Out of the Blue, it’s a new Aussie soap!
- Published by David Knox
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In what stands as an almost unprecedented announcement, the BBC has commissioned a new $15M, 130 episode Aussie soap, Out of the Blue.
The Sydney-based series will be set in a resort in Manly and opens with a group of friends in their 30s returning to their hometown for a reunion.
It will be made by Southern Star Entertainment (Love My Way, The Secret Life of Us, Blue Heelers, Blue Water High) and written by a former executive producer of Home and Away.
The BBC has ordered 130 half-hour eps, expected to replace Neighbours which will move to Five next year. Production will commence early next year.
“This is an ambitious project that we think will break new ground, at the same time as providing daytime audiences with a compelling and intriguing watch,” said BBC fiction controller Jane Tranter.
Southern Star’s Hugh Mars said that the new soap will be “full of life, contemporary and very broad in its appeal.”
It would be an extraordinary move if the funding has come entirely from the BBC. So far, no funding for the drama appears on the website of NSW’s Film and Television Office. No Australian network has been mentioned as part of the announcement. Network TEN has been known to be looking for a new Aussie drama, with Neighbours slipping and potentially jeopardising TEN’s local quota points should it disappear. The network recently missed out on The Young Doctors to Nine.
“This is an ambitious project that we think will break new ground,” said BBC fiction controller Jane Tranter.
Photo: Stock image
Source: Digital Spy
BBC
14 Responses
are they ever going to air the remaining episodes of headland?
Breakers. I loved Breakers. Bondi/Manly all the same to the Brits.
“…an ambitious project that.. will break new ground”.
What, they’re casting girl actors who aren’t blonde and under 17? 🙂
Hmm… another innovative H&A-grown local drama… remember HeadLand anyone??
Neighbours isn’t going anywhere, 10 need it for their quota don’t they?
Why would they invest money into something new when they have a show which is huge in Europe!
I can’t wait for this new show, sounds fantastic!
At the end of the day it will provide work for our actors & crews, which is good thing!
I agree Daveeboy, I love my Neighbours too.
But this one looks interesting. Kinda ‘Secret Life of Us’-ish maybe?
There’s also a local fishing program in Adelaide called ‘Out of the Blue’. I wonder if they’ll have to rename it.
Im getting visions of Headland.. By the way, will they ever air the remaining episodes, god I hope Neighbours doesnt get the chop, i love my Neighbours
How can I get a role on this new show?…when are they casting?
It’s good that they will be making a new daily soap, they seem to be a dying breed as we only have four left on free to air tv. Thought we might be getting another soap with the return of The Young Doctors, but it looks like that will be a one hour a week Grey’s Anatomy clone. Hope they learn from the Bionic Woman, which was more an Alias clone with no reverance to the orgiginal series.
Great – more crap no one in Australia wants to see. Could the networks possibly work on projects for OUR market – not overseas markets???
“Neighbours is airing at 5?
Whens the 5pm news airing?”
um, Neighbours is moving to CHANNEL Five in the United Kingdom, not to five pm here..
“The BBC has ordered 130 half-hour eps, expected to replace Neighbours which will move to Five next year.”
Channel Five in the UK as has been previously reported.
lol I would die laughing if this got an aussie co production.
Neighbours is airing at 5?
Whens the 5pm news airing?