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Home > Marketplace > ABC Commercial > You Can't Ask That

Director: Kirk Docker, Aaron Smith

Producer: Jess Cohen, Scott Mitchell, Josh Schmidt, Kirk Docker, Aaron Smith

Executive Producer: Lou Porter

Genres: Factual, Format


62 x 30'

Featuring participants from all walks of life, each episode focuses on a minority or sub-cultural group (including people of short stature, Muslims, sex workers, transgender people, suicide attempt survivors, former cult members, recent war veterans, ex-reality TV stars and more), and asks some very frank and often confronting questions, sourced from the public.

By offering insight into the lives of minority or the marginalised, You Can’t Ask That breaks down stereotypes by answering the questions people are afraid to ask. Creating a safe space for its participants, the series forgoes the typical TV trope of relying on celebrities, social commentators, experts and academics to speak on the show’s chosen subject areas. Instead, You Can’t Ask That goes straight to the source – giving only those with lived experiences the opportunity to talk to the camera.

One of the most interesting and diverse programs on Australian television, and having the ability to work successfully for both linear broadcast and digital first strategies, You Can’t Ask That has extended its audience depth and reach with each new series.

The heartfelt and innovative You Can’t Ask That continues its winning trajectory overseas. Including the original ABC program, You Can’t Ask That has now delivered 42 seasons across 12 countries in 9 languages (including French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Dutch, Norwegian, Hebrew and Arabic) - a testament to the power and flexibility of the format, now the ABC’s most successful ever.