Channel 9 deny Hamish & Andy stole their new series from another radio presenter

As you may have noticed during the constant barrage of commercials and 60 Minutes promos running on Channel 9 right now, Australia’s radio and comedy success story Hamish & Andy have a new TV show on the way.

Named True Story with Hamish & Andy, the show sees the duo meet other media personalities in order to hear an incredible story from their life, before attempting to recreate the events of the story themselves. But if fellow radio host David ‘Luttsy’ Lutteral is to be believed, the inspiration for the show was lifted from a meetup he’d had with the pair himself.

As reported by news.com.au, the Nova presenter chimed in ahead of last night’s premiere to claim that the show’s concept has been lifted “word for word” from an idea he’d mentioned to them three years ago, which he’d named Cracking Yarns.

“I’m just throwing it out there,” he said during a segment of his Nova show, Ash, Kip and Luttsy, detailing how he and his co-host Ash Bradnam had actually begun filming a pilot with the network that is now running True Story.

“Ash, you were part of the pilot we did,” he said. “I’d half shot that pilot and then other things have taken over so I haven’t actually completed it.”

If Lutsy is to be believed, it could be a case of ‘you snooze, you lose’ on his part, although Channel 9 have since shot the claims down, claiming that the format was devised in partnership with Radio Karate over a year before he met with the duo.

“Radio Karate have confirmed that the format for the program True Story with Hamish & Andy was conceived, and was in development by Radio Karate, over a year before Andy and Luttsy met for a drink in New York.”

Neither Hamish Blake nor Andy Lee have personally responded to the accusations, and their official Hamish & Andy socials also remain silent, leaving it to Channel 9 to address the allegations.

For now, True Story with Hamish & Andy will be back next Monday at 7:30, although – stolen or not – the show appears to be receiving mixed reviews.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.