Asher Keddie’s thoughts on Offspring’s future

AS the final episode of Offspring airs this week, the question of whether the program will return next year on Ten looms large once more.

AS Offspring loyalists, who waited two years for the resurrection of their favourite Australian dramedy to return, will tell you, this is a show which seems to thrive on teasing its audience.

If six seasons following the life and tumultuous times of Nina Proudman and her equally unpredictable family have taught fans anything, it’s this: don’t always count on a happy ending.

And as the final episode airs this week, the question of whether the program will return next year on Ten — not to mention the romantic future of Nina and her new suitor Harry — looms large once more.

For lead actor, Asher Keddie, keeping the audience in suspense is just how the cast and writers like it.

“Obviously we’ve talked and the possibility is always there for another series,” she tells TV Guide, “otherwise you don’t make a show, I don’t think. But one thing I can say is, it was really important to me, and to all of us I think, that we don’t tie things up with a pretty bow [in the final episode]. It’s not the show and it doesn’t feel right to me. It’s always nice to leave the door open...you just never know where everybody is going to be at.”

Asher Keddie loves keep the audience in suspense.

With Nina’s relationship with Harry [Alex England] still struggling under the weight of her intimacy fears; Jimmy [Richard Davies] and Zara [Jane Harber] confronting her affair with Angus [Dan Wyllie]; and Billie [Kat Stewart] caught up in Brody’s pregnancy [played by Shannon Berry], there is no shortage of drama or difficult decisions ahead of them, Keddie says.

“They are all walking towards making better choices, all the Proudmans, but they have also grown a lot through all their heartache; through the really hard lessons and some really dodgy choices,” she explains.

The decision to revive the show was a good decision by Ten and those who returned to the production, with a network spokeswoman hinting an announcement about season 7 was pending soon: “we are delighted with how Offspring has performed so far this season, with every episode winning its timeslot in the key 25 to 54 age group and the show generating enormous talk and traction online and on social media. We would love to have Offspring back in 2017 and working on bringing it back next year.”

Offspring stars Kat Stewart, Asher Keddie and Richard Davies. Picture: Supplied

Keddie hopes Nina, shocked by Harry’s description of her as a “lovely disaster,” lets herself find love again.
“When Harry said that it was a turning point for her and when we moved into the final episode she once again digs really deep and actually starts to make some choices that could potentially allow her to embrace some happiness in her life. If she could just let herself love someone.”

The actor braved blurring the lines between her own happy marriage to artist Vincent Fantauzzo and work when the Archibald-winning painter joined the cast for the steamiest cameo this year.

“I don’t know what to say about it, I’m kind of blushing as we speak,” Keddie giggles.

“We took [that sex scene] pretty s eriously actually but I certainly didn’t coach him in any way. He’s a natural, Vincent, and anything he tries he’s really good at...he’s one of those really frustrating people who just nails stuff, just nails it. I thought he did a great job.”

So will we expect to see the couple’s two boys, Luka, 7 and 18-month-old Valentino join the cast list for 2017? “You’ll be waiting a long time for that,” she laughed.

* Offspring airs 8.30pm, Wednesday on Ten.

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Originally published as Asher Keddie’s thoughts on Offspring’s future