A Family Starts a New Life in Australia, Far From Home and Full of Challenges
2023
Drama
6 episodes
TheNextHint Score
8.0
8.0 / 10
Overview
By following the lives of several British families who start anew in Australia, Ten Pound Poms highlights a lesser-known period of post-war migration. The drama opens in 1956, a time when migrants were urged to leave Britain in exchange for a cheap voyage and the prospect of a brighter future. Annie and Terry Roberts come with their children, whereas nurse Kate Thorne makes the journey to Australia with a secret purpose of her own. Their new home presents chances, yet the migrant hostel, money worries and social attitudes make settling in much harder than they had imagined. Over the course of two seasons, the show traces their relationships, private hardships and efforts to find a sense of belonging. It blends family drama with historical subject matter without reducing the story to a plain documentary.
Quick Verdict
Ten Pound Poms is a good pick for viewers who appreciate historical family dramas centered on migration, relationships, and social change.↻ Its greatest strength is how it mixes a real historical migration program with fictional characters whose personal struggles make the broader story easier to relate to. The Australian backdrop and period production likewise give it a visual identity all its own.
Ten Pound Poms is a historical drama from Britain and Australia, made by Danny Brocklehurst for BBC One and Stan. Taking place after World War II, the show centers on British migrants who departed postwar Britain in 1956, drawn by the promise of a new life in Australia for only £10. The Roberts family, headed by Annie and Terry, hopes the relocation will open up more opportunities for their children, yet upon reaching a migrant hostel, they are confronted with the distance between the advertised Australian dream and daily life. Joining them is Kate Thorne, a young nurse whose trip to Australia is motivated by a deeply personal matter. The narrative examines family pressures, immigration, identity, belonging, work, discrimination, and the hard process of beginning again.
Season two shifts the action to 1957, following Kate, Annie, and Terry as they try to establish more settled lives in Australia. The show consisted of two seasons of six episodes each, with the second season arriving in March 2025. It was eventually canceled after its two seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ten Pound Poms about?
A group of British citizens immigrate to Australia for £10 with the promise of a better life. However, on arrival, they face discrimination and other challenges in the drama series set in the 1950s
Is Ten Pound Poms based on a true story?
It is a fictional historical drama inspired by the real experiences of British migrants who moved to Australia through the post-war assisted migration program. The central characters are fictional, while the historical setting and migration scheme are based on real events.
How many seasons of Ten Pound Poms are there?
There are two seasons with 12 episodes in total, six episodes in each season.
Is Ten Pound Poms canceled for the third season?
Yes. The series ended after two seasons and was subsequently canceled, so there is currently no Season 3.
Story — Spoiler Free
In 1956, a number of British migrants left a struggling post-war Britain after being promised an affordable path to a better life in Australia. Annie and Terry Roberts come with their children in the hope of building a more secure future, while nurse Kate Thorne has a reason of her own for undertaking the journey. At the migrant hostel, the new arrivals find that Australia brings opportunity but also hardship, uncertainty and challenging social realities. Their efforts to build new lives grow ever more complicated as relationships, work, secrets and questions of belonging start to collide.
8.0
TheNextHint Score
8.0 / 10
Ten Pound Poms is a good pick for viewers who appreciate historical family dramas centered on migration, relationships, and social change.↻ Its greatest strength is how it mixes a real historical migration program with fictional characters whose personal struggles make the broader story easier to relate to. The Australian backdrop and period production likewise give it a visual identity all its own.
Rating breakdown
Story
8.0
Acting
8.0
Direction
8.0
Visuals
8.0
Sound
8.0
Entertainment
8.0
External Ratings
Scores from other sources, shown in their own scale. These are not TheNextHint's rating.
IMDb6.9 / 10
2,700 ratings
Checked September 19, 2026
Pros
Strong performances, detailed period production, a compelling migrant story and a useful historical setting give the drama plenty of emotional and narrative depth.
Cons
Some storylines rely heavily on melodrama, and the series can occasionally feel more conventional than its historical subject matter suggests.
Who Should Watch
Historical Drama Fans
Family Drama Fans
Period Drama Fans
Immigration Story Fans
Who Should Skip
Fast-Paced Thriller Fans
Light Comedy Fans
Modern-Day Drama Fans
Release Date
2023-05-14
Runtime
59–60 minutes per episode
Director
Ana Kokkinos, Jamie Magnus Stone, Tom McKay
Producer
Sue Seeary (Season 1), Karl Zwicky (Season 2)
Writer
Danny Brocklehurst, Ryan Griffen, Smita Bhide, Ava Pickett
Cast
Michelle Keegan, Faye Marsay, Warren Brown, Rob Collins, Leon Ford, Stephen Curry, David Field, Hattie Hook, Finn Treacy, Emma Hamilton
A young nurse who travels to Australia while searching for answers connected to her past.
Faye Marsay
as
Annie Roberts
A mother determined to give her children a better life.
Warren Brown
as
Terry Roberts
Annie's husband, who struggles to adapt to their new circumstances.
Finn Treacy
as
Peter Roberts
The Roberts family's son.
Rob Collins
as
Rob Collin
Ron Mahoney
Stephen Curry
as
JJ Walker
A significant figure within the migrant community.
Leon Ford
as
Bill Anderson
Bill Anderson
Hattie Hook
as
Pattie Roberts
Annie and Terry's daughter.
Seasons & Episodes
Season 1
6 episodes May 14, 2023Completed
In 1956, British migrants arrive in Australia expecting a better future but encounter difficult living conditions, personal problems and a reality very different from what they were promised.
1Episode 1
62 min May 14, 2023
The Roberts family leaves post-war Manchester for a new life in Australia.
2Episode 2
61 min May 21, 2023
Terry tries to retrace his steps while Annie takes a new opportunity and Kate gets a lead.
3Episode 3
61 min May 28, 2023
Annie and Kate take a road trip while Peter and Pattie are left to manage on their own.
4Episode 4
60 min June 4, 2023
Terry embarrasses Annie at a party, Pattie's secret emerges and Kate receives renewed hope.
5Episode 5
61 min June 11, 2023
The Roberts family questions its future in Australia while Kate puts her job at risk.
6Episode 6
62 min June 18, 2023
Devastating news shakes the hostel and Annie decides to fight back.
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