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Home / Entertainment

First look: Australia's favourite TV family reunites in Back to the Rafters trailer

NZ Herald
24 Aug, 2021 09:00 PM3 mins to read

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The new series picks up several years later in the lives of the Rafter family, as Dave and Julie adjust to a new life in the country. Photo / Supplied

The new series picks up several years later in the lives of the Rafter family, as Dave and Julie adjust to a new life in the country. Photo / Supplied

Seven years after we farewelled the Rafter family, they're about to be back on our screens.

In 2013 it was announced that the beloved family show Packed to the Rafters, starring New Zealand's own Rebecca Gibney, was ending after six seasons.

But now a new chapter has begun for Australia's favourite family. The highly anticipated new six-part series Back to the Rafters will premiere on Amazon Prime Video next month.

The reboot will see Gibney return to her beloved role as mum Julie Rafter, while Kiwi-Aussie actor Erik Thomson reprises his role as Dave Rafter.

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The new series picks up several years later in the lives of the Rafter family, as Dave and Julie adjust to a new life in the country. Photo / Supplied
The new series picks up several years later in the lives of the Rafter family, as Dave and Julie adjust to a new life in the country. Photo / Supplied

Georgina Haig, Hugh Sheridan, Angus McLaren, Michael Caton, HaiHa Le, George Houvardas, Aaron L. McGrath, Willow Speers and Hannah Marshall also join the cast.

The new series picks up several years later in the lives of the Rafter family, as Dave and Julie adjust to a new life in the country with their youngest child Ruby (Willow Speers).

Julie struggles with being absent from the rest of her children, while Dave is embracing the country lifestyle - including a new-found passion for motocross. But a trip back to Sydney to celebrate Dave and Julie's 35th wedding anniversary sees history repeat itself and the family ends up together once again in Ben's two-bedroom home.

While Ben and Cassie are trying to start a family together, Nathan tries to navigate life as a single dad. Photo / Supplied
While Ben and Cassie are trying to start a family together, Nathan tries to navigate life as a single dad. Photo / Supplied

But as the Rafter children have now become adults, they face new problems. Ben (Hugh Sheridan) and Cassie (HaiHa Lee) are trying to start a family together, Nathan (Angus McLaren) tries to navigate life as a single dad to Edward (Kaspar Frost) and Rachel (Georgina Haig) lives a secret life in New York. Meanwhile, Granddad Ted (Michael Caton) struggles with the onset of dementia.

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Dave and Julie's happiness is threatened when the family reunion reveals the crises below the surface. But whether they are packed under the same roof or far apart, love and laughter still bind them together.

Hugh Sheridan returns as Ben while HaiHa Lee plays Cassie. Photo / Supplied
Hugh Sheridan returns as Ben while HaiHa Lee plays Cassie. Photo / Supplied

Written by Bevan Lee, Margaret Wilson, Trent Atkinson and Katherine Thomson, the reboot was commissioned by Amazon Studios and directed by Jeremy Sims, Lynn Hegarty and Catherine Millar.

•Back to the Rafters premieres exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on September 17

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