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Ever wonder how hit shows like Alone, Lego Masters, or K-Popped get made? In this special live episode from SXSW Sydney, host Hayley Ferguson sits down with three of Australia's top unscripted television executives to pull back the curtain.
David McDonald (Director of Comedy, Endemol Shine Australia), Keely Sonntag (Head of Unscripted and Development, ITV Studios Australia), and Wes Dening (Head of Global Formats, Eureka Productions) share their incredible origin stories -from actively avoiding the industry to being a Big Brother contestant - and dive deep into the secrets of the trade.
They discuss the critical importance of authenticity, the make-or-break role of casting (and why "getting a bad edit" is a myth), and how they adapted massive global formats for an Australian audience. Plus, they share their best advice for pitching your own TV show idea and predict what's next for the future of reality TV in the age of AI.
LISTEN MORE
Head of Unscripted & Development, ITV Studios Australia - Keely Sonntag
Head of Global Formats, Eureka Productions - Wes Dening
CREDITS:
Host & Producer - Hayley Ferguson
Support the show
🔔 FIND US
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You can also connect with us here:
📸 Instagram: @beyondrealityau
📘 Facebook: @beyondrealityaus
🐦 X (Twitter): @beyondrealityau
📝 Blog: beyondrealityau.com
☕ SUPPORT THE SHOW
Beyond Reality is an independent podcast. If you’d like to support us, you can make a one-off contribution [HERE] (for the price of a coffee!).
There’s absolutely no obligation — but every little bit helps keep the show going. Thank you for being part of the Beyond Reality community.
⭐ SPREAD THE WORD
Enjoyed this episode?
Share it on social media or leave a rating & review in your podcast app — it’s the best way to help others discover Beyond Reality.
🎙 START YOUR OWN PODCAST
Thinking about launching your own show? Beyond Reality is hosted on Buzzsprout, our favourite platform for podcast hosting, promotion and tracking. Sign up using this link here and get a $20 credit towards your podcast.
By Hayley Ferguson5
22 ratings
Ever wonder how hit shows like Alone, Lego Masters, or K-Popped get made? In this special live episode from SXSW Sydney, host Hayley Ferguson sits down with three of Australia's top unscripted television executives to pull back the curtain.
David McDonald (Director of Comedy, Endemol Shine Australia), Keely Sonntag (Head of Unscripted and Development, ITV Studios Australia), and Wes Dening (Head of Global Formats, Eureka Productions) share their incredible origin stories -from actively avoiding the industry to being a Big Brother contestant - and dive deep into the secrets of the trade.
They discuss the critical importance of authenticity, the make-or-break role of casting (and why "getting a bad edit" is a myth), and how they adapted massive global formats for an Australian audience. Plus, they share their best advice for pitching your own TV show idea and predict what's next for the future of reality TV in the age of AI.
LISTEN MORE
Head of Unscripted & Development, ITV Studios Australia - Keely Sonntag
Head of Global Formats, Eureka Productions - Wes Dening
CREDITS:
Host & Producer - Hayley Ferguson
Support the show
🔔 FIND US
Never miss an episode — hit follow on your favourite podcast app.
You can also connect with us here:
📸 Instagram: @beyondrealityau
📘 Facebook: @beyondrealityaus
🐦 X (Twitter): @beyondrealityau
📝 Blog: beyondrealityau.com
☕ SUPPORT THE SHOW
Beyond Reality is an independent podcast. If you’d like to support us, you can make a one-off contribution [HERE] (for the price of a coffee!).
There’s absolutely no obligation — but every little bit helps keep the show going. Thank you for being part of the Beyond Reality community.
⭐ SPREAD THE WORD
Enjoyed this episode?
Share it on social media or leave a rating & review in your podcast app — it’s the best way to help others discover Beyond Reality.
🎙 START YOUR OWN PODCAST
Thinking about launching your own show? Beyond Reality is hosted on Buzzsprout, our favourite platform for podcast hosting, promotion and tracking. Sign up using this link here and get a $20 credit towards your podcast.

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