Are Jono and Ben ready for a shift to prime time?

Jono Pryor and Ben Boyce.

They're shifting to a slot in prime time - but are Jono and Ben, and sidekicks Rose Matafeo and Guy Williams, ready for the change?

They were Jono and Ben at Ten. Now they are just Jono and Ben.

But the duo are shifting up - or is that down? - TV3's Friday night schedule to an earlier slot of 7.30pm. It seems their mix of pranks, skits, and generally taking the mickey is now fine for an all-ages audience.

They've got the same sidekicks - Rose Matafeo and Guy Williams - but a new set and some new suits, care of the show's sponsors. But still questions remain about this leap into the primetime spotlight. So we asked some.

Is your shift into this timeslot a sign that standards for 7.30pm have dropped?

Ben: Ha ha! You're probably right. Although if The Bachelor can have a girl passing wind on a first date at 7.30pm, then we're probably in okay company.

Jono: Thankfully, Natalia Kills and Willy Moon were a thing so we are a slight improvement.

Do you now get paid more? If so, why? If not, why not?

Ben: We negotiated a million-dollar bonus if we catch a cricket ball during our show, but only if wearing an orange T-shirt. We're hopeful this will pay off.

Jono: If by "paid more" you mean we now get a working swipe card for the TV3 building, then yes!

So what are you usually doing at 7.30 on a Friday night?

Jono: At Ben's house filming pranks and stuff on our phones - it never stops!

Let's see, Monday to Friday on TV3 is X Factor, The Bachelor NZ, Top Gear - now you two at 7.30. That makes your show ...

Ben: The least likely to win X Factor, the Bachelor's heart or get yelled at by Jeremy Clarkson.

Jono: ... so the least controversial show on TV3.

Any concerns that your 7.30pm audience will be considerably more sober than your 10pm one?

Ben: Not really, we're still on Friday night and in New Zealand so we should be okay!

The 10pm show had a late night kind of set and a late night kind of voice-over guy. Are they gone?

Jono: Yes, they are gone! Now it's an early night kind of freaking massive set and we have now employed God himself to do the voice work on the show.

Ben: We're keeping the voice-over guy but we have moved out of the TV3 garage to a bigger studio. We've also discovered these new fancy clothes called "suits" ... I think this dude called Willy invented them.

What can't you do at 7.30 you did at 10? And will you miss it?

Ben: Not much to be totally honest. For some reason people reckon they'll miss us swearing without being beeped. So if you want to hear us swear, we're starting up some private swearing classes.

Jono: I discovered the other day I can swear by myself in my own time.

When: Friday, 7.30pm
Where: TV3
What: The late-night larrikins head into PG territory.

- TimeOut