Channel Nine's new show Sea Patrol was launched on Garden Island in Sydney on June 26.
Channel 9 has thrown its support behind drama Sea Patrol before it even starts, announcing a second series is to be filmed.
The announcement was made by Eddie McGuire's former right-hand man, Jeff Browne, at the program's launch in Sydney yesterday,
and shocked some of the cast and crew.
The drama, which is being billed as the most expensive Australian serial drama ever, has been sold to more than 100 countries,
making it a valuable money spinner for the network.
Channel 9 will be hoping star recruit Lisa McCune will turn Sea Patrol into a ratings hit much like her last lead role
in Blue Heelers.
The large cast features a number of old faces.
One is Kristian Schmid, who was last seen on Australian TV in the early 1990s
playing the role of Todd Landers in Neighbours.
But Schmid told Confidential he had hardly been out of work and had spent his time since Neighbours working in London,
studying at renowned drama school the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and moving to Sydney, where he is married.
The other familiar face for Neighbours fans will be Jay Ryan, formerly Jay Bunyan before changing his name for taste
reasons.
Ryan shared one of Delta Goodrem's first on-screen kisses and the two were extremely close off the set, especially when
the pop princess was having cancer treatment.
Adelaide Now
June 27, 2007
SEA Patrol's Kristian Schmid has a lot to thank Adelaide for, despite previously having been apprehensive about visiting
our fine state.
The former Neighbours lad, pictured, appeared last year in an Adelaide theatre production called Two Weeks With the Queen
a couple of months before filming Channel 9's epic upcoming drama, Sea Patrol, and is now up for an Adelaide critics' award
for his efforts.
"Before I did the play I was a little nervous of Adelaide – the men in the barrels and stuff," he says, adding
that the chance of picking up the prestigious gong has sweetened the deal.
"I was just excited to be nominated for something," he says. "The last thing I was nominated for was in 1988 and the
next year they cancelled the award." Schmid and his Sea Patrol castmates yesterday attended the show's swish launch aboard
Navy ship HMAS Sydney.
Media from around Australia mingled with the crew, who even braved Sydney Harbour's icy waters to perform a drill illustrating
the premise of the 13-part mini-series which is based on the Royal Australian Navy Patrol Boat Service.
At the launch, Josh Lawson – who plays "chefo" in the high-seas drama – also sang Adelaide's praises.
"My dad is an Adelaide boy, I've always got time for Adelaide," says Josh.
He also admitted that despite playing the ship's chef in the Channel 9 show, he can't really cook.