As Australians across the country crowded in front of their TV sets to watch the nail-biting double episode finale of the outback dama RFDS, the Seven Network has revealed the award-winning show’s 2025 Season was Australia’s most watched free-to-air drama on consolidated viewing.
RFDS Season three was the show’s highest rated season ever, reaching 4.59 million people. Each episode attracted an average total TV audience of 1.028 million on consolidated viewing over seven days, up 17% (6% on broadcast and 79% on 7plus) compared to the 2023 season. In the remote outback community of Broken Hill, where RFDS staff and locals have a long-standing connection to the RFDS TV show and its cast, a ‘Finale RFDS Watch Party’ was organised to celebrate the success of Season 3.
The average audience for each episode grew by 41% in its first seven days on 7plus, making RFDS one of the most popular shows to watch on-demand on the streaming platform. The Series 3 movie-length RFDS season final was its biggest ever, reaching 1.4 million people, with a total TV audience of 761,000 for part one and 707,000 for part two – an increase of 36% on 38% respectively.
Filming for Season 3 took place across South Australia, including RFDS bases at Adelaide and Port Augusta and showcased the diversity of the rural and remote communities we serve. Each season authentically portrayed the real-life challenges faced by RFDS staff who work in emergency retrievals and rural healthcare. Australia’s favourite outback drama has also helped to highlight the innovation, passion, camaraderie and resilience of our dedicated RFDS pilots, doctors, nurses and mental health clinicians, as they serve their communities each and every day.
Since the hit Series first premiered in 2021, RFDS has gone from strength to strength, with every episode blending high-stakes action with deeply human stories of rural and remote Australia. Importantly, audiences across the country have also recognised and embraced the deeply authentic themes of outback life and the essential work that is undertaken by the RFDS 24/7, 365 days a year.
In 2016, when Endemol Shine Banks first began exploring the idea of a new television drama centred on the Flying Doctor, that realism was explored by an incredible team of writers and producers, who spent dedicated time at RFDS bases and clinics - interviewing RFDS doctors, nurses, pilots and patients.
Seven’s Director of Content, Scripted, Julie McGauran, who was also an Executive Producer on RFDS, said: “With its gripping storytelling, breathtaking outback landscapes and authentic portrayal of emergency services, RFDS has cemented itself as essential viewing for drama lovers nationwide. Seven is proud to tell stories that reflect the courage, compassion and complexity of life in remote Australia, and to honour the emergency services heroes who inspire every episode.”
All three seasons of RFDS are available on-demand on 7plus Although a future season is yet to be confirmed, the series has undeniably left a lasting impression on Australian audiences.
