’t stopped him achieving anything much other than being mobile. #HomeDelivery Short synopsis Julia Zemiro travels around Australia to take some of her favourite people down memory lane. Joining her on the road this week is comedian and writer Tim Ferguson. Production details A Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder production. Presenter and co-producer Julia Zemiro. CJZ Executive Producer Nick Murray. CJZ Executive Producer / Director Damian Davis. Series Producer Polly Connolly. Producer Nick Price. ABC Executive Producer Richard Huddleston. ABC Head of Entertainment Jon Casimir. Contact Tracey Taylor on 03 8646 2313 or [email protected] For previews, more information and images visit the media portal. 5 Sunday 19 March 7.40pm Grand Designs If you want to make life tricky, try building a new house with a huge, complex curvy roof. If you live in the countryside you could even make it the shape of a plough. And if that’s not challenge enough, why not build a barn at the same time. That’s exactly what Mark and Candida Diacono and their daughter Nell are doing on their 17-acre smallholding in Devon. Alongside their sweeping wedge shape new home, they’ll build a working barn for cookery courses and to process their highly unusual produce like Szechuan peppers, quinces and pecan nuts.

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