Gero girls taking over: Kodie Bedford brings Reckless to screens with WA grit and a bit of Geraldton heart

Geraldton has a habit of producing powerhouse storytellers — and Kodie Bedford is the latest name making waves across national television. Born and bred in Geraldton, Bedford has carved out a stellar career as a screenwriter on award-winning series such as Mystery Road and Return to Paradise. Now she’s stepping into the role of creator and showrunner for Reckless, the bold new SBS and NITV crime dramedy premiering on November 12. Growing up in Geraldton, where the industries of fishing, farming and footy dominate, Bedford didn’t choose the obvious path, but she never wavered. “I just always knew I was going to be a screenwriter,” she said. “Art, writing, filmmaking . . . it’s actually a really good industry to work in. It’s not impossible.” Bedford credits Nagle Catholic College teacher Mrs Gummery for pushing her towards storytelling. “She gave me 10 out of 10 on a short story, and that’s when I knew — I’m going to pursue this,” she said. Described as a wild, darkly funny thrill ride, Reckless was adapted from the hit Scottish series Guilt and follows siblings June (Tasma Walton) and Charlie (Hunter Page-Lochard), whose attempt to cover up a hit-and-run sends their world spiralling into chaos. Secrets unravel, loyalties fracture and WA itself becomes a main character — messy, vibrant and unapologetically Australian. Bedford had only three conditions when she accepted the project: set it in Fremantle, write it with a West Aussie personality and cast fellow Geraldton alum Tasma Walton. “Kodie’s the showrunner on this,” Walton said recently, while on a short stop in Geraldton for the Big Sky Readers and Writers Festival. “It was such a gift for me . . . She has such a lovely, subversive sense of humour and incredible character development. The character that I play is unlike anything I’ve ever played before. “It’s just funny, fun, like a reverse whodunit — you know who did it, you just want to see if they get away with it.” The Gero connection between the pair runs deep. “Tasma and I have always wanted to work on something together as Gero girls,” Bedford said. “We went to the same school, we’ve always been looking for the perfect story to tell. “Seeing Tasma, who I consider like my sister, like absolutely seeing her work hard at her craft . . . she carries the show. I couldn’t be more proud.” Filming in WA was a non-negotiable for Bedford. “I wanted to make Fremantle a character,” she explained. “We got to work with the most amazing crew — fast, efficient, world-class. It was one of the most joyous sets I’ve ever been on.” Described by Bedford as bold, audacious and West Australian, Reckless is a celebration of WA talent and proof that Gero girls really can take over the world. Reckless premieres on November 12 on SBS, NITV and SBS On Demand.