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Banijay’s ‘RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service’ Sells to PBS, Channel 4 and More

K.J. Yossman
·2-min read

Australian drama “RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service” has been sold to a range of global broadcasters including PBS in the U.S. and Channel 4 in the U.K.

It has also been acquired by Sweden’s TV4, Belgium’s SBS, Talpa in the Netherlands and New Zealand’s TVNZ. In the U.K. it will be broadcast on Channel 4’s More 4.

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“RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service,” which charts the fictional lives of the pilots, doctors, nurses and support staff working within the Royal Flying Doctor Service, premieres on Australia’s Channel 7 and 7Plus next Wednesday.

The real RFDS, who participated in the series, is tasked with rescuing people from some of Australia’s most inhospitable terrains. Endemol Shine spent over a year researching the service, interviewing pilots, doctors and patients and even filmed some of the series on a real RFDS base.

Co-created by Imogen Banks, Mark Fennessy and Ian Meadows, the drama stars Emma Hamilton (“The Tudors”), Stephen Peacocke (“Wanted”), Rob Collins (“Mystery Road S2”), Justine Clarke (“Tangle”) and Ash Ricardo (“Offspring”).

“Based on extraordinary real-life stories, ‘RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service’ is a powerful drama series that not only perfectly chronicles the ‘edge-of-your-seat’ emergencies our heroes attend, but also the sense of community that brings these lives together,” said Claire Jago, executive VP of sales and acquisitions for EMEA at Banijay Rights. “We’re extremely pleased with the widespread interest for this show, which we are sure will delight viewers worldwide.”

“RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service” is produced by Imogen Banks and Sara Richardson for Endemol Shine. Mark and Carl Fennessy for Endemol Shine Australia and Julie McGauran for Seven executive produce.

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