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Shine confirms move into drama with INXS mini-series

Production company Shine has confirmed earlier reports that it would expand from reality into drama with the announcement of mini-series Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS.

Commissioned by Seven, the show “promises an authentic, behind the scenes look at what really happened – childhood mates from Sydney who were once the biggest rock and roll band in the world – beyond the music, the lights and the roar of a sell-out crowd,” according to a press release.

The two-part series will be executive produced by Mark Fennessy CEO and president of Shine Australia and Rory Callaghan, the company’s executive director.

While Shine has been one of Australia’s top reality production houses, Never Tear Us Apart will be the company’s first drama production. It follows the March appointment of Rory Callaghan, formerly of Southern Star, one of the premiere TV drama houses in the country.

Fennessy said: “There is a real buzz within the scripted market in Australia and I’m proud that Shine is a part of that. We’re about great storytelling and this is the first of some exciting announcements for us in Scripted content.”

Shine has enlisted Diana Reid, director of the year’s biggest mini-series Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War, to direct. Justin Monjo and Dave Warner will write.

The band’s manager, CM Murphy will be co-executive producer.

Tim Farriss of the band said: “People have been talking about the lives and times of INXS constantly for years. often getting the facts wrong, speculating on various issues and asking for TV and film rights. It seems that, finally, good people who we trust to do us justice and actually involve us in the project will finally happen.”

As well as the mini-series, in the works are two INXS biopics, one from Bobby Galinsky called Two Worlds Colliding, and one from Richard Lowenstein, called Michael.

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