Nadine Garner, Elaine Crombie and Daniel Henshall are among nine actors joining the upcoming “Wentworth” spin-off, with Binge unveiling a first look at the series.
The casting announcement comes on the fifth anniversary of the original show’s finale, which aired on October 26th, 2021.
Garner (“The Doctor Blake Mysteries”), Crombie (“Invisible Boys”) and Henshall (“The Family Next Door”) will appear alongside Grace Chow (“Good Cop Bad Cop”), Sara West (“Troppo”), Claude Jabbour (“Last King of the Cross”), Laura Gordon (“Watching You”), Thom Green (“The Survivors”) and Chika Ikogwe (“Heartbreak High”).
The nine additions join previously announced cast members Rachel Griffiths, Sophie Lowe, Alex King and Chenile Chandler, who will play Moira, Sam, Dee and Lily, respectively. The spin-off will also bring back three familiar faces from the original series, with Katrina Milosevic reprising her role as Susan “Boomer” Jenkins, Nicole da Silva returning as Franky Doyle and Kate Box as Lou Kelly.
Currently filming in Melbourne, “Wentworth: Halfway Home” follows Boomer as she adjusts to life outside prison. After being granted parole, she moves into Sal’s Halfway House, hoping to regain custody of her daughter and start over. However, her plans are thrown into turmoil when a body is discovered, raising questions about who she can trust among the house’s former inmates.
Check out the official first look below.
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Garner, who joins the franchise for the first time, said she had long admired the original production and its contribution to Victoria’s screen industry.
“For many years I had friends and colleagues creating and working on Wentworth…It became a solid fixture of screen work in Victoria. I admired the show from afar and the incredible world that they had built as a team. I never dreamed I would be stepping into this next chapter and am so grateful for the opportunity to carry forward the story for their dedicated audience. It’s a real thrill for me,” she said.
The original “Wentworth” premiered on Foxtel in 2013 as a contemporary reimagining of the Australian television drama “Prisoner.” Running for eight seasons, the Fremantle-produced series became an international success, reaching audiences in more than 170 territories before concluding in October 2021.
Fremantle Australia is producing the new series for DAZN’s Binge, with major production investment from Foxtel and Screen Australia and additional financing from VicScreen. Carly Heaton and Brett Popplewell serve as executive producers, alongside co-executive producer Jessica Paine and producer Dean O’Toole. Gracie Otto is the set-up director, with Nina Buxton and Tenika Smith also directing episodes. The writing team comprises Paine, Kodie Bedford, Alexandra Cullen, Hannah Samuel, Alix Beane, Romina Accurso, Nikki Tran and Chris Squadrito.
“Wentworth: Halfway Home” is scheduled to premiere exclusively on Binge and Foxtel in late 2026, although an exact release date has yet to be announced.
Ahead of its debut, all episodes of the original “Wentworth” will be available on Foxtel’s More Pop-Up Hits Channel 129 and Binge from November 11th.
Check out the images below.
