Bay of Plenty Times gets shout-out in popular Netflix series God's Favourite Idiot

The Bay of Plenty Times was mentioned in Netflix show God's Favourite Idiot. Photo / Netflix

One of Netflix's newest series created by Hollywood star Melissa McCarthy is featuring the Bay of Plenty Times.

The Bay of Plenty Times is referenced in an episode of the Netflix series God's Favourite Idiot.

The show was created and produced by McCarthy, who also stars in the show, alongside Tūhoe's Ana Scotney, who gave the regional newspaper the shout-out.

Scotney retains her New Zealand accent as she appears alongside US actors McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone, a co-producer.

The series, 16 episodes to be delivered in two seasons of eight episodes, is about a mid-level tech-support employee who falls in love with his co-worker at the same time he becomes the "unwitting" messenger of God.

The comedy-fantasy was filmed in New South Wales, Australia, according to IMDB, and was released in New Zealand last week.

In season one's episode six, titled Tom the Baptist, Wendy, played by Scotney, asked the main character Clarke, played by Falcone, how he was going "getting the message out".

Tūhoe's Ana Scotney plays Wendy in the Netflix series God's Favourite Idiot. Photo / Netflix

He said it's been "not so great".

"I've been calling news editors and different people, and everyone thinks I'm a faker. I mean, even people here think I'm a faker and people saw me glow."

She said to ignore them and that she had a bit of good news.

"So, they ran a wee article about you in the Bay of Plenty Times, back home."

The article read: 'Is this man a fake?'

Clarke told Wendy that "every little bit helps".

Ben Falcone has created and stars in the Netflix show God's Favourite Idiot. Photo / Netflix

Scotney is well known for her lead role as the young Mata in the 2021 film Cousins and previously featured in The Breaker Upperers, where her performance saw her hailed as a breakout new talent.

The actress also played Angel Schmidt in Shortland Street from 2018 to 2019.