News At Six 1986

My name is Erin, and welcome to The Newsreader's dedicated fan page, plus a scattering of other obsessions too! 26 - Australian - Newsreader Cast Member - She/Her

[newsatsix1986]

News At Six 1986 has officially joined The Newsreader’s onscreen family!

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This has been a secret that I have been dutifully keeping for an entire year. As of today, this very special story is ready to share.

It all began with the most extraordinary invitation to visit the newsroom set of The Newsreader in January 2024, but evolved beautifully in the team deciding to make me ‘fangirl promoted’ by giving me my very own place in the newsroom; promoting me therefore to an official News At Six employee. The magic of this invitation came to life officially on the 18th March 2024, and since then, the memories of this very special day have warmed my heart like nothing else.

This is the story of a girl who loved and believed in a piece of media strongly, whose passion for this piece of media was so deep that she has dedicated over three years to further telling its stories and helping create its online fan community, who ended up being so beautifully rewarded. All of her wildest dreams came true, thanks to the kindness of The Newsreader’s cast and crew.

But this is also the story of the most beautiful group of television-making creatives, who were intrigued by this girl’s deep love for their very special show, and they came to love the way her brain worked and how she passionately continued to tell their show’s stories. They truly embraced her with open arms and collectively came together to create the most special experience for her. They decided to gift her this once in a lifetime opportunity to step into the world of The Newsreader. The most beautiful gift of gratitude, and it was just for her.

A character of her very own, and a special digital story in which she has the starring role. A story that is proudly hers to tell, and the time to tell it is now.

My name is Erin Rankin, I’m playing Suzanne Hayes, and I have officially joined The Newsreader.

[newsatsix1986]

Lynus Preston in S02E04 of The Newsreader - Part Three ❤️

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There was barely any time to film Lynus’ interview, let alone edit it, but no cuts sounded good to him.

Helen brought up his stunt in Fremantle, and asked him, “what were you trying to say?”

“Australia was invaded, not colonised.” Lynus stated, matter-of-factly. “You know, this is an illegal occupation. You broke your own law, and your precious King George III stated very clearly that in order to claim land, it has to be unowned. And Captain Cook knew that there were owners that had a recognised law.”

Helen nodded. “I don’t think that very many people would deny that history, but it was 200 years ago.”

“Yeah, but that illegal act is being upheld to this day,” Lynus explained. “And not just being upheld, but it’s being celebrated - by you.”

Helen stopped the camera. She believed that Lynus was just delivering a diatribe.

“I’ve watched you, Lynus, and you do know how to connect to people, so maybe try putting a little more of yourself into it. Talk about how you feel.”

So Lynus put on a show, making Helen chuckle at comments about St Paddy’s Day and loving a Guinness.

“When people look at you, they see a confident DJ,” Helen observed. “so some might wonder, how can you really feel the pain of two centuries ago?”

Lynus nodded thoughtfully. He spoke of his older brothers, passing away at 55 and 49, the former only two months prior. That’s too young. And now, at 33, Lynus was the last brother left.

“When people talk about the life expectancy of our mob, my eldest brother would say, ‘these whitefellas, they think we die because of disease and chronic illness, alcoholism, drugs, violence, suicide, you name it.’ But none of that matters, it’s all bullsh*t. Because our mob dies from a broken heart, and every time we bury our loved ones way before their time, we are constantly reminded about everything our people have gone through.” Lynus shook his head.

“And until we’re ready to tell that story, and speak that truth in this country, our mob will continue to die way before their time. And I’m tired of burying my family.”

That was how Lynus really felt. He could only hope that this would connect.

[newsatsix1986]

Lynus Preston in S02E04 of The Newsreader - Part Two ❤️

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The protest in Fremantle had only been the beginning.

“There’s a march being organised for Invasion Day up in Sydney.” Lynus told Helen. “Now that’s gonna be a proper Blackout. Biggest corroboree we’ve seen in our lifetime.”

He introduced Helen to a filmmaking crew who also found him ‘urgent.’ It turned out that cameraman Tim and Helen had worked together in the past.

“Helen here is trying to convince me that prime-time news is ready for a trouble-maker like me,” Lynus joked to the crew.

“You ain’t going to hear anything from back here. Come on, Bub,” Aunty Tiny brought Helen closer to the circle.

“We’re gonna go to Hyde Park, ain’t we?” Uncle Owie asked at the meeting.

“Well, a few of the mob are still talking about stopping at Hyde Park, Uncle.” Lynus replied, “but we all still hold the view that we think it’s important to carry on the march all the way to Lady Macquarie’s Chair, yeah?”

“The Harbour,” Aunty Tiny clarified.

“Yeah, they’ve set up a tent embassy there. They’ll be waiting for us.” Lynus added. “You know? That’s what we spoke about in our last meeting.”

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t at the last meeting.” Uncle Owie reminded Lynus, Lynus looking away. “But I’m here now. And I think it’s important that we all stick together in Hyde Park. All the clan groups united. One mob.”

“Yeah, but there’s no historical relevance in Hyde Park, Uncle.” Lynus countered. “Look, the point of invasion happened at the Harbour, yeah? That’s where the battle lines are.”

“‘Battle lines?’” Uncle Owie repeated. “You need to play the white man at the white man’s game. You know, if we’re there screaming and shouting and carrying on, they ain’t gonna see us. They ain’t gonna hear us. The world’s just gonna see a mob of angry blackfellas.”

“With all due respect, Uncle, I want the world to see our anger,” Lynus stated, emphatically. “I want them to see our pain, you know? Our humanity. I demand it. I’m done waiting for a chair at their table of ‘democracy.’ How many times have we died waiting for that to happen, Uncle?”

“Stuff their table,” someone called out, and Helen was grateful that she had been invited to theirs.

[newsatsix1986]

Lynus Preston in S02E04 of The Newsreader - Part One ❤️🌟

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Helen Norville strolled up to the radio station that the activist; Lynus Preston, dee-jayed at.

“You right there, Bub?” Aunty Tiny asked her.

Helen extended her hand to Lynus’ Aunty in greeting. “I called several times yesterday hoping to speak with Lynus Preston.”

“He’s on air at the moment,” Aunty Tiny replied. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to him.”

Helen didn’t want to intrude, but Aunty Tiny assured her that he would be fine, and gesturing Helen to a chair, she closed the door behind them.

After Roger Knox’s ‘Koori Rose’ faded out, Lynus urged his listeners to get up and move to Marcia Hines’ ‘Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees’.

“Speaking of divas, Ms Helen Norville,” he acknowledged off-air, shaking her hand. “I believe I’ve been dodging your calls.”

“Uhh, yes you have, indeed,” Helen smiled, but she barely got to say anything more when Lynus cut her off.

“Ms Norville, we have a rule here. Never Interrupt Marcia.”

He cheekily eyed Helen as he bust into a groove.

“Come on Ms Norville, I know you can move it,” Lynus encouraged her, and Helen realised she would be dancing for her supper, grooving her shoulders with a grin.

Lynus was aware of Geoff Walters’ rally against him, and how Geoff had completely misrepresented him on air on Monday evening.

“Listen, I read what you were going to say on the broadcast, and it was passionate and forthright and urgent, and you were cut off,” Helen pitched.

“I’d like to give you a dedicated interview. With me, tonight, on News At Six. We have a huge audience. It’s mainly middle Australians. You’d have the opportunity to respond to Geoff.”

Lynus studied her sceptically, putting on his jacket.

“And you’d also be able to get your message out to the viewers,” Helen posed, “challenging them to meet you halfway.”

“Why halfway?” Lynus questioned her.

“We could record it here in your studio. I could have a crew here in forty minutes,” Helen continued to entice him.

“Just got to go to another meeting,” Lynus threw his bag over his shoulder.

“Now, actually. You can come if you want.”

Helen felt that she had no choice but to accept this invitation. She had to follow Lynus all the way.

[newsatsix1986]

Charlie Tate, in The Newsreader’s S02E03 ❤️🌟📺

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‘Share[d] Panic.’

A newspaper landed on the reception desk of Charlie Tate’s floor, and Charlie was fast to retrieve it, walking down the hall of his office. It probably wouldn’t be his office for much longer, admittedly.

One of his star newsreaders at News At Six, Helen Norville, had been anxiously awaiting to see if her exposé would be splashed across The Sun, and she tiredly leaned forward on Charlie’s lounge.

She looked towards him, and Charlie hoisted the newspaper up, bringing it over to her.

Helen took the paper from him, and begun to flick through the pages. Her face should pop up any moment now, or would it?

In the midst of the pages turning, she came to a stop, observing a page, and she gave Charlie a gentle smile, glancing back down again.

“I’m sorry,” Helen handed him the paper.

Charlie frowned, unsure what Helen was apologising for, and he rustled through the pages too. A few pages in, it all became apparent.

“Okay, Page Five.” He noted. Before him was a full page spread, a portrait and a scathing examination of him.

‘Tate Junior’s Decimation,’ the headline read in bold.

He flipped the page, and saw a continuation on Pages Six and Seven. ‘Big boots for little Charlie to fill.’ ‘Little Charlie’s Lavish Lifestyle on the Line.’

They couldn’t help themselves but laugh. It’s all they could do, really.

“Very comprehensive,” Charlie gave the writers credit, and Helen beamed, her chin resting elegantly on her clasped hands.

“Thank you,” she expressed her gratitude sincerely.

All Charlie could do in response was sharply draw his breath.

There had been an exposé in today’s paper, just not on the person they had both initially anticipated, and it was now very clear to everyone that Little Chuck had indeed sunk.

[newsatsix1986]

Helen Norville, in The Newsreader’s S02E03 ❤️🌟📺

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Helen tapped her fingers on Charlie’s lounge, on what would be an uncertain evening.

She hadn’t been guaranteed that the article about her wouldn’t be published, and she had now discovered that Charlie wouldn’t be her boss for much longer.

Charlie slumped over his paperwork, and Helen asked how much he thought he would have left, personally. Millions?

Charlie’s face in response told Helen everything she needed to know, and she laughed.

“Oh, I think you’re gonna be fine.”

She shifted from her sitting position and laid down on the armrest.

Charlie glanced at her quizzically. “Yeah, you too.”

He joined her on the other side of the room.

“Well, you don’t know what the story’s about.” Helen noted.

“Yeah, that’s true,” Charlie acknowledged.

“You never asked,” Helen added. “You were the only one who didn’t.”

“Well, if history’s taught us anything, Helen, if you got something to say, you don’t wait for an invitation,” Charlie replied.

“Do you want me to ask?”

Helen inhaled deeply. “I think it’s gonna say… I was in… a mental institution, and I was treated for schizophrenia.”

Charlie threw his head back.

“Sh*t. Well, full credit to Donna, I’d buy that paper.”

“Yeah, me too,” Helen sadly agreed.

“Is it true?” Charlie queried, sculling his bottle.

“I was treated for schizophrenia,” Helen confessed, her face barely moving.

“I’m not schizophrenic. I was treated for manic depression. I was just… stuck in this borderland of neurosis and psychosis.”

She inhaled deeply, cursing herself. “What sixteen year old isn’t?”

Charlie was silent, pursing his lips in thought, grasping at the gravity of the situation.

Helen sniffed, and checked her watch.

“It’s still two hours,” Charlie told her. “I just checked too.”

With all out in the open, at both ends, all they could do was sit back and wait.

[newsatsix1986]

Helen Norville and Charlie Tate, in The Newsreader’s S02E03 ❤️🌟📺

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After finding out that Donna Gillies had intentions to publish an exposé about her teenage institutionalisation, Helen felt as though there was only one person who could stop this from happening.

His receptionist had told her a meeting wouldn’t be possible tonight, but still, Helen made her way down the hall. She would tell him that Di had done all she could, his receptionist needn’t worry.

Charlie Tate was on the phone, trying to get his financial affairs in order, when Helen threw open his doors.

“I’m terribly sorry for barging in, but I need your help.” Helen told him. “I need help pulling an article from The Sun. It’s a very invasive piece, and if it’s published, it’s gonna be very bad for me and very bad for your network.”

Charlie figured he would have to ring Ian back later, and asked Di to give Helen and him a minute.

“You do realise that The Sun is not my paper?” He reminded Helen.

“No, I know, but you spend an awful lot of advertising in it,” Helen reasoned.

“Does not give me editorial control,” Charlie explained.

“But it could give you leverage?” Helen’s voice inflected.

Something about Helen’s insistence made Charlie realise that this article was more than just gossip. She glanced into his eyes, sadly pleading with him to understand what she didn’t want to have to say.

“The Sun is Astley’s paper. Astley’s my father’s generation, I don’t really have a relationship with him,” Charlie confessed.

That made the two of them.

“Alright, well, maybe you could ask your father.” Helen suggested, hopefully.

“I don’t like my chances of getting through to him, ever,” Charlie added.

Helen’s eyes pleaded with him again, and Charlie looked away.

“Let me see what I can do.”

Helen nodded and exited his office, and Charlie braced himself for the phone call he was now dreading making.

[newsatsix1986]

Helen Norville, in The Newsreader’s S02E02 💜📺🌟

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Even when one is trying to get someone much needed shut-eye, the phones do not rest.

The ringing awoke Helen, and she picked up the handset to hear Dale’s voice.

“Hello. So get in the shower. Get camera ready. I’m coming over with a crew.”

This was the last thing Helen wanted to do.

“No,” she replied, putting the phone back down.

Dale wouldn’t give up, and rang her again.

“I need you to trust me. I’ve got an idea, and I’ll be there in twenty minutes, okay?”

They were to vox-pop the community at a local park. Helen was sceptical of this idea.

“No one has looked at the impact this has had on ordinary people… I’m pitching a portrait of a grieving city trying to piece itself back together again,” Dale reframed.

It turned out the community had a lot to say. A woman’s children were familiar with Hoddle Street, and hearing a lot about it at school. She had reassured her children that they were safe, but she wasn’t sure if she believed this herself.

A bloke mentioned that there were gun-toting movie posters hanging up in High Street, and that it would be hard for him to see these films in the same light as he had before.

“Do you think the media has a role to play in real world violence?” Helen queried.

“I don’t know, maybe.” He replied.

There was people creating hope too. A young man had seen himself in the victims’ ages; mostly in their twenties, and he started volunteering at a helpline.

“There’s a lot of calls, and a lot of hurt, but it makes you feel more connected.” He shared. “Because I guess we’ve got to stay together, especially in times like this.”

Helen, watching this piece on in the studio, looked over to Dale, and mouthed a “thank you.” This was what the people of their community needed, and as was their duty to their community, they had delivered this balm to them.

“As ordinary people demonstrate such courage and grace in the wake of such a tragedy by simply carrying on, we realise that the spirit of this community can never be extinguished,” Helen said to camera.

“I’m Helen Norville. News At Six.”

[newsatsix1986]

Helen Norville and Dale Jennings, in The Newsreader’s S02E02 💜📺🌟

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After her suspension, Helen paid a visit to Charlie Tate’s mansion.

“Something about the story, Helen, I don’t know what it is, your instincts are just off.” Charlie stated. “It’s just gruelling, it’s aggressive.”

Charlie reminded Helen of times in the past when she had let herself feel affected by these stories, how she almost mirrored the emotions of the audience at home.

“So because I’m a woman, that’s how I’m supposed to respond?” Helen countered.

“Yes,” Charlie replied.

Helen held his gaze intensely. “Okay. Then I’ll recalibrate. But I can’t do that sitting at home. I need to be on the desk.”

Charlie had given Helen the all clear to return to the desk, as long as he could see Helen’s changed approach, and he would be watching.

But this chance to recalibrate didn’t console Helen much. She woke up the next morning, Dale already fully dressed, and she groggily filled the kettle in her dressing gown. Dale asked if she was okay, and all she could manage was a “yeah.”

Dale started to run Helen through the latest police reports and details that could help change the bulletin’s approach.

“Dale, I’m not gonna go in today,” Helen popped the kettle on the stove.

“What? I thought you said Charlie had backtracked?” Dale was surprised.

“Yeah, he did. But I still think my judgment’s kind of off with this.”

“I don’t think so,” Dale shook his head.

“No, you said it too,” Helen replied.

Dale tried to comfort Helen with the thought that they could start focusing on the victims, their families and their stories.

“Dale, I’m not gonna go and talk to the victims’ families. I’m like, the last person they’d want to see.” Helen’s voice crackled.

Dale observed her, and throwing his bag over his shoulder, he rounded the bench and stroked her back.

“I’ll call you at lunch,” he promised, heading out the door.

Now alone, Helen threw herself tearfully down onto the bed, letting every hurt tumble out. From the kitchen, the kettle whistled loudly, as did all the thoughts brewing in her brain too.

[newsatsix1986]

Helen and Dale, and the on-air ‘debacle’ in The Newsreader’s S02E02 💜📺

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To say the evening’s bulletin was a debacle was an understatement.

Helen and their interviewee Stephen Bramhall - chair of the Australasian Firearm Alliance - had got into a heated debate about the proposed firearm regulations, and Rob, after being rushed on air, stumbled over his words.

Lindsay was seething back in the office.

“I want to see this rabble in my office as soon as this bulletin is over.”

When at last the bulletin was finished, Helen and Dale returned to the office to The Walters Report playing on the screen. Their old colleague; Geoff, spoke about how the Massacre had brought out the worst, and he was laying into the actions of a certain network - theirs.

Somehow, he had learnt of the family who had discovered their father had died through News At Six’s footage, and Geoff reminded viewers of the integrity journalists should have in times like this.

“That network, and the newsreader in question was out of line and out of control. She’s clearly lost touch with the values of our community.” Geoff stated on air, to the whole country, and especially the very Victorian community in which they lived.

All Helen could do was watch on silently.

It hadn’t been a surprise when Lindsay suspended Helen from the desk for the duration of the Hoddle Street news period, at Charlie Tate’s order. Helen calmly took the order, turned and left Lindsay’s office, and Dale prompted Lindsay to think of how this decision would fuel the critics.

“Oh Dale, listen, son,” Lindsay exasperated. “You’re doing alright with Charlie Tate, she’s not. And between us, Helen is very lucky this is not a permanent decision.”

Dale was sorrowful, and walked out too, every footstep heavy, noticing that Helen was not in her office, and left to go find her.

As for Rob, he had been chucked out there and couldn’t get his head around the script, but in her heart of hearts, Noelene knew that the on-air stumble had been a sign of something more than that. What exactly, she did not yet know.

[newsatsix1986]

Mr Dale Jennings, with a different kind of election coverage woes in S02E01 💙🤴🏼🌟

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Dale had been unsure of this Gerry bloke since his and Helen’s shared interview on the Gerry Carroll Show.

Gerry had been awfully flirtatious with Helen. Helen asked Dale if he was a little jealous, and okay, maybe he was.

“Don’t be,” Helen beamed, kissing him.

It was hard not to feel that way, however. Gerry kept commenting on how great Helen looked throughout the election special.

“Wow, you honestly expect the viewers to focus on the politicians?” Gerry pecked Helen on the cheek, Dale watching on.

He couldn’t help but feel annoyed, protective and territorial, even. Gerry was, after all, partial to a “scrute”, and famously so.

After the special was done, Dale found himself sitting with Mr Carroll for drinks.

“Can I let you in on something?” Gerry asked Dale.

“I’m not registered to vote in this country.”

Dale laughed at this confession.

“No seriously, I’ve just hosted your national election, and I can’t even vote.”

When the ice appeared to have been broken, Gerry changed the subject.

“You and Helen are living together.”

“Yeah, ‘living in sin,’ as my mother likes to point out,” Dale answered.

“Are you thinking of changing that?” Gerry asked.

“Umm… we haven’t really discussed it yet.” Dale replied.

“You’ve been together a while,” Gerry noted - a year, as it was.

“Maybe you’re not the marrying type.”

Dale shrugged, before confusion set in.

“Wait, what does that mean?”

“I don’t know, you strike me as a bit… open to possibilities.” Gerry responded.

Dale glanced back at him, uncertainly.

“Uhh, it’s a compliment.” Gerry reassured him. “The best people are. I am.”

An insistence from Dale of being a ‘pretty boring person’ and some awkward silence later, Helen at last arrived to the bar, expressing gladness that the night was over. Dale was glad too.

He embraced Helen in a hug and kiss, telling her how brilliant she was, before Gerry did the same.

“Was it okay, really?” She asked her costars.

“You were great,” Gerry stated, and Helen ordered herself a drink.

What a relief it was that she was here, with Dale. The focus was now on her.

[newsatsix1986]

Ms Helen Norville, in S02E01 of The Newsreader 💜👸🏻🌟

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There was barely any time to get in the car, let alone pull out the map for directions, but Helen and Noelene just made it to Parliament House in time.

The two dashed madly down the hallway, Helen holding her shoes in her hands, and they rounded a corner into a studio. Noelene threw a corner of fabric to Helen.

“We need to match his background,” she stated, getting Helen to peg the sheet up at her end.

“Umm, Keating’s eyeline is to the screen, not the camera.” Noelene directed Helen.

“Just match that?” Helen asked, taking her seat as Noelene clipped her microphone on.

Helen pulled out her compact mirror, checked her reflection and some necessary stats, and laid her notes out on three desk, being counted in by one of the filming crew.

“He’s one of the most bold and influential men in the country, and at 43, many predict our next prime minister.” Helen addressed the audience. “Joining me from Bankstown in Sydney, please welcome Treasurer Paul Keating.”

The treasurer flashed up onto the screen, and cheers erupted in Charlie Tate’s mansion. They had him.

As Helen progressed through her questions, Dale beamed with pride, his eyes sparkling and his tongue lapping at his lips.

“She’s grilling him,” he purred, Gerry watching on with amusement.

Mr Keating had enjoyed total party unity, unlike the opposition leader John Howard, which Mr Keating put down to him running on “the most disreputable and irresponsible financial policy of any leader in this country in the last twenty years.”

“And so I’d guess that you would prefer John Howard to stay on as opposition leader as opposed to returning the leadership to Andrew Peacocke?” Helen sought clarification.

“Oh she’s going for it. Good girl.” Lindsay whispered.

“As far as Peacocke’s concerned, I mean, let me put the rhetorical question,” Mr Keating answered.

“Can a soufflé rise twice?”

Lindsay cackled with joy. “That’s the quote! That’s our quote!”

No matter what Charlie thought of Helen’s supposed ‘aggressive’ approach, the interview meant they had followed through on one of their promises to the audience. Keating had delivered, and so had Helen and Noelene.

[newsatsix1986]

Ms Noelene Kim and Mr Dale Jennings in The Newsreader’s S02E01! ❤️📺🌟

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When Noelene had been selected to go to Canberra with Helen and Dale as the election special producer, she wasn’t to expect just how much would go wrong.

Trevor and his DataMax computer had failed to deliver the promised 7:45 election result, and Geoff Walters had beat them in calling Bob Hawke’s election victory.

Dennis had just rung the tally room to alert Noelene that Paul Keating - their other promise - was seen in live footage from Bankstown, five hours away in Sydney.

“He was always scheduled to spend the day in Bankstown, then head to Canberra in the afternoon.” Noelene was confident. “It can’t have been live footage.”

“It was live footage, Noelene, okay?” Dennis exasperated. “Because it was dark there!”

Noelene was able to confirm that Mr Keating was indeed still in Bankstown, and had to make the dreadful admission to Lindsay.

“The results were looking tight, so Keating wanted to stay in Bankstown instead of coming to Canberra.”

She had sent a link truck to Bankstown, but there was an issue. Their OB van wasn’t getting return audio. They needed a studio.

They had already lost one of their relentlessly advertised features - the 7:45 verdict - and Noelene sent Trevor away. But they could not lose Keating too.

“So it’s just a cross?” Helen clarified.

“We need a studio, and the closest studio is out in Parliament House,” Noelene replied.

“Okay, well, that’s ten minutes away.” Helen unclipped her microphone. “We can do that.”

“Including leaving here and setting up is probably more like twenty, and Charlie’s demanding that he be interviewed right now,” Noelene’s voice raised.

“You get me Charlie Tate on the phone right now!” Helen screamed, the nerves getting to her too, and Noelene bounced back in fright.

“I don’t care what he thinks. Tell Parliament we’re using the studio. We’ll be there right now.” Helen directed.

“If we don’t have a Keating interview, all we’ve got is a failed guarantee, and some f*cking jokes about Hawke’s teeth!”

“Go! Go! As fast as you possibly can,” Dale called out behind them, and the two women were off on a Canberran drift.

[newsatsix1986]

Ms Helen Norville, radiant in red in a promo photo for The Newsreader’s S1! ❤️🌟👸🏻

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With 1986 having been forty years ago, and Season One of our show having first aired on the ABC almost five years ago this August, diving back into elements of Season One feels especially nostalgic. If we want to get extra picky, some of the scenes of this particular season were filmed six years ago this year too, in late 2020!

We were spoilt rotten with the amount of Helen portraits we got in the Season One days. As Anna Torv was considered to be the big international draw card for overseas viewers, and the show was establishing itself, so many portraits were released alongside promotional material and interviews.

For Season One’s promotional posters and portraits, Helen was wearing a terrific reddish matching skirt and jacket set, which has a pink hue under certain lights. It’s the last news desk outfit we see her wear in S01E06, when she and Dale take the newsreading chairs together for the first time, knowing that even in the face of the environmental uncertainty that was Chernobyl, coupled with other revelations, they still had each other.

Season One’s costumes were truly wonderful. Marion Boyce did a beautiful job at making the character’s outfits look so true to the time period, while also not choosing colours and cuts that might have looked stereotypically 1980s. All the outfits were beautifully pared back, and looked terrific on the characters, allowing the evolution of their wardrobes to really stand out as each season went along.

Which season’s outfits were your favourite? Season One’s will always be nostalgic and mean a great deal to me. I copied many of them myself through my dress-ups! ❤️🌟📺

[newsatsix1986]

Ms Helen Norville, pretty in purple in a promo photo for The Newsreader’s S2! 💜🌟👸🏻

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We are continuing sharing the promotional portraits of Helen Norville this week, and today, we are diving into Season Two!

There was a notable jump in the boldness of costumes between Seasons One and Two. Season Two’s costume designer was Zed Dragojlovich, and he brought brightness and unmissable colour to the outfits our characters wore, plus sharper cuts and designs that reflected the middle to the end of the 1980s.

In the majority of Helen’s Season Two promotional portraits, she was wearing a gorgeous purple jacket and skirt set, with black piping and a black top underneath her jacket. It was what she wore in S02E02 when she interviewed a firearm lobbyist on the desk after Hoddle Street, and she is wearing the outfit in the Season Two poster and one of the office portraits she shared with Dale too.

S02E02 must have been a popular choice for portraits. There’s an alternative portrait where Helen is wearing a red jacket with a jaunty pointed flap fastened with a button, with black piping and with a black skirt. She briefly wore this in the Hoddle Street episode, as she presented the breaking news of the Hoddle Street massacre to the state, with the footage she and the network would end up regretting. It is also seen on her in the ‘Tune Into Australia’s Year’ Bicentennial banner the network had put together.

Speaking of Season Two, keep your eyes peeled on this page come June and July. We will be doing some deep dives into scenes that admittedly, I should have covered properly on this page quite some time ago, but later is better than never. Reflections of Season Two, coming very soon 💜🌟

[newsatsix1986]

Ms Helen Norville, seen in green in these promo photos for The Newsreader’s S3! 💚🌟👸🏻

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We have had so many wonderful promotional portraits over the years, especially of Anna Torv as Helen Norville, and given that she has been the focus of May here at News At Six 1986, I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to highlight these, one season at a time.

In Season Three, we did not receive as many promotional portraits against the grey backgrounds as we had in previous seasons. Aside from the shared one with Rob which hung in the News At Six office, we didn’t end up with an individual one of Dale at all.

We did receive these ones of Helen, however, wearing an incredible green jacket and skirt set. It coordinates with a unit still featuring Helen and Dale together, but interestingly, this costume does not appear in the show whatsoever, nor the scene in the unit still. It makes you wonder what that scene might have been about, and which episode it would have belonged to.

On the topic of the suit, one day last year, I came across the suit in hot pink on eBay! It was an Anthea Crawford suit, which mirrored the button placement and the sash that draped elegantly over the shoulder. Either Helen’s suit is an Anthea Crawford piece, or Gypsy Taylor modelled Helen’s off this suit.

I did not buy the suit, of course, but I send my thanks to the ‘ninelivesstore’ seller for this listing, which I have saved the photos from. I bet some vintage-lover is looking fabulous in this suit now, just like Helen did! 💚🌟

[newsatsix1986]

Helen Norville, unsure what to do in The Newsreader’s S03E05 💙🌟📺

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“They know I’m f*cking mad!”

“Who’s thinking that?”

“Everyone! Everyone knows that now. I’ve got millions and millions of viewers…”

Helen sobbed in Dr Marcia’s office; the only place she felt she could go, the only person she could turn to, after what was exposed in the paper.

“Helen, Helen.” Dr Marcia raised her hands in attempt to calm Helen, who had raised her own to her head.

“Bill. Bill knew this already.”

“Yeah,” Helen cried.

“Right? Dale. Dale knows all of this,” Dr Marcia continued. “Most of the people at work know.”

This was all true, and Helen keeled over in agony. Too many people knew.

“And your millions of viewers, they knew too, okay?”

Helen spluttered. “What?”

“Helen, you know there’s a comedian who impersonates you every week?” Dr Marcia jogged Helen’s memory.

“And her whole act is that you’re unhinged.”

Helen continued to sob into her hands.

“Millions watch her, and the very next night, they still tune into you, because they respect you and trust you.”

Helen was unsure about this. “I don’t know if that’s…” she began.

“Helen,” Dr Marcia gently cut in. “What can you control?”

Helen could not stop her sobs, but Dr Marcia held the space calmly.

“Helen, what can you control?”

Helen took a moment to calm herself, gulping back tears and consciously taking notice of her breath, inhaling in and out purposefully, just as Marcia had taught her.

“My… my reactions.” She managed to say.

“You control what you do next,” Dr Marcia softly replied.

“And what you do next tells everyone who you are.”

Helen could only hope that Dr Marcia was right.