NCIS: SYDNEY & RFDS RECOGNISED WITH BRONZE TOWERS AT THE NEW YORK FESTIVALS TV & FILM AWARDS

SYDNEY AUSTRALIA – FRIDAY 22 MAY 2026 – The third seasons of both NCIS: Sydney and RFDS have both been recognised with Bronze Towers at the 2026 New York Festivals TV & Film Awards in the Entertainment Program – Drama category.

Endemol Shine Australia’s Director of Scripted Content, Sara Richardson said: “To see the third seasons of both of these dramas recognised at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards is an enormous honour and a celebration of everyone who makes them.

“They are fine examples of Australian storytelling at its best,” she continued.

 NCIS: Sydney is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Entertainment company) for CBS Studios and Paramount Australia. With the fourth season currently in production, NCIS: Sydney continues to showcase Australian talent and locations on a global stage, as part of the internationally renowned NCIS franchise.  The first three seasons can currently be seen on Paramount+, with international rights managed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

The third season of RFDS is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Entertainment company) in association with the Seven Network, with major production investment from Screen Australia, Seven Network, South Australian Film Corporation and post digital and visual effects supported by Screen NSW. Banijay Rights manages international distribution for RFDS outside of Australia. 

About Endemol Shine Australia 

Endemol Shine Australia (ESA), a Banijay Entertainment company, is a leader in world-class television creation and distribution, producing some of Australia’s most popular programs. With a unique creative approach in supercharging and supersizing formats into global hits, credits include: MasterChef Australia, Married at First Sight, Australian Survivor, Big Brother, LEGO Masters, Gogglebox Australia, Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, Portrait Artist of the Year and Race Around the World. Game shows: Tipping Point and Deal or No Deal, as well as acclaimed dramas including the 2024 TV Week Logie Award winning RFDS, NCIS: Sydney, Bali 2002, Offspring, Sisters, Peter Allen: Not The Boy Next Door and INXS: Never Tear Us Apart. A multi-award-winning production powerhouse, ESA has secured awards from the International Emmys, TV Week Logie Awards, AACTA Awards, New York Festivals TV & Film Awards, Content Innovation Awards, Realscreen Awards, Venice TV Awards, Asian Television Awards, and SPA Awards. 

THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENTARY OF AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST SPORTING RIVALRY: ‘ORIGIN STORY’

PREMIERES TONIGHT - WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 ON CHANNEL 9 AND 9NOW

In the build-up to the 2026 AMPOL State of Origin Series exclusive on Nine, the definitive tale of the biggest rivalry in Australian sport will be told in the gripping four-part documentary series ORIGIN STORY, from tonight - Wednesday, May 20 at 8.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now. 

The explosive genesis, tribal warfare, and the deep cultural impact of Australian sport’s greatest rivalry between New South Wales and Queensland is laid bare.

Before it was a ratings behemoth and the flagship event of the rugby league season, State of Origin was a desperate experiment. In Chapter 1 – Origin of Pride viewers return to where it all started in 1980, tracking how a dying, one-sided contest was miraculously transformed into rugby league’s ultimate battleground of identity, pride, and state loyalty.

On the rugby league battlefield, New South Wales and Queensland had been at war since 1908. But for 72 years, it wasn’t a fair fight. Under the old ‘state of residence’ rule, Queensland’s finest players - chasing opportunity in wealthy Sydney clubs - were legally forced to represent New South Wales. 

A single rule change ignited State of Origin, transforming a dying contest into rugby league’s fiercest rivalry driven by pride, identity, and state loyalty.

On July 8, 1980, at a packed Lang Park in Brisbane, a bold experiment was born: Game 3 would select players based on where they first fell in love with the game.

Featuring powerful storytelling, rare archival footage and firsthand reflections from the legends who lived it, the series charts the rise of State of Origin from a last-ditch experiment to a defining symbol of identity, pride and sporting excellence.

Produced by the award-winning team at Endemol Shine Australia, a Banijay Entertainment company – the creators of Married at First Sight, MasterChef Australia, Australian Survivor, as well as sports documentaries, Shaking Down the Thunder and No Holds Barred – Origin Story delivers a powerful and emotional look at the moments, players and rivalries that transformed State of Origin into the greatest spectacle in rugby league.

Endemol Shine Australia Director of Content, Marty Benson, said: “This series is something we’re incredibly proud of. The team has poured an enormous amount of passion, care and research into telling the story of State of Origin in a way that feels both cinematic and deeply authentic.

“Beyond the unforgettable moments on the field, this captures the emotion, identity and fierce pride that have made this rivalry such an enduring part of Australian sport and culture.”

Origin Story premieres tonight - Wednesday, May 20, on Channel 9 and 9Now. Check local guides for broadcast times.

Cameras Roll On Season Four Of NCIS: Sydney.

Production Begins In Sydney On The Next Chapter Of The Global Hit. 

Production has officially commenced on the fourth season of the global Paramount+ Australian original hit drama NCIS: Sydney, with filming now underway across Sydney’s iconic harbour and surrounding areas.

Following continued international success, the new season will see the elite joint taskforce of U.S. NCIS agents and the Australian Federal Police return to tackle high-stakes naval crimes, delivering the signature twists, action and character-driven storytelling that audiences have come to know and love.

In their most adrenaline fuelled season yet, the NCIS: Sydney team is back to solve the unsolvable and deliver justice in the way that only they can!  From criminal mastermind mermaids, to adventures on the high seas, gold heists and the illicit trade of government secrets, life-or-death stakes push our team to breaking point. As professional lines begin to blur, will long-simmering romantic tensions finally reach a fever pitch?

Paramount ANZ’s Creative Advisor Drama, Rick Maier said: "Series four means so much. Great for fans, cast, crew and our creative community, and we have so many more incredible stories to tell. This commission is testament not just to brilliant work and fantastic production partners, but to how well NCIS: Sydney has been received here and abroad."

Endemol Shine Australia’s Director of Scripted Content, Sara Richardson said: “NCIS: Sydney is back, and we are incredibly excited that we get to keep making this show in our own backyard, sharing Australian craft and talent with audiences around the world. I am immensely proud of the extraordinary team whose passion and creativity breathe life into these characters season after season. The opportunity to create jobs, champion local crews, and keep telling bold, ambitious Australian stories on this scale is important..

NCIS: Sydney stars Olivia Swann, Todd Lasance, Sean Sagar, Tuuli Narkle, Mavournee Hazel and William McInnes.

Produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Entertainment company) for CBS Studios and Paramount Australia, the series continues to showcase Australian talent and locations on a global stage, as part of the internationally renowned NCIS franchise.

NCIS is the world’s most successful television franchise globally. NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: Hawai’i, NCIS: Sydney, NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Tony & Ziva have been licensed in over 200 markets worldwide.

The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside of Australia.

All three seasons of NCIS: Sydney are currently streaming on Paramount+, and the thrilling double episode season finale streaming from Tuesday. 

NCIS: Sydney Season 4 will join a host of the world’s best entertainment currently streaming on Paramount+, including The Madison, Marshals: A Yellowstone Story, School Spirits Season Three, Ghosts Australia, Landman Season Two, Mayor Of Kingstown Season Four, Playing Gracie Darling, Fake, Last King of The Cross Season Two, Dexter: Resurrection, The Gilded Age Season Three, MobLand, with Two Years Later and Dalliance streaming soon.

You can stream 20,000 hours of unique stories, iconic stars, live sport and a mountain of entertainment on Paramount+ with plans starting from $7.99 per month for a monthly subscription or from $70.99 for an annual subscription.

Join the conversation:

www.ParamountPlus.com.au 
@ParamountPlusAU 
@NCISverse 
@cbstv 
#NCISSydney   

Six storytellers. Ten films. One winner. Race Around The World returns

ABC’s groundbreaking series Race Around The World returns on Sunday 7 June at 7.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview, introducing a new generation of Australian filmmakers.

Hosted by Zan Rowe, with original Race Around The World breakout star John Safran returning as weekly judge, the reimagined series will showcase the unique cinematic voice of six young Australians.

The rules are simple: six filmmakers travel solo through 10 countries, delivering a new short film every 10 days, over 100 days.

Working entirely alone, they will shoot, write, edit and produce each film from start to finish, before dialling in from wherever they are in the world to share it with a live studio audience.

Each week, a rotating panel of expert judges including Margaret Pomeranz, Claudia Karvan, Danny Philippou, Bruce Beresford, Wayne Blair, Gracie Otto and more, will join John Safran to critique each Racer’s work. ABC’s groundbreaking series Race Around The World returns on Sunday 7 June at 7.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview, introducing a new generation of Australian filmmakers.

Hosted by Zan Rowe, with original Race Around The World breakout star John Safran returning as weekly judge, the reimagined series will showcase the unique cinematic voice of six young Australians.

The rules are simple: six filmmakers travel solo through 10 countries, delivering a new short film every 10 days, over 100 days.  

Working entirely alone, they will shoot, write, edit and produce each film from start to finish, before dialling in from wherever they are in the world to share it with a live studio audience.

Each week, a rotating panel of expert judges including Margaret Pomeranz, Claudia Karvan, Danny Philippou, Bruce Beresford, Wayne Blair, Gracie Otto and more, will join John Safran to critique each Racer’s work.  

At the end of the season, the Racer with the winning score will receive their own personal project produced and funded by the ABC.  

Introducing the Race Around The World Class of 2026: 

Elliot, New South Wales Video Content Producer
Elliot is a people-first filmmaker drawn to complex, hard-to-reach stories. Curious, compassionate and fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, he works independently in volatile environments, earning trust quickly. With a background in psychology, he finds humanity, contradiction and resilience where few cameras go.

Jayden, Northern Territory
Marine Biologist
Jayden is a marine biologist turned environmental photojournalist working solo in remote, high-risk environments. Shooting, writing and producing end-toend, he’s driven by strong ethics and optimism. Comfortable with isolation and extremes, his work spans conservation, people and climate change, including extensive work in Antarctica.

Kate, Victoria Lollipop Lady
Kate is an arts school graduate who works part-time as a lollipop lady to fund her films. Her work blends sharp observation, dry humour and inventive restraint, revealing the odd logic of everyday spaces through cinematic revelatory nonfiction storytelling.

Lucinda, New South Wales
Author and Internet Personality
Lucinda is an author, comedian and internet personality best known as Froomes. She creates fast, instinctive, internet-first work through her one-woman studio, blending humour, sharp research and lived experience. Prioritising immediacy over polish, she uses comedy to probe beauty standards, gender, identity and culture.

Mikaela, Western Australia Sports Marketing and Film Industry Freelancer
Mikaela is a Gen Z filmmaker with an instinctive grasp of digital culture. Her creative process is hands-on and observational, building female centric stories from real moments. Blending social media vernacular with cinematic texture, creating emotive, people driven work grounded in everyday life.

William, Queensland Data Scientist
William is an articulate, upbeat and quietly nerdy filmmaker with a background in AI and data science. An ideas first, people driven storyteller, his tongue-in-cheek style avoids formal interviews, favouring movement, humour and empathy. He brings warmth and intelligence to character-led documentaries and music videos.

Watch all your favourite programs on ABC iview now. 

Production credit: Race Around the World is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Entertainment company) for ABC. Endemol Shine Australia Executive Producer: Kate Paul. Endemol Shine Australia Director of Content: Amelia Fisk. ABC Executive Producer: Mark Sutton. ABC Head of Entertainment: Rachel Millar.

Oh Brother... Here We Go Again!

Big Brother Returns In 2026.

Last year, Australia crowned Coco as their favourite housemate in the reboot of the iconic reality TV sensation, Big Brother.

Bringing back live nominations, live evictions, and live feeds, fans couldn’t get enough of our dysfunctional little family as they tried to survive all the twists and surprises Big Brother threw their way. 

And in 2026, a brand-new batch of housemates will be rolling their luggage up to BB’s door in the hopes of winning the hearts of the nation, and the cheeky cash prize that goes with it!

Big Brother said: "Another year, another group of housemates who think they can outsmart me. How adorable. 

“Australia, I hope you're ready, because I've been watching, I've been planning, and let's just say… this year's surprises will be my finest work yet. Welcome back to my House." 

Hosted by Mel Tracina, the social experiment is back and bigger than ever. Expect even more twists, unexpected friendships, hilarity, tantrums, and maybe a showmance or two! 

One thing’s for certain; Big Brother is watching... and we know you will be too! 

Keep your eyes peeled for more updates very soon.

Big Brother is produced for Network 10 by Endemol Shine Australia, a Banijay Entertainment company.

Big Brother Returning Soon To 10.