Original subtitles

Mate, newsreading, not for everyone. Is it a vocal thing?

HELEN: You know, I am a disaster, but I'm also relentless, and I'm loyal.

I reckon we can make you a newsreader.

EVELYN: If you or the network mistreat my husband in any way,

the public response will be utterly devastating.

Evelyn, he could die.

I'm sorry, what?

Maybe you don't know everything about your husband.

DENNIS: You weren't ready, Noelene. I shouldn't have listened to you.

You're not a producer. Shouldn't my work speak for itself?

(LAUGHS) Wouldn't that be something?

You're the best one there, Noels. Thank you.

Has anything like this happened since you were a teenager?

I'm in love with you, Helen. With who? With who, Dale?

Tim. Only once, and I stopped it.

As soon as it ended, I told him, Helen.

I told him that I'm committed to you!

(DOOR SLAMS)

(RESTLESS BREATHING)

(PILLS RATTLE)

(BREATHES SHAKILY)

(PILLS RATTLE)

(SIGHS)

(VACUUM CLEANER WHIRRS)

(BIRDSONG)

(RINGS DOORBELL)

Helen?

Could you open the door, please?

Helen.

I know you're there.

Can... let me explain.

I think this has all been blown out of proportion.

It's just...

(SIGHS)

..they're just two brief moments in my life.

It is nothing compared to what I have with you.

Helen. This is not fair.

It's not exactly like you've been forthcoming

about everything in YOUR life.

Could you just open the door, please?

(SIGHS)

I'm gonna call you later, OK?

I'm sorry.

(SOBS)

VAL: Burgundy pie. That'll freeze. (FREEZER DOOR CLOSES)

Quiche Lorraine.

Does Helen like quiche?

I think I remember her saying she did.

I tried ringing her place yesterday. She didn't answer.

She's been busy.

Is something wrong?

When you were a boy, you always told me everything.

And then you stopped.

Was it something I did?

It's fine, Mum.

We should clear out this freezer. (FREEZER DOOR OPENS)

I need to start writing dates on things.

(SPRAY HISSES)

JEAN: The Montmorency Primary School fete.

The principal introduces you

and it's just a short speech and you draw the raffle.

Can it just BE the raffle?

I'll ask them.

Uh, 10 May, the Variety Club is hosting a charity screening

of Crocodile Dundee, the Paul Hogan film.

They were hoping both you and Dale would introduce it.

(GASPS) It's so good.

JEAN: It's a romantic comedy, and, uh,

they were hoping a couple would do it.

Yeah, I don't think so. Oh, no.

I... I thought I wouldn't like it,

but it's actually... it's really good.

It starts a bit slow, but then when he gets to New York...

..or... and there's this bit where he gets mugged, and...

Yeah, I don't think so - Dale's not really into doing the combined stuff,

especially after the Woman's Day, so...

Has he seen the spread yet?

No.

Have YOU?

No.

(GASPS) Oh. It's amazing. Hang on.

You want Lindsay to have a word with Dale?

No, thank you.

He wants a lot more joint appearances.

He thinks Dale softens you,

makes you more likeable.

Here.

(SIGHS)

I think we should do his hair like that all the time.

Mmm. You can keep it. I've already read it.

(TURNS PAGE)

(WRITES ANGRILY)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Hi. Is Dale sick?

Yep.

(METALLIC SCRAPING)

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

Hi. Hi.

Can I come in?

(DOOR CLOSES)

Dale, do you record every one of your stories?

No. Just some, to review.

Do you watch 'em often?

I generally just watch them on the night of.

Helen knows, doesn't she?

Did she say something to you?

No.

No. I... I can just tell.

(SIGHS)

Was I the first?

No, there was someone in high school.

A friend.

Didn't work out very well.

Can I ask what happened?

His father caught us after school one day.

They called the police.

He said I forced myself on him.

And...

..I was taken to the station...

..in front of everyone.

They called me a pervert.

I had to change schools. (LAUGHS MIRTHLESSLY)

(SNIFFS)

Have you always known...

..who you are?

(LAUGHS)

Yeah.

I think we're very different people, Tim.

You know...

..imagining life on the other side of something like this

can be terrifying.

But it might surprise you.

I've worked my whole life to be where I am.

Yeah.

Surprised me anyway.

(DOOR OPENS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

(ALARM CLOCK BUZZES)

(BUZZING STOPS)

MAN: (ON RADIO) This is ABC News for Tuesday 29 April.

Details are emerging that indicate the Soviet Union has suffered

a significant nuclear disaster.

Very substantial quantities of radiation have been released

in an accident at the Chernobyl power station in the Ukraine.

The plant is close to the city of Kiev.

Many hundreds work at the plant

and the surrounding Chernobyl area has a population

estimated at around 50,000.

Unconfirmed reports are emerging

that a very significant relief operation is already underway.

(DOOR OPENS) GEOFF: I'm going!

MAN: The Kremlin has acknowledged there has been an accident,

a sign of the degree of Moscow's...

We agreed 4pm. They'll have to extend the update.

Oh, you know you're worse the longer the day is.

We can get you there for the afternoon update.

You don't need to do the morning one.

This is juvenile.

You did a 5-hour day yesterday

and you looked like you'd been hit by a truck.

If you go in now...

That was a direct result of your hysteria.

Well... you know, it's showing on air.

Dee was at the hairdresser yesterday.

She said they're all talking about it.

"He looks low-energy, drawn, shadow of himself..."

Remarkable how Dee always has the perfect story

to suit your argument.

(SIGHS) Thank you.

Darling?

I love you. I'm worried.

I'm asking you to stay.

Goodbye, darling.

(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)

(CAR DOOR OPENS)

MAN: (ON RADIO) ..an uncharacteristic move that diplomats speculate

might suggest a very high death toll.

High radiation levels have been picked up as far away as Scandinavia,

with some monitors recording levels 10 times above normal.

In Sweden, 600 people were evacuated from a nuclear plant.

DENNIS: Given recent history, we are not running with that

until you've confirmed with at least three sources.

NOELENE: We can be the source that confirms it!

Noelene, if we go balls out with the biggest disaster ever

and we're wrong, you're gonna get sacked again

and I'm not gonna be able to defend you this time.

You didn't defend me last time. Rob did.

That's what he says.

Mate, are you crook? No.

Don't come near me if you're crook. I'm fine. Comms in?

DENNIS: In a minute.

Noelene here wants to go with the biggest nuclear disaster in history.

NOELENE: Because it must be!

Three Mile Island is supposed to be the biggest disaster,

and that only affected...

The surrounding counties - as far as I recall, they only evacuated

a few pregnant women and that was it, just to be safe.

Yes, and with this, they're getting five times

the standard level of radiation in Finland.

HELEN: Uh, I have a cousin in Kiev.

I thought maybe we could try and contact her.

Well, that's a lot closer than Finland.

Comms feed's in! Alright, great. Come on, let's go.

(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

So, is this a new statement or is it a...

No, it's just a first announcement.

So this is it? This is all we have for the entire disaster?

There's a report on radiation in Finland,

but that's only about a minute or so.

Alright. Well, we'll go two minutes.

It's a great story for the newspaper, but we have no pictures.

We've got nothing. So... Let me call my cousin in Kiev.

I'm sure she's still at the university.

Have you spoken to her recently? What time is it in the Soviet Union?

Still the early hours of morning. So it's worth a try.

That's great. A phone conversation with your cousin isn't riveting.

She's on the ground in Kiev, less than 100 miles...

Personal connection - the only news outlet in Australia who has that.

OK, three minutes, that's it. Dale, you're producing.

Six! We've got a good nuclear scientist. We've used him before.

I'll call him right now. Plus... The history of nuclear accidents.

There's Three Mile Island and I think there was a British one.

Yeah, four minutes. Dale, Helen, you find the cousin.

Noelene, you contact the scientist.

Sceptical.

Can we talk privately?

(CLEARS THROAT) Helen.

So, um, I'm pretty sure that there's only one university in Kiev.

It's either called the National University or Kiev University.

Who would I... who would I talk to,

who would I call, to... to get that number?

DENNIS: Noelene, got that? NOELENE: On it.

(DOOR OPENS) DENNIS: Ah!

Didn't think I'd see you till the afternoon, mate.

Doing the early update.

(PHONE RINGS)

DENNIS: Noelene, you got it? NOELENE: Hello?

Thank you for meeting me at such short notice.

Not at all.

I trust you haven't mentioned anything?

No, of course not, not a word.

Uh, do you, uh... No.

No?

Oh. Is it too early to order the chef's 3-course lunch menu?

MAN: Not at all.

Yeah. I'll have the same.

(LAUGHS) Well!

This is a treat. Isn't it, eh?

Now, uh, is there anything...

..in particular you'd like to discuss?

I'd like to know exactly what my husband's been offered

to step away from the bulletin.

Well, Geoff is a legacy figure

and the, uh, CEO will be very generous.

To the tune of...? Well, you know.

We'd give him some specials,

uh, news stuff, interviewing - you know, whatever.

His current salary guaranteed for a minimum of three more years?

Oh! (LAUGHS)

Look, Evelyn, whatever you throw at him, he's not going to budge.

If Geoff were axed... Not on my watch.

..at the hands of the CEO,

he would explode.

But if there were a sufficiently attractive offer on the table,

I think I could calm him down.

I think I could get him to take it gracefully.

I just...

..couldn't be the one to initiate it.

(INHALES) Hm.

Geoff's not very well, is he?

No, the doctors are... delighted with his progress.

I'll bet you they are.

Let's just be clear.

You want us...

..to axe him.

I want the next stage of my husband's career

to be as rich as possible,

and I recognise that sometimes he can get in the way of himself.

Hm.

You sure?

Because if I even whisper this to the CEO,

he'll want it done soon.

How soon?

Maybe even today.

Could you confirm the details of the package before then,

including the additional five years of salary?

You just said THREE years.

Mmm. I changed my mind.

You know, all I can do...

..have a quiet chat upstairs...

..and I'll call you back.

You should do that, then.

You've just ordered a 3-course meal.

Yes, I did.

WOMAN: Hello. Privet.

Uh... I... I'm looking for, uh... for Astrid Mannik.

Um... uh, sorry, do you speak English?

(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) Do you... do you speak English?

(WOMAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)

Uh... (ATTEMPTS TO PRONOUNCE TRANSLATION)

Um... I'm... I'm calling...

Any luck? ..from...

Not sure. The nuclear scientist can do 2pm.

Do you want to finish this then head out?

I'll check. WOMAN 2: (ON PHONE) Hello?

Hello. Oh, hello. Hi.

Um... my name is, um... my name's Helen Norville.

I'm calling from Australia.

I'm looking to speak to my cousin, Astrid Mannik.

Astrid Mannik? Yes.

I believe she used to work there. Don't know of an Astrid Mannik.

(CALL DISCONNECTS)

(HANGS UP)

Uh, sorry. Lindsay wants you.

Hey. Lindsay wants to see you.

Now? Mmm.

HELEN: Yes? LINDSAY: Uh, we'll just wait for Rob.

Uh... shut the door, will you, please, mate?

I'm telling you this in advance so you can both be prepared.

And no-one else is to know about this, not Dale, not Dennis.

Nobody. That clear?

Yes. Yep.

Tonight's gonna be Geoff's last bulletin.

The CEO will tell him at 3pm. He is to say his goodbyes on air tonight.

Now, Helen, you might cop some blowback.

Rob, Brett will be doing the sports news tonight.

You should make yourself scarce.

Mate, y-y... you can't just give him the boot like that.

No-one's happy about this. ROB: Yeah.

But should be, like, a... a... a year of send-offs or something,

shouldn't it?

Mate, there has been a conversation about this for months,

and just so you know, this has the support of his family.

So, what, he's just gonna say his final farewell on air tonight

and then tomorrow it's gonna be just the two of us?

Yeah, that's right. Audience is gonna fuckin' hate ME.

They won't. They might.

They will, because I would hate me. Absolutely might.

Mate, if there was a better way of doing this,

then, obviously, we would have got...

He's back.

Back from the update, coming up now. Right. OK.

Just calm down. Calm down. (DOOR CLOSES)

Here he comes. Just act like you're still talking.

Everything alright?

Yeah. I was just on my way out, Geoff.

We're just trying to work out how much of the bulletin we can dedicate

to the Soviet incident.

Mmm.

And why would Rob be a party to that conversation?

(LAUGHS) 'Cause of this Russian nuclear thing,

we got to cut back on sports and he's just cracked the sads.

I'm gonna leave you boys to it.

I've got Astrid's home number!

(HANGS UP)

It's just...

Thank you.

ROB: Hey, Noelene.

I'm trying to milk four minutes out of a story with no footage.

Geoff is about to get the boot.

Tonight.

(HANGS UP)

(SIGHS) Does he know?

No. He finds out at 3pm.

The whole country is gonna think I'm the bastard that knifed him.

They won't. Helen reckons they will.

They'll blame her before they blame you.

Why?

(SIGHS) Oh.

So they've offered it to you?

No, it's more like they just... (SIGHS)

..told me what was happening.

I'm never gonna be able to look that bloke in the eye again.

It's a good opportunity. Yeah, I know. It's a good job.

Anyone would want the bloody job. But do you?

No, I just... I just want to keep doing the sport.

Then tell them that.

Yeah, but then what are they gonna say?

They're gonna say, "It's either the main job or nothing."

Then walk.

You did it once and it worked.

You walk out and by the end of the day, I promise you,

Lindsay would have called you on his knees begging you

to come back as the sports reporter.

I don't think so, Noels. DALE: Noelene!

I've been watching the power structure here for years. Trust me.

(SIGHS)

We've got the cousin. I need everything you have on Kiev.

Distance to the power plant, the population size, main industries.

Yep.

Where can we do this international phone call? The studio?

Um, no, there's a... there's... there's a speakerphone

in the meeting room - I'll get you a crew in 15.

15.

HELEN: No, just on the telephone. DENNIS: Tim. I need you and Ross.

HELEN: The general feeling. It's 15 minutes.

Mood on the streets.

Well, OK, I'm gonna have somebody call you back.

His name's Dale Jennings.

And, um, he'll patch you through to me, OK?

Thank you.

I'm gonna get changed.

(CLEARS THROAT)

You got it. Afternoon.

(SIGHS)

Great - um...

..so it's just a phone call.

Uh, we'll put a graphic up of Kiev. We just need Helen and clear sound.

Actually, it's, um, a relative,

so if you could convey a sense of intimacy, that would be great.

It's a pretty shit last hurrah. Would you shut up?

It's his last day. He quit.

TIM: What part of "Shut up" don't you understand?

ROSS: What? What? It's not a secret.

Is it?

We're almost ready, if you want to jump on the call.

(PLACES HANDSET ON DESK)

(PRESSES NUMBERS ON PHONE)

(NUMBER SEQUENCE BEEPS)

(LINE RINGS)

WOMAN: Yes?

Hi, Astrid. It's Helen again.

ROSS: Sorry, could you just get her to say something else, please?

Um, Astrid, can you just state your name and profession for sound?

ASTRID: Yes. Um, I'm Astrid Mannik.

I work at the National University in Kiev.

Thank you. Rolling.

Astrid, it's so good to hear your voice.

Can I start by asking you,

what... what has the mood been like on the streets of Kiev?

ASTRID: Last night, it seemed very normal.

People out on the street, everything open.

There was no sense anything is wrong.

I'm so sorry. Um...

But you are aware... I'm sorry, can you just cut?

No, don't cut.

Uh, just cut. Just cut.

(CLEARS THROAT) OK.

Astrid, I'm just going to take it back.

I'm gonna ask you, um...

I'm not asking you a question.

Fuck.

Just go.

Astrid, you are aware that there's been an accident,

a... a nuclear accident?

ASTRID: Yes, I heard there was an incident at the power station.

My brother in Estonia said that he heard something on the Finnish news.

Why?

(PAPERS RUSTLE)

HELEN: Well, we don't have very many details here,

but what we do know is that over five times the normal levels of radiation

have been detected in...

..Finland.

Which is how fucking far away?

(BREATHES SHAKILY)

Astrid, we don't have very many details here, but what we do...

Astrid, we don't...

Fuck. Christ.

(SIGHS)

Are you still there, Astrid?

ASTRID: Yes. I'm so sorry. Alright.

We don't have very many details here, but what we do know

is that more than five times the normal levels of radiation

have been detected in Finland, which is over 800 miles away,

and where you are now is... is only 70.

ASTRID: Yes.

Uh, but there... there has been no warning. There... there was no...

Hopefully, there's an explanation for that.

Um...

..can I ask you to take some precautions,

like stay in your flat, shut the windows?

ASTRID: There was something.

Last night, all the buses were cancelled.

Buses were still passing.

They were all empty. All were heading towards Chernobyl.

Cut.

Thank you, Astrid. (CALL DISCONNECTS)

(SIGHS) Give me the tape.

Helen! (DOOR OPENS)

NOELENE: Dale! Nuclear scientist, 2pm.

(PHONE RINGS)

(PHONE BEEPS)

Walters residence.

I've just been called upstairs to a meeting with the CEO at 3pm.

No further details.

Just you or you and Lindsay?

Just me. I declined.

Oh.

Well, I'm... I'm sure if it's anything important,

they'll reschedule.

I just can't help but think of that poor bastard in Perth.

No!

No. They wouldn't do that.

No, Lindsay wouldn't let them.

Oh, Lindsay's been odd.

How?

Polite.

(LAUGHS) Maybe he's sober for once.

I'll call you back.

Oh, God.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

I've been called to a meeting upstairs.

What's it about?

Mate, I haven't heard a thing!

Hey, uh... uh, Jean, have you got any idea what...

Stop it.

This is insulting. You clearly know something.

OK.

Why don't you and I go up and see the CEO?

I don't work with the CEO, Lindsay. I work with you. Now, tell me.

(CLEARS THROAT)

If you think I'm gonna leave this office before I get an explanation...

I'm sorry, mate,

but I think we may have reached the end of the line.

Now, I went into bat for you, I made the case,

but upstairs just weren't interested.

When?

A conversation we've been having for months now.

When do they want me gone?

Well... uh,

upstairs reckon that this should be your last bulletin.

Now, we can make this work for you, Geoff.

You've got lots of leverage. No.

They'll dole out the specials. Right?

Investigative journalism, anywhere in the world you want to go,

they will do it, and they'll pay you years of your salary.

Three years!

We are reporting on a nuclear disaster,

possibly the biggest in history.

It would be ludicrous for me to step away tonight.

Let's go up and see the CEO right now.

Mate, come on.

(PICKS UP PHONE, PRESSES NUMBERS)

Well.

You're a better performer than Lindsay.

I'll give you that.

I was warned only an hour and a half ago. I had no idea.

I want you to come with me right now to the CEO.

We'll refuse this together.

It's me today, but you will end up in the same position.

I have no sway...

They can't do this unless you agree to keep on script.

I'm asking you not to.

Now, I've always been very...

..discreet about your...

..personal struggles.

I've been encouraged to go to the press. I refused.

I always put our partnership above everything.

That's not how I remember it.

Not once since I've been on this desk

have you shown me the slightest bit of warmth

or defended me or protected me.

And I have always known that you would welcome my failure.

You've just never had the guts to declare it.

(DOOR CLOSES)

He's packing his bag. Right now!

Geoff. Geoff. The CEO, he's on his way down.

Let's talk it through. I stay to work. No other reason.

Now, mate, you've got a lot of options here.

Here's another option.

How about I go to the press immediately and detail

exactly how I've been treated by this network after 30 years?!

Right after surviving surgery. Oh! Come on, mate.

You've got 'em on the back foot. You got to use the power!

You don't walk a... way from it, you...

Fuck! Fuck!

Fuck!

(PHONE RINGS)

Walters residence. Evelyn speaking.

LINDSAY: He knows. He knows.

He's walked out of this place and he says he's gonna go to the press.

Now, you said you could calm him down.

He lets slip in the press, Evelyn, you can forget about

any kind of golden handshake or anything else that was discussed.

You there?

Yeah, I'm... I'm... I'm here. Yeah.

Well, just so you're aware, Evelyn,

the CEO knows this was your idea.

Now, Geoff doesn't, but the CEO does.

So, you know, we don't want this getting ugly, do we?

What are you suggesting?

Well, if this gets splashed across the newspapers,

the first thing the network will say is,

"Geoff's wife personally asked us to do this."

I doubt we'll be speaking much in the future, Lindsay,

but allow me to say, you are a spineless man and a pathetic leader.

(LAUGHS MIRTHLESSLY) (CALL DISCONNECTS)

(CLEARS THROAT AND HANGS UP)

(CLEARS THROAT AND SIGHS)

Righto. Well.

Safe to assume there's gonna be a few changes for tonight's bulletin.

We don't know how it's gonna play out, but, uh,

we're gonna say Geoff won't be coming back, so...

..Brett, you'll be doing sport, Rob, you'll be on the desk with Helen.

Thank you.

ROB: Uh, Lindsay? Yep?

Sorry, mate. Um... I'll do sport, but that's it.

No, you'll do what I fuckin' tell you to do. That's your job.

ROB: Yeah, and I appreciate the opportunity, but it's...

..it's not for me, mate, I'm sorry.

I couldn't give a rat's arse what's for you.

Son, I'm trying very hard not to do me rag here, so I'll make it simple.

I took you from being a broken-down football player

who could barely string two words together,

I had your teeth done, and now look at you.

You are the bloke on the brink

of snagging one of telly's biggest gigs.

And I appreciate it.

But, like I say, I just want to do sport.

You walk out on us now, you leave us in the lurch,

you will never step foot in this network or any network again.

Well, then.

Um...

..thank you for the last five years, and...

..I'm sorry it's come to this.

(SIGHS)

Oh, fuck me sideways! Listen to me!

This is News at Six!

You do the job you're paid to do! (DOOR OPENS)

Jesus Christ!

(DOOR CLOSES)

Get me Dale Jennings.

News to car two. News to car two.

(RADIO CRACKLES) Car two.

DENNIS: How far away are you?

TIM: Uh, we're just about to do Dale's stand-up.

DENNIS: Put Dale on now, please.

Uh, it's Dale.

Hey, mate, I need you to get back here right now.

Uh, well, we're just about to shoot the stand-up,

um, then we'll come back.

Look, it is... it is the End of Days here, OK?

Geoff's been booted. Rob's done a runner. Lindsay's blown his top.

Like, he's literally frothing at the mouth.

So I need you to get back here now, please.

You're on the desk.

Uh, I don't know. You are.

ROSS: Are we getting this or...?

(CAN THE CAN BY SUZI QUATRO PLAYS)

ROSS: No?

♪ Well, you call your mama Tiger

♪ And we all know you are lying

♪ And your boyfriend's name is Eagle

♪ And he lives up in the sky... ♪

What are you doing?

He admitted it.

They're forcing me to step down.

I walked out.

What do you mean?

They wanted me to resign on air

at the end of the bulletin.

(LAUGHS)

Precisely what they did in Perth.

Where's Peter Monahan's number?

Is it in here? What?

Peter Monahan. At The Sun.

Darling, let's just calm down.

Let's take a seat and step through this.

Hello. Uh, Peter Monahan, please, uh, features writer.

Ah. Uh, could you have him call Geoff Walters at home? He has my number.

As soon as possible, thank you.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Why are you wanting to call Peter Monahan?

I'm going to detail everything that happened in that newsroom.

The public should know.

Well, wouldn't it be better to keep it private

while we're still negotiating?

We? We are not negotiating anything.

Well, darling, this impacts me too.

Let... let's consider what you could leverage.

You are the face of that network.

They'd surely offer you specials, hosting positions, years of salary.

Let's consider what you want.

What?

Years of salary?

I think we could aim for that - three years, maybe more.

That's what Lindsay said.

You've been making calls.

Well, darling, it is simply what you deserve at a minimum.

Oh, jeez. Took your bloody time.

Come on. Let's go.

Got him.

Hey! Here he is.

(LAUGHS) Um, Dennis told you, did he?

About Geoff? Yeah.

(INHALES SHARPLY) It's gonna be a special bulletin tonight.

You're on the desk.

With Helen? Mmm.

Does she know? No.

She's gonna be alright, isn't she? She'll be fine. (LAUGHS)

One thing we do agree on, though, is, uh,

if we put you out there as the new newsreader, you're toast.

You're finished, mate. Yeah.

So, what we're gonna do, we're gonna bill you as an expert

on the whole nuclear thing.

Uh, I'm across a lot of the detail, but I'm not an expert.

LINDSAY: Well, you're gonna be. DENNIS: By 6pm.

LINDSAY: Yeah, you got an hour and a half to turn yourself

into big chief king expert on the whole story.

Now, you're gonna be there tonight and tomorrow night.

And...

..after the story plays out...

We will keep you on the desk. Yeah.

How's that, hey? DENNIS: (LAUGHS) Hey?

LINDSAY: When the dust settles, in a few months,

we will promo the hell out of both of you, the whole shebang,

with a big voiceover -

"News at Six with Helen Norville and..."

"Dale Jennings - the golden couple of news."

(LAUGHS) (LAUGHS)

I need to speak to Helen. LINDSAY: You can't, Dale.

She's about to do an update.

Meet with her afterwards, spend every waking minute with her,

because both of you have got to blitz this.

And, Dale.

You know, there may be some, uh, Geoff-related trauma

associated with all of this.

But you're gonna be fine.

Whatever happens, son, you just concentrate on the job.

(PHONE RINGS)

Evelyn Walters speaking. GEOFF: Leave it, please!

Ah. Peter Monahan from The Sun, returning a call from Geoff.

Peter. Hello.

Hang up, please!

Hang up.

(HANGS UP)

(GEOFF SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)

Well, there were signs, of course.

This is a, uh, culmination of things that have been brewing for years.

It's much bigger than me.

This is, uh... this is about the value of, uh, news and reporting

versus entertainment. (LAUGHS)

I want to talk about all of that.

Very good. I'll give you my address.

29 Bowers Street... Peter.

Uh, Peter, wait. D...

Do not give that interview.

Take a day to collect your thoughts.

Do you think if you bury the News at Six,

some other network's gonna pick you up?

They won't.

They watch the numbers as closely as anyone.

I think you've done enough with your little interventions, Evvie.

My little interventions are the reason

you have held that position for the 30 years you have.

Yes, I spoke to Lindsay this morning.

I have always been there, quietly managing situations.

If I hadn't been, this moment would have happened years ago!

You might have decades of work ahead of you, your best years,

mine too, but only if you listen to me!

(PHONE BEEPS)

(NUMBER SEQUENCE BEEPS)

Our top story again - it is now clear that the Soviet Union

has suffered an unprecedented nuclear disaster.

We'll have details and in-depth analysis

in a special edition of the bulletin, tonight at six.

They want me on the desk with you.

Can we talk?

Yep.

(LOCK CLICKS)

I did hide things from you.

I'm sorry.

The things that I hid...

..are the things that I don't want to exist.

(BREATHES SHAKILY)

It's...

Are you gay?

(SNIFFS)

Every time, um, anything happened,

I'd tell myself...

.."That's... that's it.

"It's... it's the last time. It's out of my system."

But, um...

..but, you know, I... I have these feelings.

They won't go away.

But neither will my feelings for you.

And it feels like...

..it's like being torn apart.

I was admitted to a mental institution when I was 16

for six months.

So...

..here we are.

I can't go up there like this.

You're gonna be just fine.

I'm gonna be right next to you.

I love you just the way you are.

(SOBS)

Yeah. Hi there. It's, um, Daniel... Davidson.

I'm, uh, a... a viewer.

Can I please speak to Noelene?

It's a caller for you.

He says he's a viewer.

It's Rob.

Line five.

I'm busy.

(SIGHS) Well, I just...

..need you to know that they've already called

and asked me to stay on, in sport, so...

..you were right.

Just trust me next time.

Oh, I'd trust you again this time.

Also...

..don't call pretending to be someone else.

It looks suspicious. Jean knows it's you.

Yeah, right.

So, what, are you... are you saying I can just

ring as me, Rob, and...

..ask you, Noelene,

out for a... for a drink?

Yeah. You can do that.

OK.

Hey, Noelene.

It's me, Rob.

(LAUGHS)

Um, would you like to come out

for a drink at the pub

after the bulletin, where, you know,

there... there might be people from work?

Well, I've got a lot to finish up here.

I might be a couple of hours.

I'll wait.

See ya later.

Alligator.

(LAUGHS)

(SIGHS)

(CLEARS THROAT)

The introduction is timing closer to a minute.

So that's seven minutes in total, give or take.

OK. Yep. We'd originally said four.

I know.

So that's three minutes more than the agreed amount.

Noelene, you've made your point. Thanks.

Yeah, I know. Just, um... I'll call you back.

(SIGHS)

The story is only gonna get bigger and bigger, for at least a week.

I can deliver it all for you,

if you take me off autocue and make me a producer.

Can you at least wait until we've got the bulletin on air

before you hardball me?

No. Tell me now.

(SIGHS)

Fine.

Fine? Fine. (PICKS UP PHONE)

Hey, Noelene? Mmm?

Who was the leading goal kicker in the '85 season?

Simon Beasley.

But for me,

the player to watch is Gary Ablett.

Oh! I agree.

(LAUGHS)

Good work today.

No, it's overstating the facts, mate.

Yeah. '64.

(LAUGHS)

(BUTTON CLICKS)

GEOFF: I want to start by saying that...

..I've always believed that newsmen and newsroom politics

should never, ever become the story.

But today, a line was crossed,

and I feel it is my duty to go public with the grave...

..very grave, concerns that I have about the...

..the current state of television news.

And what are those concerns?

GEOFF: Management has come to see the...

..nightly newsreaders as merely entertainers,

to be grouped with soap stars and game show hosts.

I see it very differently.

I've always believed in a, uh, special trust.

(HERE WE GO BY JON BRION PLAYS)

There's 10 minutes! They're here!

Think I left my jacket somewhere.

Uh, Dale needs a jacket!

♪ You've gotta hope that there's someone for you

♪ Strange as you are

♪ Who can cope with the things that you do

♪ Without trying too hard

♪ 'Cause you can bend the truth

♪ Till it's suiting you... ♪ 30 seconds.

♪ These things that you're wrapping all around you

♪ Never know what they will amount to

♪ If your life is just going on without you

♪ It's the end of the things... ♪

20 seconds, mate.

♪ You know

♪ Here we go... ♪

On my hand in five, four...

Evidence emerges suggesting the Soviet Union

has suffered a catastrophic nuclear disaster.

Tonight, we'll hear from nuclear scientists

who can speak to the devastating impacts of the catastrophe.

HELEN: We get all the latest updates from our European correspondents.

DALE: And we'll bring you the moment this disaster impacted

Helen's own family.

Good evening. I'm Helen Norville.

And I'm Dale Jennings.

You are watching News at Six.

Captions by Red Bee Media

Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation