Australian television company Foxtel has announed that a sixth season of prison drama Wentworth is set to begin production this month.
The next season of the hit show, which will compromise of 12 episodes, will be shot on location in Melbourne and will be screened next year.
The prison drama premiered in 2013 and has since become Foxtel’s longest-running original drama, which is now seen in more than 140 territories worldwide.
Penny Win, who is the Head of Drama at Foxtel, applauds the series on the standard it has set for local productions, but she remains tight-lipped on the storylines for the sixth season.
Pamela Rabe plays longstanding Wentworth character Joan “The Freak” Ferguson.
“There is so much yet to unfold with season five premiering now in Australia on Foxtel before any details should be revealed about the sixth season,” Penny says.
“My lips are sealed other than to say Marcia Gardner and the writers continue to excel in setting up intriguing story arcs and finely crafted scripts for the wonderfully talented Wentworth cast to bring to life.”
Meanwhile, Fremantle Media Director of Drama, Jo Porter, stresses the importance of the show’s fans in its worldwide success.
“Getting to a sixth season is something none of us take for granted,” Jo says. “Key to this is the unwavering dedication to the show by the incredible Wentworth audience both in Australia and around the world. Like us, they are drawn to our exceptional cast who embody the diverse, complex and intriguing characters who populate the intense world of Wentworth and its high stakes and compelling stories.”
It comes as little surprise that the ladies of Wentworth will be again donning their teal tracksuits due to the immense popularity of the series, which has led to many accolades.
This year alone, the series was nominated for Best Drama Series at the Australian TV WEEK Logie Awards, as well as the Most Outstanding Drama Series, while Nicole da Silva was nominated for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role as Franky Doyle. Danielle Cormack also picked up a Most Outstanding Actress nomination for her final season as top dog Bea Smith.
