BEHIND THE STAGE: SEPTEMBER 2025

As with the August BTS edition, it delights me to open this newsletter with the announcement of a new team member. Karma Denzongpa Bathols has been appointed to the role of Production Assistant and literally brings a lifetime of experience to the role, having grown up in the industry. Her experience across live show production, logistics and artist management is shining through and already making a big impact across our operations.

September has been a month of true highlights, with two key standouts – Fane Group’s exclusive collaboration with Performance Insights and the activation of the Come and Say G’day campaign with Tourism Australia.

Fane Group and Performance Insights Announce Exclusive Collaboration

Earlier this month Fane Group and Performance Insights Ltd signed an exclusive three-year agreement to bring the very best in talent from the pinnacle of world motor spots to public shows in key markets, including the UK and Australia.

Fane Group have already worked with Performance Insights on a hugely successful Australian tour for Guenther Steiner and the company has upcoming events with Zak Brown, Susie and Toto Wolff this Autumn, with more announcements to be made soon. If you’re a regular reader of this newsletter, you may have picked up on my previous tour hints and hopefully, followed through on my encouragement to subscribe for announcements. Upcoming shows will sell out quickly, of that we’re certain!

Read the announcement in full here.

Separately, I’m encouraging businesses to connect with me now if you’re looking to work with F1 touring artists during the 2026 AusGP season. Whether it’s corporate speaking, brand partnerships, headline touring opportunities or experiential activations, demand is already high and opportunities are limited. You’re welcome to email me here.

Nigella Lawson for Tourism Australia’s Come and Say G’Day Campaign

As is so often the case, the big and exciting projects we work on don’t come to market for considerable time. This is certainly the case for our work with Tourism Australia, which has represented 10 – nearly 11 months, of working alongside the very best in the business to launch the Come and Say G’day campaign with Nigella Lawson in the UK.

As we’re still in the launch phase of the campaign, I’ll save official assets for a subsequent edition. Not familiar with the campaign? You can view the launch asset with Nigella (oh, and Robert Irwin!) here and some BTS from the shoot below.

Corporate Speakers

We’re enjoying strong demand for our touring artists for corporate speaker engagements. From bestselling authors, media personalities, cultural and sporting icons, our speakers are experts in sparking conversations that resonate with real audiences.

At Fane, we don’t simply make our artists available during live tours, we work closely with the events industry to bring the right speakers to the stage. This means you can book artists while they’re in-market (saving on travel costs) or work with us to source unique, high-calibre voices from our extensive artist book to match your event brief. Working on an event brief for 2026 or 2027? Now’s the time to reach out to enquire how we can support your success.

Live Tours

‘tis the season! In addition to corporate speaking engagements and brand commitments, our touring team has been flat out programming 14 tours across 91 dates, 12 cities and 3 countries. And we’re only just warming up, with many new tours and artists to be announced.

Looking to book a ticket? Check out What’s On. If you’re thinking booking to see Hannah Ferguson, Yotam Ottolenghi or Stacy Sims, don’t hesitate on these – tickets are selling very fast and will be sold out prior to show dates.

JUST ANNOUNCED – CHEEK LIVE: EVERYTHING IS F*CKED Special Guests

Wading into the mess of our world, Hannah Ferguson returns with a stellar line-up of special guests this October.

06 October, Canberra Theatre Centre – Senator David Pocock, Independent Senator for ACT, former Wallabies Captain and champion for progress on environmental, cultural and social change.
08 October, Brisbane QPAC – Rafqa Touma, Guardian Australia reporter, UTS Law/Journalism student and Adele Horin Prize recipient.
09 October, Hobart Odeon – Crystal Andrews, journalist, writer and founder of feminist digital publication Zee Feed.
10 October, Sydney City Recital Hall – Mark Humphries, satirist, comedian and broadcaster, best known for his viral political sketches on ABC’s 7.30 and SBS’ The Feed.
13 October, Newcastle City Hall – Konrad Benjamin, creator, editor and presenter of Punters Politics.
15 October, Melbourne Recital Centre – Carmen Azzopardi, disability advocate, writer and content creator who has built an inclusive digital community of over 5 million monthly users.
16 October, Adelaide Norwood Concert Hall – Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, the youngest woman ever elected to federal parliament, and a leading voice for the environment, water, the arts and communications.
17 October, Perth Heath Ledger Theatre – Bridget Hustwaite, broadcaster, health advocate and bestselling author of How to Endo and Figuring Out Thirty.
19 October, Sydney Opera House – Lisa Wilkinson, one of Australia’s most respected journalists and broadcasters, Logie-winner, multi-Walkley nominee, and author of the acclaimed memoir It Wasn’t Meant To Be Like This.
24 October, Melbourne Recital Centre – Dan Ilic, investigative humourist, presenter, filmmaker and host of the multi-award-winning podcast A Rational Fear.

BOOK TICKETS

LISTEN / READ / WATCH

LISTEN: The Art of Deep Listening. Why do so many conversations leave us feeling unheard and disconnected? Journalist Emily Kasriel reveals the answer: perhaps it is because we have forgotten how to truly and deeply listen. Listen on How To Academy here.

READ: Taboo by Hannah Ferguson. This isn’t the first time I’ve recommended this read and it won’t be the last. Ahead of Hannah’s tour, it’s timely to again recommend this memoir/ manifesto to girls and women, and to the people who love them for advice on sex, friendship, family, career and beyond.

WATCH: President Barak Obama speaks about the ties that bind us together and the consequences when those in power make broad claims about certain drugs and autism. He highlights how such statements can undermine public health, harm pregnant women, and create anxiety for parents of children with autism, in conversation at Fane’s Evening with President Obama.