Australia’s Network Ten Lines Up New Originals, U.S. Dramas

SYDNEY: Network Ten has revealed its 2017 lineup, which features the return of the hit Australian dramas Offspring and The Wrong Girl alongside high-profile U.S. fare such as This Is Us.

There are two new major drama events coming to Ten in 2017: Wake In Fright, an adaptation of Kenneth Cook’s classic Australian novel, and Sisters, a feel-good family drama from the makers of Offspring. The original drama Offspring is among the returning shows for the network.

Other homegrown content coming to Ten next year includes The Biggest Loser: Transformed, Common Sense and all-new episodes of the series Russell Coight’s All Aussie Adventures.

Among the shows coming back for new seasons are MasterChef Australia, KFC Big Bash League, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Gogglebox Australia and Have You Been Paying Attention? Other returning series featured in the schedule include The Wrong Girl, The Project, Family Feud, The Living Room, Shark Tank, Australian Survivor, The Bachelor Australia and The Bachelorette Australia.

This Is Us joins Ten’s roster of U.S. series for 2017 that also includes the dramas 24: Legacy, Bull and Doubt, along with the Matt LeBlanc comedy Man With a Plan.

Network Ten’s CEO, Paul Anderson, said: “Every night of the week, television draws a willing and engaged audience of 16 million people, something no other medium can match.

“Growth, momentum and consistency have been the hallmark of Ten in recent years and that will continue in 2017.

“Next year we will create year-round consistency in our 7:30 p.m. franchises, something Ten has never achieved before,” he said.

“The 7:30 p.m. content strategy is book-ended by the summer television sensation that is the KFC Big Bash League, which starts in mid-December each summer and runs until late January.

“It will continue across the year with proven hits such as MasterChef Australia, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, The Bachelor Australia, The Bachelorette Australia, Australian Survivor, The Living Room and The Biggest Loser: Transformed, a refreshed and contemporary version of the highly successful franchise.”

Network Ten’s chief content officer, Beverley McGarvey, said: “We have a diverse and deeply engaging lineup for 2017, with a great mix of returning and new shows that will reach viewers across multiple screens.

“People come to our network for shows that help them unwind or escape; that help them better understand their fellow Australians; that make them laugh; that connect them to the wider world; and that create moments that they will remember for years to come.

“We are excited that our shows are connecting with audiences in more ways than ever before. Our audiences are growing because we create content that is loved, watched, talked about, tweeted about and commented on.”

“We also have an exciting array of new content for 2017, some of which we are announcing today,” she said. “The return of Russell Coight’s All Aussie Adventures after a 15-year absence is a perfect example of giving viewers unique and compelling content.

“Wake In Fright and Sisters are extraordinary Australian stories. The Biggest Loser: Transformed will take a beloved brand to a whole new level, while Common Sense—a show about Australians talking about news and current affairs—will get Australia talking,” McGarvey said.

“From overseas, we have the biggest hits of the new U.S. television season—Bull [with Michael Weatherly from NCIS] and This Is Us—as well as Man With a Plan with Matt LeBlanc, Doubt with Katherine Heigl and 24: Legacy, the remarkable reinvention of the 24 franchise.”