Aussie icons light up the red carpet to honour late TV legend Brian Walsh

When the red carpet rolled out in Sydney this week, it wasn’t just another glitzy premiere—it was a love letter to the man who shaped what Australians watched for decades.

Behind some of the biggest moments in Australian entertainment stood Brian Walsh, a visionary who turned ideas into icons and stars into legends.

His story now takes centre stage in a heartfelt new documentary.

The Great Entertainer had its world premiere at the South by Southwest (SXSW) arts festival, drawing a constellation of Australian stars who credited Walsh for giving them their first big break.

Among those paying tribute were actresses Danielle Cormack and Sara Wiseman, former Home and Away stars Lincoln Younes and Tai Hara, media personality Deborah Hutton, and Sunrise co-host Matt Shirvington.

From radio to revolution: The making of a media maverick

Born on 20 November 1955, Brian Walsh began his career in 1978 after graduating from the University of Technology Sydney with a Bachelor of Communications.

He started as a Specialist Trainee at ABC before moving into feature film production and distribution with David Elfick’s Palm Beach Pictures, working on the Australian cinema classic Newsfront.

His first major breakthrough came at Sydney radio station 2SM, where he became Publicity Manager and later Promotions Manager for one of the city’s top rock music stations.

After five successful years, Walsh joined Network Ten as National Director of Publicity & Promotions—where his legendary storytelling instincts found their true home.

At Ten, he launched several landmark mini-series including Vietnam, The Bangkok Hilton, The Cowra Breakout, and The Dirtwater Dynasty.

But it was Neighbours that sealed his place in television history.

When the show was axed by Seven in 1985, Walsh championed its revival on Ten, repackaging it for a national audience—and the rest, as they say, is history.

The soap’s success turned Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, and Guy Pearce into international stars and made Ramsay Street a global phenomenon.

The campaign that changed rugby league forever

If you watched rugby league in the 1990s, you’ll remember one unforgettable campaign—‘Simply the Best’.

As a sports publicist, Walsh masterminded the New South Wales Rugby League’s iconic promotion featuring American singer Tina Turner.

Williams later said Walsh had reinvented the sport’s image with his Tina Turner-led campaign, which transformed rugby league from a working-class pastime into a national entertainment spectacle.

Tina’s anthem became an enduring symbol of the game—and of Walsh’s marketing genius.

Beyond sport, his influence extended to global music.

He personally managed tours for megastars like Barbra Streisand, Mariah Carey, Neil Diamond, Michael Jackson, and Ricky Martin.

During Jackson’s 1996 Australian tour, Walsh was even tasked with announcing the pop star’s secret marriage to Debbie Rowe.

Building Foxtel from the ground up

In 1995, when pay television was still an unfamiliar concept in Australia, Walsh helped found Foxtel and became its Executive Director of Television.

Over nearly three decades, he shaped nearly every creative and strategic decision at the company—from content development to major promotional campaigns.

Colleagues recalled that very few shows, commissions, or creative choices went ahead without his touch.

The shows that defined Australian television

Walsh’s commissioning record reads like a highlight reel of modern Australian drama.

He was behind Foxtel’s original content including Love My Way, Slide, Satisfaction, Australia’s Next Top Model, Tangle, Selling Houses Australia, and Spirited.

His creative vision brought to life hit series such as Wentworth, Upright, Deadline Gallipoli, The Kettering Incident, The End, and award-winning favourites like Love Me, Colin from Accounts, and The Twelve.

What set Walsh apart wasn’t just his sharp eye for content—it was his humility.

While many executives made headlines for their own achievements, Brian quietly built careers and franchises that continue to thrive today.

A legacy remembered and honoured

When Walsh passed away unexpectedly in March 2023 at age 67, tributes poured in from across the entertainment world.

Screen Australia’s CEO Graeme Mason described him as a ‘force of nature’, saying: ‘It's not possible to overstate the incredible impact he had on Australian storytelling. His support for quality and ambitious local drama was absolutely vital to the growth of the local industry and the establishment of so many successful careers over many decades. He championed the place of local drama, its production in Australia and promoted the local stories he oversaw with more ambition and quiet energy than almost anything I can think of.’

In recognition of his immense contribution, Walsh was posthumously inducted into the 2023 Logie Hall of Fame.

AACTA also launched the Brian Walsh Award for Emerging Talent in November 2023—ensuring his legacy continues to uplift new Australian creatives.

How to watch The Great Entertainer

The documentary premieres on Showcase on Monday, 20 October at 8:30 pm and will be available to stream on BINGE.

For those who grew up during the golden age of Australian television, the film promises both nostalgia and inspiration—celebrating the man whose belief in Australian storytelling shaped an entire generation.

Australia’s creative community has lost a much-loved figure in Brian Walsh—but through The Great Entertainer, his story and his spirit will continue to inspire for years to come.

If Brian Walsh’s story reminded you of the golden era of television, you’ll love revisiting the shows that helped define it.

From family dramas to unforgettable soaps, these programs shaped what we watched—and how we connected to each other through the screen.

Take a trip down memory lane with this nostalgic look at the classics that made TV magic last a lifetime.

Read more: TV Time Machine: The Aussie Shows That Shaped a Generation

Losing a creative force like Brian Walsh feels like the end of an era—but his passion for Australian storytelling ensures that era never truly fades.