Skydance-Owned 5 Buys UK Rights To ‘Wentworth’ Sequel Series

Skydance’s UK network 5 was the home of Australian prison drama Wentworth and will now house the show’s next iteration.

The channel has acquired UK rights to Wentworth: Halfway Home, which distributor Fremantle is calling Wentworth: Beyond Bars outside of Australia.

The show follows original series star follows Susan ‘Boomer’ Jenkins (Katrina Milosevic), who arrives at at a halfway freshly paroled and determined to get custody of her daughter. However, when body turns up, seeding distrust among the residents, and the person she snitched on to reduce her sentence is also out and determined to make her pay.

She is joined by the returning Nicole da Silva and Kate Box, who play Franky Doyle and Lou Kelly, respectively. The trio lead an ensemble cast of volatile and flawed survivors thrown together under one roof, with Rachel Griffiths, Sophie Lowe, Alex King, Chenile Chandler, Nadine Garnering , Elaine Crombie, Grace Chow, Sara West, Claude Jabbour, Daniel Henshall, Laura Gordon, Thom Green and Chika Ikogwe also cast.

Earlier this week, we were first with the news of nine new cast and a trailer (see below) for the show, which Fremantle Australia has been producing since late July in Melbourne. It will launch on Australia on DAZN’s Binge and in the UK on 5 later this year.

“Katrina, Nicole and Kate have created globally iconic characters and I am delighted they are returning to start a new chapter outside of Wentworth Prison, alongside brand new characters viewers will learn to love and hate,” said Greg Barnett, Commissioning Editor at 5. “The ultimate prize is their permanent freedom. It’s not about getting out, it’s about staying out. Beyond Bars is intense and relentless in its twists and turns. Loyal Wentworth Prison fans and new viewers will be on the edge of their seats.”