They’ve survived five seasons, two federal elections, a few bird-related segments too many, and at least one questionable crystal ball purchase. And, against all odds (and maybe HR policy), The Cheap Seats has returned to 10 and 10 Play—proving that news can be funny, chaos can be organised, and two co-hosts can maintain a working relationship through what can only be described as legally binding tolerance.
Melanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald sat down with B&T to reflect on five seasons of unlikely success, escalating nonsense, and the fine art of professionally roasting your co-host—while continuing to break the news with their signature blend of punchy headlines, sharp burns and segments that, even by their own admission, sometimes go completely off the rails.
The format’s the same, the audience is bigger, and the passive aggression is thriving. Mel and Tim’s on-screen dynamic is part odd-couple, part psychological warfare, and is entirely delightful to watch.
Whether it’s Tim quietly scribbling down comebacks mid-taping or Mel launching a perfectly timed verbal jab that clearly wasn’t cleared in rehearsal, there’s a constant sense that one of them is always one punchline away from walking out.
They don’t rehearse the banter, for good reason. “We silently write it down and hide it from each other,” Bracewell told B&T.
“People can smell a rat if you do a burn you’ve practised 15 times,” McDonald joked.
The result? Roasts that land with a suspiciously personal accuracy. “If I see Mel writing something down, I know it’s going to come back to bite us,” McDonald admitted.
And yet, somehow, the tension is part of the magic. Beneath the digs and digs-about-the-digs is a rhythm that’s evolved over five seasons, built on trust, shared trauma and probably a joint therapy clause in their contracts. It’s the kind of chemistry that can’t be faked—or fixed (even if the affection is questionable).
“I practice talking to Tim by entering prompts into ChatGPT,” Bracewell joked. “It’s quite similar to Tim,” she added deadpan.
When they’re not undermining each other on national television, they’re pitching truly ridiculous segments with absolute commitment, so much so that the graphics team has stopped asking questions.
Like Fishing With Mel—a fish-themed montage that required a snorkeller graphic with a day’s notice. Or Mystic Mel, which involved the purchase of an actual crystal ball from an actual psychic shop that ended up being replaced by a Kmart diffuser when the original looked strange on camera.
“They [psychic shops] don’t do returns,” McDonald noted.
“If only we could have seen that coming,” Bracewell joked.
It’s that mix of low-stakes absurdity and genuine news commentary that’s kept the show rolling—and growing. “We started in a cupboard with four crew members who laughed very generously,” said Bracewell. “Now we’ve got a proper crowd, and it definitely helps our egos.”
But not everything’s changed. “Our rider is still just a bowl of M&Ms,” Bracewell joked. “I thought by season five we’d be making real demands, but no.”
“Even the indoor plants in our office are still the same,” McDonald quipped. “They started full of energy in season one. Now they’re looking lifeless in season five. Much like us”.
Despite their on-screen feud—or perhaps because of it—Bracewell and McDonald seem genuinely excited about what’s ahead. As McDonald put it, “We both can sort of have a little crack at the other one, knowing we’ll still be mates at the end of it. You know, after the mediation of our lawyers”.
And when it comes to the news cycle, the chaos keeps them coming back. “There’s something different to get our teeth into every week,” McDonald said.
Catch The Cheap Seats, Tuesdays at 8:40pm on 10 and 10 Play. The segments are absurd, the jokes are sharp, and the hosts… well, they’re still speaking. For now.
