In an era of great change, season three brings new love, lust, births, deaths and marriages to 1970s Kings Cross. The Vietnam War is dividing the world, music and the media are shifting old ideals, and the lines between friendship, love and marriage are blurring.
The outstanding cast includes Logie Award-winning Jessica Marais (Dr Joan Millar), Jonathan LaPaglia (Dr Patrick McNaughton), Matthew Le Nevez (Jim), Mandy McElhinney (Matron), Miranda Tapsell (Martha), Sophie Hensser (Viv), Ella Scott Lynch (Shirley), Harriet Dyer (Patty), Gracie Gilbert (Annie), Andrew Ryan (Dr Simon Bowditch), Lincoln Younes (Chris), Maya Stange (Eva) with Tiarnie Coupland (Maggie) and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (Leon) joining the stellar ensemble.
In the premiere episode, Joan (Jessica Marais) is forced to continue living in the hospital whilst juggling work, a baby and a husband in remand. Exhausted, she collapses and is rushed into surgery, with dire results.
Delinquent teen Maggie (Tiarnie Coupland) is determined to discover the identity of her birth mother. Matron (Mandy McElhinney) is on a mission to have Stanton House reopened, and Bowditch (Andrew Ryan) quits his job, much to Martha’s (Miranda Tapsell) disappointment. Annie (Gracie Gilbert) is finally letting herself enjoy her time with Chris (Lincoln Younes), despite Matron’s presence in her life proving to always be a thorn in her side.
Relationships will be tested to the very core, but it is the arrival of a 15-year-old girl looking for her birth mother that changes the lives of many.
Love Child is produced by Playmaker for the Nine Network, with executive producers Andy Ryan, Jo Rooney, David Maher, David Taylor, Sue Seeary and Tim Pye, and the assistance of Screen NSW.
Nine has been rushing through the episodes not only to prop up the channel’s Monday ratings, but also to allow the season to finish before the Rio Olympics. Three episodes will be shown next week: one at 8pm Sunday (July 31) and two (including the season final) on Monday from 8.40pm.
Filming for the new season began in Kings Cross yesterday. WAAPA graduate Sophie Forrest (daughter of mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest) is joining the cast on a three-year contract.
The fourth season of Love Child is currently in production for the Nine Network in Sydney’s Kings Cross, bringing back familiar faces and introducing a brand new cast for Australia to fall in love with.
Award winning recording artist Ronan Keating makes his Australian television acting debut alongside returning Love Child favourites Jessica Marais, Mandy McElhinney, Miranda Tapsell, Sophie Hensser-Bloom, Harriet Dyer and Andrew Ryan.
“I’m very excited to be returning to Australia to join the incredible cast of the award-winning Nine drama, Love Child, for a special appearance in the new series. Australia and the amazing people there have been incredibly welcoming to me over the past 25 years, it always feels like home, so it’s great to get the chance to show them another side of what I do,” Ronan said.
Keating is no stranger to Australian screens, joining Love Child off the back of a successful stint as a coach on The Voice season five in 2016.
Others who have joined the cast are Dan Hamill (House Husbands, Jack Irish), Matt Day (Rake, Tangle), Danielle Catanzariti (Hey Hey it’s Esther Blueburger), Darcie Irwin-Simpson (Soul Mates) and Sophia Forrest (The Water Diviner).
Life has moved on for those who revolve around the world of Stanton House, it’s now 1972, the year of Gough Whitlam, the grooves of funk music, free education and immigration. Times are changing, and so are our girls.
“Viewers of all ages will fall in love with the fresh new faces and gripping stories in season four of Love Child. It’s an exciting new era for the characters of Kings Cross Hospital and we’re thrilled to bring audiences the new series of Australia’s most compelling drama,” said Jo Rooney and Andy Ryan, Heads of Drama for the Nine Network.
From an original concept by Sarah Lambert, Love Child is produced by Playmaker for the Nine Network, with executive producers Andy Ryan, Jo Rooney, David Maher, David Taylor and Sarah Smith and producer Sue Seeary with the assistance of Screen NSW and Screen Australia.
So Nine are taking over Seven’s traditional Tuesday night drama slot. Seven might regret not having a drama in that slot right now because they could end up losing those viewers they always had on that night forever.
I’m a bid saddened no one is talking about this season. I’ve sampled this show in the past and thought it was crap but I’m really loving this season.
All the weak characters have been booted and the new cast have been great additions. The three new girls have been excellent. Debbie though is easily the standout and the actress is superb.
Viv is probably my favourite character. Such a fun and bubbly character. Sophie Hensser has so much talent.
Seeing Joan be a strong and capable woman has been refreshing to see so far after being bogged down with man trouble last season.
Some nice background for Matron so far this season although the baby swap was pure BS just to inject some unnecessary drama. Total plot device but I have to say I’m enjoying it.
I really would love to see it get renewed but I’m thinking it not very likely. I’d like to blame Last Resort but it’s a really niche show.
I agree this season is better and it was a much needed revamp. They probably should have introduced three new girls last season rather than drag out the stories of all the originals. Last season was a stinker but this season is back to the quality of the first season.
I really love this season so far with only a few niggles.
I truly expected Ronan Keating to suck, but he was actually quite bearable.
Though my biggest criticism so far is Joan. I’m over her. I’m sick and tired of all her stories either being about her vagina or babies. When she actually gets something interesting, like her career, it is quickly wrapped up and the love triangles trotted out. Honestly she is becoming like that moronic slut Nina Proudman. It also doesn’t help Jessica Marais is the weakest actress by far in the cast with her annoying affected accent.
I will be devastated if the show ditches Viv. Why they insist on dumping yet another character I’ll never know considering they dumped half the cast already and this cast has gelled really well. I was disgusted with how the wrote Viv’s potential lesbian storyline. How many times do you get to explore lesbianism in the 70s? It was so insulting when Kate turned around and announced her pregnancy and thus spirited off. What a slap in the face and terrible writing. Can’t have any gays on this show, because JOAN NEEDS ANOTHER MAN!
Debbie was a hoot as usual. Loved her blackmail and how Matron dealt with it.
Matron and the Priest have been engrossing and her storyline next week looks great.
I hope Elena gets a happy ending, but I won’t hold my breath.
Martha really annoyed me in the pregnancy storyline, so cruel and selfish, but I can’t help but like her. I love how they are dealing with married life like her dinner party.
Rita’s certainly an intriguing character.
I still don’t get why this show though has to rely on over the top and contrived drama like the baby swap or Simon running over Elena’s boyfriend. It’s really unnecessary when you compare it with the natural drama like the dinner party. Still I haven’t been let down with how it’s all unfolded.
Popular Aussie singers shine on the latest series of Channel 9 drama Love Child
A RAFT of Aussie artists have stepped back in time and popped up as singers on the current season of TV drama Love Child.
Former X Factor duo Jess Dunbar and Matt Price, aka “Jess and Matt”, popped up on last night’s episode of the show which stars Jessica Marais, Ronan Keating and Miranda Tapsell.
Great episode tonight. This season has been really well constructed with the various stories intersecting brilliantly. Could quite possibly be the best season so far. Shame Nine gave it a rotten timeslot this year. It deserved to do better.
