More Wild at Heart for ITV

One of ITV’s most successful dramas of the last decade, Wild at Heart, has been recommissioned for a seventh series.

Since its launch in 2006 Wild at Heart has become one of ITV’s best rating dramas. The broadcaster says “To date in 2011 Wild at Heart has the highest average audience of any ITV1 drama – 8.0 million viewers and a 26% share of the audience across the series. This represents an increase of 383k viewers, +5%, on the 2010 average.”

Stephen Tompkinson, Dawn Steele, Hayley Mills and Deon Stewardson will all return to reprise their roles for the series which begins filming ten new episodes of the successful family drama in South Africa this August for broadcastin in 2012. Created by Ashley Pharoah and produced by Company Picturesn

“The new series will open just a few weeks after Danny, Alice, Caroline and Du Plessis have lost Leopard’s Den.  The mining company’s work has stalled following the corruption scandal Danny and Dup unearthed last series, and the family aren’t sure if they’ve lost their home forever.  With the women back home in the UK, Danny and Dup set out to find a new place for everyone to live.  It’s a fresh start for them, but will they find somewhere suitable for Danny and Alice to re-establish their veterinary practice and game reserve?

Equally, emotions are still running high as unscrupulous mining boss Peeters played by David Butler continues to create problems for the family.  Significantly, Dup takes a decision which will rock the foundations of their relationship and Danny is put in the predicament of deciding whether he can support his friend and long-term business partner or whether they will have to go their separate ways.  The repercussions of this situation will be lead to emotional turmoil in the life of Dup, Caroline and Danny.” ITV say.

Danny Trevanion’s teenage daughter Olivia played by Olivia Scott-Taylor and her boyfriend Thabo (Atandwa Kani) will also return to the series. This series will also feature a new character, Sean, who is introduced as a rival to Danny.  The stage is set for a turbulent relationship between the two men and throughout the twists and turns of the plot we learn more about Sean and why perhaps he behaves the way he does.

Wild at Heart has been recommissioned by ITV’s Drama commissioning team Laura Mackie, Sally Haynes and Steve November.

“I am delighted that Wild at Heart will be returning to ITV1 in 2012,” said Steve. “We can look forward to seeing our favourite characters in new and exciting situations and to seeing significant new characters join the mix.”