8th season a hat trick for McLeod’s

Hold onto your hats, the Nine Network has just announced an eighth season of McLeod’s Daughters.

The long-running drama shot entirely in South Australia has seen middling figures around 1.1m for some time but rebounded in the last two weeks with strong figures around 1.3m.

With Sea Patrol due later this year and the Melbourne gangland series in development, Nine’s drama stable is looking very healthy.

Press Release:

The Nine Network Australia today confirmed it had commissioned the eighth series of much-loved drama McLeod’s Daughters. The new series of the number one Australian drama will screen on Nine in 2008.

McLeod’s Daughters, which was originally commissioned by Nine in 2000, consistently ranks amongst the week’s top performers and well ahead of other Australian drama programs.

Michael Healy, Director of Programming, Nine Network said: “McLeod’s Daughters continues to be an absolute triumph. After seven years on air it’s as strong as ever locally and the overseas success is also something we are proud of. It’s a credit to everyone involved in the making of the program.

“The renewal is excellent news for the Australian television drama industry and the continued support from our viewers is very encouraging.”

McLeod’s Daughters Creator, Posie Graeme-Evans said: “This is sensational news. We are delighted that the concept of McLeod’s Daughters remains so loved and strong with Australian audiences.

“I salute Executive Producer, Karl Zwicky; Producer, Vikki Barr and Script Producer, Alexa Wyatt and all the cast and crew of this wonderful series. We are just so proud.”

The series, which focuses on the hectic lives of a group of women running Drovers Run, a vast cattle property in the Australian bush, stars Simmone Jade Mackinnon, Michala Banas, Doris Younane, Zoe Naylor, Gillian Alexy, Aaron Jeffery, Luke Jacobz, Dustin Clare and Matt Passmore.

In weeks to come, acclaimed actress Abi Tucker will be introduced to the series. Tucker joins McLeod’s Daughters as Grace, the sister of Regan McLeod (Zoe Naylor).

The drama which is shot entirely on location in South Australia, has previously won a full swag of TV Week Logie Awards.

McLeod’s Daughters is distributed overseas by Southern Star International to more than 230 territories, ranging from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. The series is a co-production between Millennium Television and Nine Films and Television.

After the Easter break, McLeod’s Daughters returns to Channel Nine at 7.30pm on Wednesday 11 April 2007.

Please credit this website when posting in other messageboards, thanks.