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The Newsreader: episode guide

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Once in a Lifetime

Episode 1.02
Sunday, August 22, 2021 (ABC, 8:30)
508,000 viewers (10th)
Written by Michael Lucas
Directed by Emma Freeman

Dale Jennings (Sam Reid) is a diligent young reporter, desperate to become a newsreader. Helen Norville (Anna Torv) is a notoriously ‘difficult’ star newsreader determined to build credibility. Paired together over three months, Dale and Helen will cover an extraordinary chain of news events— from the shock of the Challenger explosion, to the hype of Halley’s Comet, to the complexities of the AIDS crisis. From messy beginnings, a deep bond is formed that will upend their lives and transform the very fabric of the nightly news bulletin. This is a story of a grand, unconventional relationship in a world on the cusp of change.

Helen and Dale's new alliance has become the talk of the office as they cover the much-hyped return of Halley's Comet. The closer Dale draws to Helen, the more he finds himself thrust into the spotlight.

Cast (in order of appearance):

  • Anna Torv as Helen Norville
  • Robert Taylor as Geoff Walters
  • Bert Labonte as Gordon
  • Sam Reid as Dale Jennings
  • Chai Hansen as Tim Ahern
  • Jackson Tozer as Ross
  • Melissa Jaffer as Ruth
  • Anne Charleston as Avis
  • William McInnes as Lindsay
  • Chum Ehelepola as Dennis
  • John Leary as Murray
  • Stephen Peacocke as Rob Rickards
  • Caroline Lee as Jean
  • Michelle Lim Davidson as Noelene
  • Dom Phelan as Brett
  • Maria Angelico as Cheryl
  • Rohan Mirchandaney as Gary
  • Keith Brockett as Ian Lieu
  • National Boys Choir of Australia as Boys' Choir
  • Marg Downey as Evelyn Walters
  • Maude Davey as Val Jennings
  • Queenie Van De Zandt as Donna
  • Mimi Kwa as Columnist 2