New Australian drama RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service has taken off with broadcasters worldwide, netting sales to six international broadcasters in August.

The eight-hour drama premiered on the Seven Network’s Channel 7 and 7Plus in Australia on Wednesday, 11 August 2021, and has been acquired by Channel 4 for More 4 in the UK, PBS in the US, TV4 in Sweden, SBS in Belgium, Talpa in the Netherlands, and TVNZ in New Zealand.

Produced by Endemol Shine Banks for the Seven Network and filmed in and around New South Wales’ stunning desert city, Broken Hill, RFDS portrays the modern-day heroes of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The production captures the beauty and brutality of Australia’s outback where doctors and nurses, pilots and support staff negotiate the unique challenges of emergency rescue across some of the most inhospitable places in the country.

The drama co-created by Imogen Banks, Mark Fennessy and Ian Meadows, stars TV Week Logie Award-winning star Rob Collins (Mystery Road S2, Total Control, Cleverman, Glitch), TV Week Logie Award-winning actor Stephen Peacocke (Home and Away, Wanted), multi-award-winning actor Justine Clarke (Tangle, Hungry Ghosts, The Time of Our Lives) and acclaimed actors Emma Hamilton (Mr Selfridge, The Tudors) and Ash Ricardo (Offspring, Bite Club). 

Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights, said “It was no surprise that RFDS garnered such strong interest from the international market from the get-go. 

“This is a drama that appeals to a really broad audience who don’t just want gripping rescue sequences, but want great characters, romances and gripping storylines too. RFDS perfectly combines all these components while providing feel-good nostalgia for shows of the past like The Flying Doctors. I’m delighted this programme has already received stand-out reviews from critics and achieved strong viewing figures following its recent launch on Channel 7.”

Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights

RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service received major production investment from Seven Network in association with Screen Australia, with financial support from Screen NSW through the Made in NSW Fund and the Regional Filming Fund. Banijay Rights is the exclusive distributor of RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service across all platforms.

RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service is produced by Imogen Banks and Sara Richardson for Endemol Shine Banks while Executive Producers are Mark and Carl Fennessy for Endemol Shine Australia and Julie McGauran for Seven.

Ausfilm Members Blackbird provided VFX work, and Trackdown’s Tim Ryan was a music editor on RFDS.

Featured top image credit: Broken Hill, NSW.