The show screened on the ABC in late 2007 and was an instant hit with viewers; at its peak capturing over 40 per cent of the under-40 audience. Starring, written and performed by Chris Lilley, the show is a parody of high school life and is based on three characters - drama teacher Mr G, snobby and self absorbed teenager Ja’mie King and rebellious student Jonah Takalua. Summer Heights High has already broken DVD sales records, taking less than five months to become the biggest-selling TV series DVD in Australian history.
ABC TV’s executive head of content creation Courtney Gibson said the public broadcaster was over the moon. “Mr G, Ja’mie and Jonah have been welcomed into the home of such immortals as Tony Soprano and Deadwood’s Al Swearingen in the US, and the home of groundbreaking comedy in the UK,” Ms Gibson said. “In terms of transatlantic TV sales, it just doesn’t get any classier than this.”
Further reading: New heights for Summer High
