The Worst Year Of My Life, Again

The Worst Year Of My Life, Again

They tell you school days are the best years of your life. But what if they weren't? And what if you woke up one morning to discover you had to relive the most excruciating 12 months of high school all over again? A comedy series for every child who's tried to take control of their life, The Worst Year Of My Life, Again has begun filming in Melbourne.

A co-production between the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) and Reflective Pictures for ABC3 and CBBC, the 13-part series will be shot over 14 weeks, and introduces three exciting new young actors - Ned Napier, Laurence Boxhall and Tiarnie Coupland in the lead roles.

Alex King (Ned Napier) has had a horrible year - humiliated by his teachers, targeted by bullies and embarrassed by attempts to impress the most popular girl in school. So when he wakes up on his birthday to discover that somehow time has reset itself, he can't believe he must relive every miserable moment of the past 12 months once more. Until his friends Simon Birch (Laurence Boxhall) and Maddy Kent (Tiarnie Coupland) convince him he's being offered a second chance and maybe this time round, he can get it right.

'Casting the lead roles has been key." says Bernadette O'Mahony, Producer for the ACTF. 'The production team travelled across Australia in an extensive auditioning process testing 270 young actors and we're delighted to be working with Ned, Laurence and Tiarnie in their first long form series." Tim Brooke-Hunt, ABC's Controller of Children's Television, said: 'We are delighted to collaborate with CBBC, Screen Australia and the ACTF in the financing and production of this series, which promises to deliver great comedy and physical humour to ABC3's audience."

The Worst Year Of My Life, Again has been created by Mark Brotherhood, and written by Mark Brotherhood, Brendan Luno, Peter Mattessi, Sam Caroll and Kirsty Fisher. Producers are Ross Allsop (Doctor Blake Mysteries, Beaconsfield, Rush), and Bernadette O'Mahony (Mortified, Dance Academy, You're Skitting Me, My Place). Series Directors are Pino Amenta (Winners & Losers, Packed to the Rafters, Mortified), Darren Ashton (Rush, Offspring, Thunderstruck) and John Hartley (Mako, Rush).

The series has been financed through Screen Australia, ABC TV, ACTF, Film Victoria and CBBC and will be distributed by the ACTF.

The Worst Year Of My Life, Again will screen late 2013 or early 2014.