Latest news with #FoxtelGroup
ITV News
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
BINGE commissions Australian scripted series based on infamous bank robber Brenden Abbott
BINGE today announced the commission of a new Australian scripted series based on the infamous Australian bank robber, Brenden Abbott (AKA 'the Postcard Bandit'). In the 1980s Abbott became a household name, committing a string of bank robberies and evading police, eventually being arrested, convicted and successfully escaping custody - twice. With the exception of inmates convicted of murder, Abbott is currently the longest serving prisoner in Australia. A propulsive, high-octane, 1980/90s crime drama, the 6 x 1-hour scripted series (as yet untitled) is inspired by the true story of 'The Postcard Bandit' and follows Abbott as a master criminal on the run, eluding police and escaping maximum security prison. Traversing Australia's colourful and unruly past, the series lifts the balaclava on the nation's most successful and ingenious bank robber. George Mason (The Power of the Dog, The Survivors) leads the cast as Brenden Abbott, with Robyn Malcolm (After The Party, The Survivors), Ashleigh Cummings (Citadel, Long Bright River, Hounds of Love), and Keiynan Lonsdale (Swift Street, The Flash) starring alongside him. Each portrays a pivotal figure in Abbott's turbulent life and the law enforcement network determined to bring him down. The ensemble cast includes David Howell (Narrow Road to the Deep North, Strife), Mia Artemis (Sweet Tooth, The Secrets She Keeps), Christian Byers (Bump, The Narrow Road to the Deep North), Roxie Mohebbi (He Had It Coming, Critical Incident), Oscar Redding (Top of the Lake, The Twelve), Anthony Hayes (Mystery Road, Gold, The Twelve), and Jayden Popik (Mystery Road, A Perfect Pairing). With cameras now rolling in Western Australia, the series promises a gripping, character-driven take on one of the country's most legendary criminal sagas. Commissioned by Foxtel Group, produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) Australia, the series is made with major production investment from Screenwest and the Western Australian Production Attraction Incentive. The series will be produced in association with, and distributed by, ITV Studios. According to Screenwest, the series is expected to attract a spend of more than $7 million into the WA economy, and the production will employ at least 80 Western Australian crew and 80 WA cast with speaking roles, as well as 400 extras. Ben Young (Hounds of Love, The Twelve) and Bonnie Moir (Exposure, Love Me) are directing, with Young also serving as executive producer. Hamish Lewis (How to Make Gravy, The Twelve) is producing, alongside series producer Matt Noonan (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Beyond Goodbye), with Michael Brooks (The Twelve, How to Make Gravy) as Executive Producer alongside Lana Greenhalgh and Penny Win as Commissioners and Executive Producers. The writing team is led by writer and script producer Sarah Walker (The Secrets She Keeps, The Twelve), alongside Matt Cameron (The Clearing, Jack Irish) and writers Scout Cripps and Anthony Hayes. Lana Greenhalgh, Executive Producer and Director of Scripted Originals, Foxtel Group, said: 'The misadventures of the elusive Brenden Abbott is as Australian as it gets and we're proud to be partnering with the team at WBITVP Australia to bring this legendary Aussie story to screen. We're thrilled to have cameras now rolling in WA where the story started nearly 40 years ago.' Rikki Lea Bestall, Chief Executive Officer, Screenwest, said: "We are pleased to welcome BINGE and WBITVP Australia back to Western Australia for their upcoming scripted series. The production shows the growing momentum in our screen industry and reinforces our growing reputation as a destination for high-quality screen production. We look forward to seeing the talented cast and crew bring this story to life here in Western Australia." Hamish Lewis, Head of Scripted at WBITVP Australia said: 'We're pumped to be back in Western Australia working with Foxtel and Screenwest again. This is a truly incredible story, too good not to be told. It's the story of extreme resilience, determination and family – with a wild backdrop of '80s and '90s Australia. We can't wait for the world to see this!' Ben Young, Director and Executive Producer said: 'This story's got everything I love in TV – action, love, violence and complex emotional relationships. If it didn't happen, you wouldn't believe it. After a great experience working with BINGE and WBITVP Australia on The Twelve, I was stoked they felt the same way about this wild ride as I did.' Production credit: Based on "Australian Outlaw - The True Story of Postcard Bandit Brenden Abbott" by Derek Pedley the 6 x 1-hour drama series is produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia for the Foxtel Group, with major production investment from Screenwest and the Western Australian Production Attraction Incentive. The series will be produced in association with, and distributed by, ITV Studios. Producer is Hamish Lewis alongside Series Producer Matt Noonan and Executive Producers Michael Brooks, Ben Young, Lana Greenhalgh and Penny Win. Directors Ben Young and Bonnie Moir. Written by Sarah L. Walker alongside Matt Cameron, Scout Cripps and Anthony Hayes.
West Australian
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
New TV series: ‘Postcard Bandit' shows life of WA bank robber Brenden Abbott currently shooting in Fremantle
Cameras are rolling in Fremantle for a new series about notorious WA bank robber, Brenden Abbott, aka the Postcard Bandit. Abbott is currently serving time in Casuarina Prison for crimes he committed more than three decades ago. Based on Australian Outlaw — The True Story of Postcard Bandit Brenden Abbott by Derek Pedley, the as-yet-unnamed series, coming to Binge and starring George Mason as Abbott, will mark the second time the convicted robber's story has been told on the small screen, following a 2003 TV movie starring Tom Long. 'We're thrilled to have cameras now rolling in WA where the story started nearly 40 years ago,' Lana Greenhalgh, executive producer and director of scripted originals Foxtel Group, said. Abbott became a household name in the 1980s after committing a string of bank robberies and successfully evading police. He is reported to have stolen and hidden millions of dollars, and was dubbed the Postcard Bandit by police, due to postcards he sent law enforcement while on the run. Abbott was eventually arrested, convicted and successfully escaped custody twice. With the exception of inmates convicted of murder, Abbott is currently the longest serving prisoner in Australia and will be eligible for parole in 2026. The production, a scripted series of six one-hour episodes, is shooting in and around Fremantle, with cameras spotted filming around the periphery of the old Fremantle Prison on Monday. The series, described as a 'propulsive, high-octane, 1980/90s crime drama' sports a stellar lead cast, with Robyn Malcolm (The Survivors), Ashleigh Cummings (Citadel), and Keiynan Lonsdale (Swift Street) joining Mason in pivotal roles. The ensemble cast includes David Howell (Narrow Road to the Deep North), Mia Artemis (Sweet Tooth), Christian Byers (Bump), Roxie Mohebbi (He Had It Coming), Oscar Redding (The Twelve), Anthony Hayes (Mystery Road) and Jayden Popik (Mystery Road). According to Screenwest, the series is expected to attract a spend of more than $7 million into the WA economy, and the production will employ at least 80 West Australian crew and 80 WA cast with speaking roles, as well as 400 extras. 'The production shows the growing momentum in our screen industry and reinforces our growing reputation as a destination for high-quality screen production,' Screenwest chief executive Rikki Lea Bestall said. Ben Young (Hounds of Love, The Twelve) and Bonnie Moir (Exposure, Love Me,) are directing, with Young also serving as executive producer. Hamish Lewis, head of scripted at WBITVP Australia said: 'We're pumped to be back in Western Australia working with Foxtel and Screenwest again. 'This is a truly incredible story, too good not to be told. 'It's the story of extreme resilience, determination and family — with a wild backdrop of 80s and 90s Australia.'
Perth Now
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Brenden Abbott's criminal past immortalised in new series
Cameras are rolling in Fremantle for a new series about notorious WA bank robber, Brenden Abbott, aka the Postcard Bandit. Abbott is currently serving time in Casuarina Prison for crimes he committed more than three decades ago. Based on Australian Outlaw — The True Story of Postcard Bandit Brenden Abbott by Derek Pedley, the as-yet-unnamed series, coming to Binge and starring George Mason as Abbott, will mark the second time the convicted robber's story has been told on the small screen, following a 2003 TV movie starring Tom Long. 'We're thrilled to have cameras now rolling in WA where the story started nearly 40 years ago,' Lana Greenhalgh, executive producer and director of scripted originals Foxtel Group, said. Abbott became a household name in the 1980s after committing a string of bank robberies and successfully evading police. He is reported to have stolen and hidden millions of dollars, and was dubbed the Postcard Bandit by police, due to postcards he sent law enforcement while on the run. Involved in the production are, back: Rikki Lea Bestall, CEO Screenwest, John Driscoll, board chair Screenwest, Hamish Lewis, head of scripted Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia, Lana Greenhalgh director of scripted originals Foxtel Group; front: Bonnie Moir, director, Ben Young, director and executive producer. Credit: Liang Xu Abbott was eventually arrested, convicted and successfully escaped custody twice. With the exception of inmates convicted of murder, Abbott is currently the longest serving prisoner in Australia and will be eligible for parole in 2026. The production, a scripted series of six one-hour episodes, is shooting in and around Fremantle, with cameras spotted filming around the periphery of the old Fremantle Prison on Monday. The series, described as a 'propulsive, high-octane, 1980/90s crime drama' sports a stellar lead cast, with Robyn Malcolm (The Survivors), Ashleigh Cummings (Citadel), and Keiynan Lonsdale (Swift Street) joining Mason in pivotal roles. The ensemble cast includes David Howell (Narrow Road to the Deep North), Mia Artemis (Sweet Tooth), Christian Byers (Bump), Roxie Mohebbi (He Had It Coming), Oscar Redding (The Twelve), Anthony Hayes (Mystery Road) and Jayden Popik (Mystery Road). Brenden Abbott. Credit: Unknown / Supplied by Subject According to Screenwest, the series is expected to attract a spend of more than $7 million into the WA economy, and the production will employ at least 80 West Australian crew and 80 WA cast with speaking roles, as well as 400 extras. 'The production shows the growing momentum in our screen industry and reinforces our growing reputation as a destination for high-quality screen production,' Screenwest chief executive Rikki Lea Bestall said. Ben Young (Hounds of Love, The Twelve) and Bonnie Moir (Exposure, Love Me,) are directing, with Young also serving as executive producer. Hamish Lewis, head of scripted at WBITVP Australia said: 'We're pumped to be back in Western Australia working with Foxtel and Screenwest again. 'This is a truly incredible story, too good not to be told. 'It's the story of extreme resilience, determination and family — with a wild backdrop of 80s and 90s Australia.'
Techday NZ
22-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Smartsheet reports 260% growth in Australia & New Zealand
Smartsheet has reported 260% customer growth in Australia and New Zealand, with nearly 250% growth across the Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) region over the past five years. The company, which opened its first APJ office in Sydney five years ago, now supports clients such as Fiji Airways, First Sentier Investors, Foxtel Group, the Western Australian Mental Health Commission, Wine Australia, and the University of Adelaide. The partner ecosystem in APJ has also expanded by 30% year-over-year. Smartsheet has onboarded nearly 100 partners across 20 countries into its Smartsheet Aligned ecosystem, and recently opened an office in Japan. Helen Masters, Managing Director, APJ at Smartsheet, commented on the company's regional achievements and outlined plans for further growth. "As I travel around the Asia-Pacific and Japan region and meet with Smartsheet customers and partners, I've seen firsthand the impact of our AI-powered platform on hundreds of thousands of users. Their creativity and passion for the platform makes me enthusiastic for the future of Smartsheet and our growth objectives. It's clear this excitement has played a big part in the growth the company has experienced across the region. We opened our first APJ office in Sydney five years ago, and since then we've seen more than 260% customer growth in Australia and New Zealand, with nearly 250% growth across APJ. To help us build on this strong foundation, we have welcomed nearly 100 partners across 20 countries to the Smartsheet Aligned ecosystem, and have recently opened an office in Japan. And we're just getting started," said Masters. Masters also shared the company's strategy for future development and continued progress. "As I look forward to the future, I am excited to share our multi-point strategy for building on our progress, including investing in our product pipeline and further expanding our partner ecosystem." Smartsheet's engagement with regional enterprises has included support for collaboration and business process improvements. The company highlighted its contributions to Fiji Airways, where Smartsheet was used to improve operational reporting processes. By enabling real-time synchronisation and accessibility for crew reports, Fiji Airways has reduced reporting times from three to five days to mere hours, a reported 95% time savings. Another example cited was Foxtel Group's adoption of Smartsheet to manage 40 separate projects within a unified platform. This allowed the organisation to achieve comprehensive portfolio and project-level visibility, live dashboards, improved alignment, and informed decision-making. Masters explained the rationale behind Smartsheet's approach to enterprise support. "Smartsheet has helped organisations like these work intelligently and efficiently by redefining how work gets done. By combining AI-powered intelligence, enterprise-grade capabilities, and a commitment to user empowerment, Smartsheet enables teams to easily collaborate on multiple projects, ensuring everyone can access key data required to make smart decisions, and automating and facilitating communication — without sacrificing security or privacy," she said. In response to evolving business challenges, Smartsheet has made several product enhancements in recent years. Masters stated, "In the past five years, work has changed significantly, presenting new, often unforeseen challenges for businesses. In response to these changes, and in anticipation of those to come, Smartsheet has developed our most robust and user-friendly platform yet. Guided by customer feedback, we've redesigned the user experience, introduced new views, and embedded AI at the core. We are continually evolving, enhancing collaboration across work, content, and resources. We also facilitate enterprise-grade integrations with other platforms, ensuring that as organisations grow and their needs change, Smartsheet scales seamlessly with them." The company plans to further expand customer engagement and product awareness with the introduction of Smartsheet Summits in Australia, Singapore, and Japan. These events are intended to offer immersive opportunities for stakeholders to learn more about the platform and its impact in various industries. "Thanks to the growing interest in our products and solutions, we're excited to introduce our flagship events, Smartsheet Summits, into new countries this year. The event lineup will now include Australia, Singapore, and Japan. These in-person events provide immersive experiences for customers and partners to learn more about Smartsheet technology and to hear from customers how their experiences are driving success in their industries and countries," Masters said. The expansion of the partner ecosystem is a core component of the company's growth strategy. According to Masters, "Smartsheet Aligned, our partner program, includes an ecosystem of solution partners, system integrators, and referral partners. This network of expertise enables businesses to connect work, people, and technology, accelerating ROI by building bridges between solutions and companies. The partner ecosystem in APJ has seen a 30% year-over-year growth rate. Building on this momentum and our deep commitment to partners, we've set an ambitious goal to triple their contribution within the next three years. Partners will be central to our future success in the APJ region. A key element of our strategy involves actively recruiting larger organisations, with a strong emphasis on Global System Integrators (GSIs). To fuel our international expansion, particularly across Asia, we have introduced partner-only countries, like Indonesia and the Philippines, operating exclusively through strategic in-country partners to drive business growth and expansion." To increase support for its partners, Smartsheet plans to implement various initiatives. Masters added, "We will look to deepen the engagement with our strategic partners at an executive level, fostering robust relationships with leaders. We will also strengthen our foundational support by providing enhanced tools and training, empowering our internal teams and partners to collaborate effectively, drive mutual growth, and ensure exceptional customer satisfaction. For example, we plan to host partner bootcamps across APJ, including in Japan, Vietnam, and Australia in the coming quarters. The bootcamps give us an opportunity to enlist our partners in our program, roadmap, mission, and vision, and give them the chance to collaborate and learn so we can maximise our potential together." Masters concluded her remarks by acknowledging the contributions of the team and customers. "We will double down with our focus on our partner ecosystem to drive innovation and growth. By investing in our partner network expansion, we can deliver greater value and support to our customers and fuel achievement of their business goals. I'm proud to celebrate these milestones and company momentum across the region. This success wouldn't be possible without our dedicated, high-performing team and the trust of our customers. We're committed to continually earning their business."
News.com.au
14-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
High definition deal: Sky Racing, Foxtel Group renew partnership
For the first time, all three Sky Racing channels will be broadcast in high definition into Australian homes as part of the racing broadcaster's renewed deal with Foxtel Group. Under the new deal, Sky Racing – which broadcasts more than 150,000 races live annually across Australia and into more than 60 countries internationally – will continue to be featured on Foxtel, Foxtel Go and Foxtel Now. Sky Racing 1 and Sky Racing 2 will join Sky Thoroughbred Central in being available in high definition (HD) for all Foxtel Residential subscribers. Sky Racing 1 is home to wall-to-wall thoroughbred, greyhound and harness racing across Australia. Sky Racing 2 hosts international racing while Sky Thoroughbred Central is the premium home of NSW and Queensland thoroughbred racing, along with the world's premier global races. In another first, Foxtel Business customers (excluding licensed venues) will also have access to all three Sky Racing channels to broadcast at their venues. Foxtel Business customers include gyms, retail shops, reception areas, cafes and restaurants, hotels, aged care, hospitals, mining and workforce accommodation. 'Foxtel Group and Sky Racing have a long-standing partnership spanning more than 20 years and we are thrilled that our Foxtel Residential customers can not only enjoy uninterrupted coverage of the best thoroughbred, harness and greyhound races in Australia and across the world, but they can now do so in crisp high definition,' Foxtel Group Head of Sport and Content Partnerships Nic Goard said. 'As part of the new agreement, we are also introducing Sky Racing coverage to all our Foxtel Business (excluding Licensed Venues) customers, adding value to a premium content offering for our commercial subscribers.' Sky Racing Head of Racing and Sports Media Partnerships Selina Rumble said the new partnership with Foxtel would enhance racing coverage in Australia, with all races now broadcast in High Definition on the big screen. 'Our relationship with Foxtel is one of the longest broadcast partnerships in Australian sport and we're delighted to continue to grow and innovate the way in which all tri-code racing is broadcast and promoted,'' she said. 'Together we're bringing live racing coverage into thousands of homes across Australia, complementing our direct distribution of Sky Racing into circa 4000 retail venues and close to 70 different countries. This partnership is a great outcome for Sky, Foxtel and the racing industry.'
