Australian Story: Season 24, Episode 1

24 - 1: Back on Track

Introduced by actor and director Simon Baker

When screen legend Jack Thompson checked himself into Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital last year, he had no idea how sick he was.

Unbeknown to Jack, his kidneys had failed and he was 48 hours away from death.

Told that he would have to go on dialysis three times a week for five hours, he realised his acting career was in jeopardy.

The film he was about to shoot was set in remote Kakadu, 250 km away from the nearest dialysis unit in Darwin.

It looked like he would have to pull out of the movie — until a big purple truck came to the rescue, a gesture of friendship and respect from the Territory's Indigenous community.