Following on from Neighbours and Lie With Me, Network 10 and the UK’s Channel 5 have partnered again to back another Fremantle Australia drama, Riptide.
Production will begin on the four-part thriller in Melbourne next month, with stars to include Peter O’Brien, Pia Miranda, Ally Fowler and Brit Jo Joyner (EastEnders, Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators).
The series will see Joyner will play Alison, whose life is plunged into despair when her new Australian husband vanishes after a morning surf. Did he get caught in a dangerous riptide, or is there more to his disappearance than meets the eye?
Also starring is English actor Ciaran Griffiths (Ghost Seekers, Shameless), David Berry, Benny Turland, Asher Yasbincek, Yazeed Daher and newcomers Sonya Suares and Benjamin Samaddar.
Created by Jason Herbison, Riptide is the first of two Fremantle Australia drama series commissioned by Channel 5 and Network 10 this year, with the second title expected to be announced in coming months.
Herbison, also an executive producer of both Neighbours and Lie With Me, described the series as “the best of British meeting the best of Australian casts and crews”.
“I can’t wait for the audience to see what we have in store.”
Both Network 10 and Channel 5 are both owned by Paramount (formerly ViacomCBS). Lie With Me, starring Brett Tucker and Charlie Brooks, was their first joint following since the Viacom and CBS merger. It has since sold to 85 territories.
Riptide brings together much of the same creative team. Writing the scripts with Herbison are Margaret Wilson and Anthony Ellis. Scott Major will direct, with and Natalie Mandel on board as producer. Thea McLeod is the casting director.
Fremantle Australia also produced Neighbours, Australia’s longest running drama, for both Channel 5 and Network 10. Earlier this year, the UK broadcaster decided to wind back its financial investment in the soap and focus on British programming. Network 10 failed to find another broadcast partner, leading to the axing of Neighbours after 37 years and almost 9,000 episodes. The final 90-minute episode of the series will air on 10 Thursday July 28.
Paramount ANZ SVP, content and programming, Daniel Monaghan said: “It is wonderful to be working closely with Channel 5 and Fremantle Australia on this fantastic new drama series. We have a strong and trusted relationship and have produced many stellar drama series together in the past. Riptide will continue that great partnership.”
Riptide has received financial investment from Vicscreen. Fremantle will distribute internationally.