Latest news with #TonyAyresProductions
Sky News AU
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
ABC announces true crime drama focused on Erin Patterson's mushroom case as nation awaits verdict in murder trial
The ABC has announced it will air a television series about Erin Patterson, who is currently facing murder charges. The project, named Toxic, is helmed by screenwriter Elise McCredie and producer Tony Ayres, whose previous works include Stateless, Clickbait, and The Clearing. According to Tony Ayres Productions, the team is collaborating closely with ABC journalist Rachael Brown to ensure accuracy and depth in portraying the events surrounding the case. The creators said the series will tell the story through multiple timelines and perspectives, avoiding judgement and focusing on complexity. Ayres, the Managing Director and Executive Producer at Tony Ayres Productions, said making the drama was about pushing beyond the headlines and working out what was happening beneath the surface. "True stories ask storytellers to probe the complexities of human behaviour. What really lies beneath the headlines? It's both a challenge and a responsibility to go beyond the surface - to reveal, not just sensationalise," he said. Head of ABC Scripted Rachel Okine said she is "excited to be partnering" with Tony Ayres Productions on the "powerful new project". "This investigation has already captivated audiences across Australia and we're eager to dive deeper into the complexities behind the headlines to bring this story to life with the team," she said. The drama comes amid international attention on the case and Ms Patterson, who is accused of murdering three relatives of her estranged husband by serving them a poisonous beef wellington lunch on July 29, 2023. The ABC says 'There's currently no indication of casting or when the series will begin filming.' Ms Patterson has been charged with the murders of her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson. The 50-year-old has also been charged with the attempted murder of Heather's husband and local church pastor Ian Wilkinson, who survived the meal after a lengthy stint in hospital. Prosecutors allege Ms Patterson's beef wellington lunch, which was held at her house in Leongatha, was intentionally laced with death cap mushrooms. It is alleged Ms Patterson concocted a cancer diagnosis to lure her guests over for lunch as she needed advice on how to break the medical news to her children. Ms Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The jury retired on Monday, and at time of publication, a verdict had not been returned.
West Australian
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
What to Watch: The Survivors, Stick, This City Is Ours, Lego Masters and Guy Mont Spelling Bee
There has been a plethora of book-to-TV adaptations hitting screens of late. Some have been incredibly watchable (Boy Swallows Universe), some have missed the mark (hello series two of Nine Perfect Strangers). This one, based on the book by Jane Harper, will be hoping to land with audiences — and if the trailer is anything to go by, then viewers can certainly expect a twisty-turny tale. It sees The Rings Of Power star Charlie Vickers playing a young man, Kieran Elliott, haunted by events that shaped his life some 15 years earlier, when a storm took the lives of two boys close to him. He survived and is haunted by what happened, still wrestling with his complex survivor guilt as he revisits his childhood home with partner Mia (played by Yerin Ha), who also grew up in the town. Almost as soon as they land back in the tiny Tasmanian town they once called home, a body washes up on the shore, and as events unfold, it begins to look increasingly as though the death is connected to the devastating events that happened all those years ago and the death of another girl they all grew up with. Shot in Tasmania and produced by the award-winning team at Tony Ayres Productions (Fires, Clickbait, Stateless), The Survivors boasts a stunning ensemble cast, including Robyn Malcolm (pictured), Jessica De Gouw, Catherine McClements, Thom Green and Martin Sacks. With a cast like that, you know it's going to be worth a watch. Seven seasons on, it's truly a marvel there's still blood to be squeezed from the Lego Masters stone. But you can't keep a good Brickman down. And he's back, along with host Hamish Blake, to preside over builders from seven countries — Canada, China, Finland, Sweden, USA, New Zealand and Australia — to see who'll be crowned 'the ultimate grandmaster of the galaxy'. It's a stretch, but we'll allow it. Family-friendly fun. This series, starring Owen Wilson as a washed-up golf pro who finds new purpose in mentoring a young golfing prodigy, has 'TV hit' written all over it. Heartfelt performances, believable characters and clippy dialogue make it an incredibly watchable proposition, even if the idea of a show about golf makes you want to stick a tee in your eye. Even the biggest haters will fall hard for this delightful series — you're going to love it. Love yourself a gritty British crime drama? This could be about to become your new favourite. And even better — it stars Sean Bean! This series, about a gang of cocaine smugglers, has been getting great reviews in the UK, and is BBC's most-watched new drama launch of 2025, which gives you an idea of what to expect. Also stars James Nelson-Joyce (pictured) and Hannah Onslow. One for Scouse crime fans. Watching high-profile Australians try to spell on national TV will never not be funny. Throw in comedian Guy Montgomery and his comedy offsider Aaron Chen and you've got a laugh-out-loud quiz show guaranteed to tickle your funny bone. This season's line-up includes Hannah Gadsby, Hamish Blake, Rove McManus, Denise Scott and Dave Hughes. Looking forward to seeing how they fare — the worse, the better!
