Foxtel has promoted Penny Win to the new role of head of drama, a reward for her work in commissioning The Kettering Incident, Devil’s Playground and Deadline Gallipoli.
Win was commissioning editor for drama as well as channel manager of Foxtel’s SoHo and showcase. The company has not yet announced who will take charge of those two channels.
Foxtel executive director of television Brian Walsh said Win’s promotion is a “resounding endorsement of her skill and commitment to providing our subscribers with unique and distinctive Australian stories. Foxtel’s upcoming drama slate has never been stronger, and this new role sees her responsible for expanding the portfolio of home grown dramas to complement our international drama supply, particularly our exclusive partnerships with HBO and BBC.”
Foxtel invests more than $20 million per year in original Australian drama under the 10% quota applying to drama channels.
Win commissioned and was an executive producer on Matchbox Pictures’ Devil’s Playground, which premieres September 9 on showcase.
Deadline Gallipoli, which stars Sam Worthington and was produced by Matchbox and the actor’s production company Full Clip, recently wrapped filming in South Australia and will air in 2015.
The Kettering Incident, an 8-part mystery drama starring Elizabeth Debicki and Matt Le Nevez, is shooting in Tasmania, the first collaboration between writer/producer Vicki Madden’s Sweet Potato Films and Porchlight Films.
Win joined Foxtel in 2003 as group channel manager of Fox Classics and the W channel, whose first local commission was Southern Star Entertainment’s Spirited.
She oversaw the development of FremantleMedia Australia’s Wentworth, whose first two seasons ranked as the most watched Australian dramas in subscription TV history and have been sold to more than 80 territories. Local-language adaptations are being produced in Germany and Holland.
Wentworth’s third season wrapped production last month and will premiere on SoHo in 2015.