Secret City: Thrilling new political drama will make viewers vote with their remote

THE election campaign can be a real turn-off but Foxtel’s thrilling new drama series Secret City should force you to vote with your remote when it premieres on June 5 on Showcase channel.

Jacki Weaver stars in Secret City. Picture: Foxtel

WITH the federal election likely to wallpaper our television screens for the next seven weeks, it would have to be something special to draw viewers into watching even more politics, but Foxtel’s thrilling new drama series Secret City should force you to vote with your remote when it premieres at 8.30pm on June 5 on Showcase channel.

The first two episodes of the stunning adaptation of two novels by Canberra press gallery veterans Chris Uhlmann and Steve Lewis were “teased” to media last week and like the national capital’s icy winter weather they delivered just the right kind of chill.

Secret City also stars Dan Wyllie, Anna Torv and Alex Dimitriades. Picture: Nick Wilson/Foxtel

Anna Torv is newspaper journalist Harriet Dunkley, who stumbles into a story of murder, betrayal and international intrigue. She leads the goosebump-inducing action and a first-class cast which must have cost producers the GDP of a small Pacific nation to assemble — including two-time Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver, Logie-winning actor Alex Dimitriades, Love My Way’s Dan Wyllie, The Beautiful Lie’s Benedict Samuel, Love Child’s Miranda Tapsell and Damon Herriman, who has to be one of Australia’s most remarkable and under-appreciated talents.

Directed by Emma Freeman (Tangle, Love My Way), the early pace is a scintillating slow burn in the style of Scandi-noir series like The Bridge or the UK original of House Of Cards.

Torv, who all but bypassed Australian television for immediate fame in US dramas like Fringe, will undoubtably earn the adoration of local viewers for her impressive performance and screen magnetism.

With plot points that include defence contracts for a flotilla of new submarines, cyber security, and the Machiavellian manoeuvrings of our elected officials, this drama involves the hot button issues of today.

But the skilled weaving of the storylines, the cinematic quality of the production and mostly the world-class acting will force you to look twice at the real players lining up to earn access to those same corridors of power.

Bake Off off and away as Sian is wooed by Italy

HAVING to hand back her crown and apron as the winner of last year’s series of surprise hit The Great Australian Bake Off really brought sweet cook Sian Redgrave down last week.

But revisiting the set of the LifeStyleFOOD competition, back in production to find a season two cooking star, has been just the pick-me-up for the now Sydney-based baker.

That, and the prospect of jetting out on her prize trip to Italy next month, where she will spend six weeks taking cooking classes in Calabria, Tuscany, Florence and all around the Amalfi coast.

Don’t you just hate her?

Great Australian Bake Off judges Matt Moran and Maggie Beer with last year's winner Sian Redgrave.

“I really hate me too,” Redgrave told TV Insider, “but do you know how many times I’ve had a conversation with someone and they’re the one going? So screw you,” she laughed.

It has been a busy time since she won the first Foxtel series last December: moving from Perth to Sydney to chase her dream food career which has included styling Jesinta Campbell’s lifestyle book and recently filming a TV commercial for Air New Zealand.

“I’ve got a lot of plans and I don’t want to stop at just styling,” she said. “I’m sure Italy will be a source of a lot of inspiration.”

Dad thought I was in a game show, says Thrones star

IT’S the most talked about, binge-watched and headline-grabbing TV series in the world today.

But when New Zealand actor Joe Naufahu told his parents he’d secretly landed a role as Dothraki warrior Khal Moro on Game Of Thrones (7.30pm, tonight on showcase) their first impression wasn’t quite what he was expecting.

“When I told my dad Bill about the job he thought it was a game show and I was going to be a contestant,” the charming actor and former rugby player told TV Insider from Los Angeles.

“He watched it at first but he really just likes food shows and sport. He’s a very supportive dad but it’s a bit far-fetched for him.

Game Of Thrones actor Joe Naufahu as Khal Moro.

“I was in Spartacus as well and he didn’t like that either. I need to have a cooking show or go on MasterChef, he’d be stoked.”

Still, Naufahu earned major brownie points by taking his mother, Agnes, to the LA premiere this month before flying her to New York to visit his sister for Mother’s Day.

“It’s been pretty special. Me and mum are pretty close, so it’s been nice to take her along and I know she was pretty staunch, but she was enjoying herself.”

The strict security around the show’s cast and plot lines also meant the 38-year-old had to swear his two kids, Eva (8) and Freddy (6), to keep their dad’s work secret.

Joe Naufahu attends the Season 6 premiere of Game Of Thrones in Hollywood. Picture: Getty Images

“Their teachers are tricky, man. I said to Eva, ‘Okay, if your teachers start asking you what’s happening in the show, you’re not allowed to tell them’. She was good mates with her teacher but she said to me, ‘Dad, I didn’t tell her anything’ and I was like ‘good girl’,” Naufahu said.

Getting to set in Spain last year, the cloak-and-dagger stuff continued, despite crazed fans and paparazzi trying to sneak a peek at the action.

“They were using drones; standing on the clifftops trying to look over us. We’d come home and look on the internet and there’d be shots of what we’d been filming. It’s just the passion of the fans.”

Axel Whitehead’s entry into the Marvel universe is a forgettable one.

ONE TO WATCH

Marvel at this shocker

Former Home And Away star Axle Whitehead has landed a spot on US telly, scoring a role in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. But a clip circulating of one of his scenes can best be described as S.H. I ... (you can spell out the rest). Between his dog-masked co-stars, a dodgy script and his head-wobbling performance (think a hooded Fatty Vautin), it doesn’t put the marvel into marvellous.

Lydia Schiavello and Pettifleur Berenger from The Real Housewives of Melbourne. Picture: Getty

TV GOSSIP

Warne-ing for reunion

If Shane Warne didn’t take kindly to the media interest in his booty call with Brynne Edelsten last week, he’s going to be less than impressed when he sees the Real Housewives Of Melbourne revisit rumours linking him to Lydia Schiavello, Janet Roach and Susie McLean in tonight’s reunion special (8.30pm, on Arena). Fans will love the catfight, but keep an eye on Twitter to gauge Warney’s interest.

Richard Roxborough is back and at his blistering best in Rake.

DON’T MISS

Rake lands back on the box

Oh Cleaver Greene, how can we stay mad at you? The cheeky legal Lothario returns to our small screen with a crash, bam, wallop, landing himself in even more trouble than he’s ever been in before. In this, the final season (we’ve heard that before), Richard Roxburgh (above) is at his blistering best; but also keep a look out for a spectacular scene with Paper Giants star Rob Carleton (8.30pm, Thursday on ABC).