London – FremantleMedia has confirmed on May 7 that prison drama Celblok-H, the Dutch adaptation of the global Australian hit Wentworth, has been re-commissioned by SBS 6 in Holland for a second season on. SBS confirmed the second season earlier this week even before the final episode of the first season aired.
Adapted from the hugely successful FremantleMedia Australia series, season one Celblok-H used the same scripts to tell the gritty story of survival, rivalry, power struggles and unlikely allegiances within a female prison. It is expected that season two will follow the same process.
Compelling and emotional, season one of Celblok-H captured up to 1.3 million viewers becoming the number one drama on SBS6 so far this year. The show performed up to 84% higher than SBS6’s prime time average for total individuals (4+) and won shares of up to 21%, performing 145% higher than SBS6’s prime time average for the 20-49 demographic.
Willem Zijlstra, CEO of FourOne.Media said, “Quality rules. I am happy that our friends at SBS have decided to follow-up on the first season so soon. We’ve made a true version of the Australian original and all credit to them, it works on every level and the audience responded accordingly.”
Jo Porter, Director of Drama at FremantleMedia Australia said, “We could not be more proud to see the Australian DNA in Wentworth go on to create new versions around the world. It is particularly satisfying to see Celblok-H receive the same popular and critical acclaim as the original; it is fantastic news that our friends and colleagues in Holland have received a commission for a second series. The unique networks within FremantleMedia mean we are able to create drama that works around the world.”
The second season of Wentworth will premiere May 20 on Foxtel Australia with the third season currently in production. The first season of Wentworth has garnered critical acclaim internationally, and has won two 2014 ASTRA Awards for ‘Most Outstanding Drama’ and ‘Most Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor’. The show continues to captivate international audiences, having sold to over 80 markets to date. Season 2 of Celblok-H will go into production later this summer.
