Austin on ABC – Julian Hartswood (Ben Miller) would be the last person you’d think needs help.
He has a beautiful wife and family, a 28-year blockbuster career as an author, and respect and adoration from the media as well as young readers around the world.
But while on the Australian tour of his latest book, “Big Bear In Space”, he reposts a tweet from a white supremacist, and within minutes, his reputation goes from adored to reviled.
His book events are immediately called off and his wife, Ingrid (Sally Phillips), who illustrates his best-sellers, starts fielding offers to work with other authors.
But Julian is determined to forge ahead with the tour and sets up his own book signing event without his publisher’s approval. And it’s there he meets Austin (Michael Theo), a neurodivergent 20-something claiming to be his son.
Initially Julian tries to escape from Austin, then denies ever meeting Austin’s mother, and then decides that presenting himself to the public with his long-lost autistic son may be a path to career redemption.
Austin is happy to indulge Julian’s self-interest. But an even greater problem emerges for Julian when Ingrid adds nine months to Austin’s age and realises he was conceived while she and Julian were dating.
So now Julian must manage cancellation, a new son, and a wife/work partner who can’t decide whether she wants revenge or just to walk away. This is the story of a selfish man who stumbles upon a righteous path thanks to the patience, smarts, and decency of his neurodivergent son.
Production credit: A Northern Pictures production with Lincoln Pictures for the ABC. Major Production investment from the ABC in association with Screen Australia, the ACT Government and Screen Canberra. Post Produced with the assistance of the NSW Government in association with ITV Studios.
Austin on ABC and ABC iview – Sunday 9 June at 8.00pm
TV Central ABC content HERE
