Australia’s newest soap opera, Out of the Blue, has just had its premiere -in the UK.

Commissioned by the BBC as a replacement for Neighbours (which moved to Five), the soap is produced by Southern Star for the UK. Britain, therefore, has rightfully won the premiere, ahead of its later screening in its home country on Network TEN.

The soap begins with a “whodunnit” murder story among friends in its seaside setting of Manly.

The programme attracted 1.2m (17.5%) on Monday – down 400,000, but still winning its timeslot.

“It is a really encouraging start, the performance was consistent with the slot and it won the slot,” said a BBC spokesman.

Out of the Blue follows the lives of a group of 30-somethings brought together for a reunion nine years after leaving school – a good-looking bunch with perfect teeth, blemish-free complexions and seemingly trouble-free lives.

All seems to be going well until one of them is found floating in the ocean. On closer inspection, it is discovered that the classmate was murdered.

As if that was not enough – not much happens in real-life Manly, by the way, which is one of the reasons why it is such a lovely place to live – it turns out that one of the friends is the killer.

As the pre-show blurb puts it: “The best of friends, the closest of families, an ocean of secrets, one shocking murder – out of the blue.”

In a cast of mostly newcomers, no-one yet knows who is the killer.

“They tell me nothing,” says Nathaniel Buzolic, who plays Paul. “It could be anyone. Could be me for all I know. I could be the killer. Don’t think I am because Paul’s a nice guy.

“But he’s very athletic so if he had to kill he could. But then again I don’t know. He might be really soft when it comes to those situations.”

BBC One has ordered 130 half-hour episodes of the soap produced by John Edwards (Secret Life of Us, Love My Way, Dangerous) with an initial six-month run. TEN will run the series sometime this year.

Official website

Source: BBC, Digital Spy