The Feed returns to SBS with two-part special, Pandemicland

Multi Walkley award-winning program The Feed returns to the Tuesday current affairs line-up on SBS from July 27 at 10pm to bring you the issues that matter, and the jokes that don’t.

Breaking new ground with their compelling mix of current affairs and comedy, interviews and investigations, presenters Marc Fennell and Alex Lee are back with a new co-host, Virginia Langeberg (pictured), who will fill-in for Alice Matthews while she is on parental leave.

Before she departs, The Feed will air a two-part special documentary titled Pandemicland, co-produced by Alice, Rebecca Metcalf and Ninah Kopel. Filmed over ten months, Pandemicland will explore what it’s like to come of age during COVID. Airing across two weeks on August 3 and August 10, the documentary gets intimate and personal access into the lives of four diverse young Australians navigating a different world to the one they expected.

There’s Ciang, a 21-year-old aspiring comedian in Melbourne who dreams of signing a deal with Netflix but is stuck practising stand-up in his bedroom. Eighteen-year-old Cooper, an up-and-coming rugby star from a coastal NSW town, is grappling with ideas of masculinity after losing two friends to suicide.

Sydney-based dancer Samantha, 16, whose goal to attend a prestigious European ballet school could be threatened by injury and border closures. And, in regional Victoria, 14-year-old Mercedes weighs up the gut-wrenching decision to give up her dream to become a professional boxer so she can get a job to support her single mother.

“Living through your teens and early 20s is scary at the best of times but it’s even harder during lockdowns, border closures and forced isolation,” Alice says. “We filmed over the course of 10 months, and I think Pandemicland is a testament to the strength and resilience of a generation that will shape the post-COVID world”.

Alice’s last show will air on August 10. Virginia, an accomplished SBS World News journalist and presenter, will join The Feed on air from July 27.

Virginia, who joined SBS in 2019, has more than 15 years’ experience in Australia and the UK covering challenging stories, including the typhoon destruction in the Philippines, and the aftermath of the Sri Lanka Easter bombings.

Born in Sweden of Tanzanian and Swedish heritage, Virginia moved to Australia at a young age. Prior to joining SBS, she was based in London for BBC World News. She said: “I’m beyond excited about this new opportunity. The Feed covers current affairs in such a bold and unique way, I can’t wait to be part of it.”

The Feed returns to SBS from Tuesday July 27 at 10pm. The Feed: Pandemicland airs Tuesday August 3 and August 10 at 10pm. The documentary will be available to stream on SBS On Demand.