Screen Australia, Screenwest and Lotterywest supported comedic sketch series Hug The Sun – the brainchild of comedians Xavier Michelides and Ben Russell and brought to the screens by the twisted minds behind Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun and Top Knot Detective – will drop on YouTube on 6 May.
Starring Andrea Gibbs, Ben Russell, Bonnie Davies and Xavier Michelides, the show also features guests including Aunty Donna, Greg Larson, Anne Edmonds, Ben Sutton and many more.
This six-episode webseries will launch on a new YouTube channel and will be the first of a series of comedic ventures from a mix of up-and-coming and established comedians across Australia.
he Children’s TV show ‘Hug the Sun’ ran between 1989-1991. It was designed to teach Australian kids about the teaching of Oxtos (an esoteric, fringe religion that worshiped the great sun god). However, on February 23rd 1991, the show disappeared from the airwaves… until now.
Hug the Sun was filmed between Perth and Melbourne by a small, enthusiastic crew that created puppets, animations, magic tricks, songs, stand up and a kids variety show filled with familiar faces and a few fresh ones.
Director/Producer Aaron McCann said: “It was a huge challenge to undertake a film shoot between both Perth and Melbourne, during the height of a global pandemic, after our states just came out of COVID lockdowns, and over the ‘blistering’ speeds of our current NBN. However, with amazing help from Screen Australia and Screenwest and of course our tireless cast and crew we rose to the occasion to create this chaotic comedic love letter to 90s community broadcasting.”
Producer Johnny Ma explained, “”I’m very proud of the final outcome of this project despite having the challenge of splitting the production between Victoria and WA. Excited to see this unique project from the mastermind of Xavier Michelides and Ben Russell get out there!”.
Screenwest CEO Willie Rowe said, “We are proud of this incredibly funny web series, which was shot in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic across Western Australia and Victoria. This true cross-country collaboration, which showcases the talents of many of our amazing WA writers, performers and creatives and is sure to become a cult hit!”
Get Ready to Believe!
Hug the Sun starts Thursday May 6 on Grouse House
