09-09-2008, 09:14 PM
Starting this Sunday!
CHANNEL Nine will waste no time putting crime drama Underbelly to air in Victoria after a court ruling lifted a ban on the series.
But residents of the state where the real-life action took place will only get to see the first five episodes after a Supreme Court ruling today.
Channel Nine will screen the first two episodes of the crime drama this Sunday night.
Episodes three to five will screen on then screen on Tuesday and Sunday nights during the following two weeks.
Justice Peter Vickery ruled today edited versions of the first five episodes in the series, based on Melbourneâs gangland war, can air but the sixth must remain banned until a major criminal trial is over.
An accused criminal tried to get the series barred for fear it would prejudice their upcoming court case.
Justice Vickery said screening the sixth episode could have an impact on the accused criminalâs right to a fair trial but the others could be shown in their edited form.
Channel Nine Executive Director Jeffrey Browne said in a statement: "We are thrilled to be able to bring the first five specially edited episodes of this television phenomenon to Victorians, and particularly Melbourne where the events are based."
"The rest of Australia has not stopped talking about this ground-breaking series and we expect the Victorian publicâs appetite for Underbelly to exceed anything ever before screened in our state."
The series premiered in February in all states except Victoria attracting an average 1.3 million viewers.
[sub][url="http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24311788-2862,00.html"]http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...88-2862,00.html[/url][/sub]
CHANNEL Nine will waste no time putting crime drama Underbelly to air in Victoria after a court ruling lifted a ban on the series.
But residents of the state where the real-life action took place will only get to see the first five episodes after a Supreme Court ruling today.
Channel Nine will screen the first two episodes of the crime drama this Sunday night.
Episodes three to five will screen on then screen on Tuesday and Sunday nights during the following two weeks.
Justice Peter Vickery ruled today edited versions of the first five episodes in the series, based on Melbourneâs gangland war, can air but the sixth must remain banned until a major criminal trial is over.
An accused criminal tried to get the series barred for fear it would prejudice their upcoming court case.
Justice Vickery said screening the sixth episode could have an impact on the accused criminalâs right to a fair trial but the others could be shown in their edited form.
Channel Nine Executive Director Jeffrey Browne said in a statement: "We are thrilled to be able to bring the first five specially edited episodes of this television phenomenon to Victorians, and particularly Melbourne where the events are based."
"The rest of Australia has not stopped talking about this ground-breaking series and we expect the Victorian publicâs appetite for Underbelly to exceed anything ever before screened in our state."
The series premiered in February in all states except Victoria attracting an average 1.3 million viewers.
[sub][url="http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24311788-2862,00.html"]http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...88-2862,00.html[/url][/sub]