RFDS TV Drama
The drama continues in season 3
We are excited to announce the return of RFDS for its third season on Channel 7, produced by Endemol Shine Australia. This season continues to bring compelling stories inspired by the real-life work of our dedicated doctors, nurses, pilots, and support staff.
Filming is currently underway in South Australia, capturing the stunning landscapes of the Flinders Ranges and the vital work our staff performs, providing emergency medical care to some of the most remote regions in the country.
Returning for Season 3 are familiar faces including Emma Hamilton, Stephen Peacocke, Rob Collins, Justine Clarke, Ash Ricardo, Emma Harvie, Rodney Afif, Jack Scott, Sofia Nolan, and Thomas Weatherall. This season’s storyline picks up one year later, as the RFDS team grapples with the emotional and professional fallout of life-altering decisions and a tragic event.
The production is taking place at key locations, including our RFDS base in Port Augusta and the town of Quorn, with more than $10 million expected to be injected into the local economy and 450 jobs created across the cast, crew, and extras.
RFDS Awarded Logie
The RFDS TV drama has been awarded 'Best Drama Program' at the 2024 Logies Awards. This award is a significant achievement, reflecting the dedication and passion of everyone involved in bringing this powerful show to screens. We extend our deepest thank you to EndemolShine Australia, Seven Network, and all the creative minds who played a role in making the series a reality.
How it started
Seven years ago the journey began for a new TV drama that depicts the work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Today the RFDS TV dama spans 2 seasons and 16 episodes, with a 3rd season in the works; streaming in Australia, USA, UK, New Zealand, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden.
In early 2020 Endemol Shine Banks, a TV production company out of Sydney started an extensive research project to learn about the RFDS. We took them to bases and clinics and facilitated interviews with doctors, nurses, pilots and patients. This process took more than a year, with scripting thoroughly worked and reworked until we got the great news that Channel 7 was aboard for this flight.
A committee was set up within the RFDS for advice to writers on aviation procedures/terminology, as well as medical and clinical processes and technical details. It is important to us that the story is true to what we do, despite its fictional narrative.
As one of Australia’s oldest RFDS bases, the RFDS Broken Hill base was chosen as the location for filming due to its impressive red dirt landscapes, and the capacity to have filming set up alongside RFDS day-to-day operations without impacting the delivery of primary health services and emergency medical retrievals. The Broken Hill businesses also cannot be forgotten - many assisted in sourcing props for the set and keeping the cast and crew housed, fed and watered and entertained during their stay in town. Some 200 Endemol Shine crew and cast were involved in the filming, for over 5 months and the majority based themselves in Broken Hill during this time.
The world of the RFDS show
Seasons 1 and 2 are filmed on location in and around Broken Hill, RFDS captures the beauty and brutality of Australia's vast centre where the doctors and the nurses, pilots and support staff of the Royal Flying Doctor Service negotiate the unique challenges of medical emergencies across some of the most inhospitable places in the Australian outback. RFDS is also a story about community and people coming together to laugh, to cry and to triumph over adversity as the Royal Flying Doctor Service navigate private lives as turbulent and profound as the heart-stopping emergencies they attend.
Get an exclusive look behind the scenes of RFDS Show below
Star-studded cast
The show features an amazing cast including, Stephen Peacocke, Rob Collins, Emma Hamilton, Justine Clarke and Ash Ricardo. Prior to filming the actors were invited onto RFDS bases and given access to RFDS operational staff to learn all about the real RFDS and become familiar with the roles they were playing. It has been as amazing to see the actor’s passion for the RFDS mission both on and off-screen.
Season 3 of RFDS Set to Soar with New Stories and Stunning Locations
Get ready to experience more heart-pounding drama as RFDS returns for Season 3. Inspired by the real-life heroes of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, this season brings new challenges, emotional stories, and breathtaking South Australian landscapes to your screen.
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RFDS TV Show Wins 'Best Drama Program' at the 2024 Logies Awards!
the "RFDS" TV show has been awarded 'Best Drama Program' at the 2024 Logies Awards. This award celebrates not only the incredible talent and hard work of the cast and crew but also the importance of the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s (RFDS) life-saving work in Australia.
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