The ABC announced today that the fifth series of Rake will go into production in October. The series will screen in 2018.
Co-creator and producer Richard Roxburgh returns in his multi award-winning role (Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama - 2013 AACTAs) (Most Outstanding Actor - 2011 TV Week Logies) as Cleaver Greene.
Cleaver returns as an independent senator in Parliament House. Embroiled in scandal after scandal, Cleaver will add yet more chaos to his life and the lives of those around him. With parliament crumbling, will Cleaver step up to help Australia keep calm and carry on?
Season 5 of Rake will also see the return of his long-suffering friends, relatives, and pugnacious foes including David (Matt Day), Wendy (Caroline Brazier), Missy (Adrienne Pickering), Finnigan (Keegan Joyce), Nicole (Kate Box) and Cal (Damien Garvey).
Heading up a stellar creative team is producer, creator and award-winning writer Peter Duncan, who will again direct alongside Rowan Woods, Shannon Murphy and Jenn Leacey. Duncan’s writing co- collaborator, the acclaimed Andrew Knight is also back on board.
Peter Duncan says, “As a committed if somewhat lazy group of anarchists, we wanted to see if Cleaver could bring as much chaos to Parliament as he did to the courts. So far, we think our mission is on track. It’s great that we have an opportunity to expand Cleaver’s messy palette and give Richard a chance to get his hands truly dirty."
Sally Riley says, “I’m looking forward to living vicariously through Cleaver Green as he runs rampant in the Australian Parliament and I’m sure ABC audiences will love it too. He’s a truly loved character that says and does all the things you sometimes wish you could. So happy to have him back on our screens in 2018”.
Rake is produced for ABC in association with Create NSW.
Written by Peter Duncan and Andrew Knight. Producers: Ian Collie, Peter Duncan and Richard Roxburgh. Series Creators: Peter Duncan, Richard Roxburgh and Charles Waterstreet. Directors: Peter Duncan, Rowan Woods, Shannon Murphy and Jennifer Leacey. ABC Executive Producers: Sally Riley and Andrew Gregory.