Papamoa kids fulfill gunge goals at What Now filming

The crowd were hungry for gunge, and What Now delivered in a special outdoor live broadcast in Papamoa this morning.

Hundreds of people turned out to the Papamoa Domain and beach to be part of the long-running children's television show's penultimate episode for 2017.

Te Puke mum Shona Ua-Marsh said she had her three kids plus three grandkids up at 6am to get to the domain by 6.40 ahead of the 7.30 start.

Her 10-year-old Kruz Ua-Marsh had one goal - get gunged.

Being early paid off and he and his sister Storm Ua-Marsh, 12, were picked to go head-to-head in a game called Rhino Gunge-o, led by What Now host Ronnie Taulafo.

Each kid was paired with a Bay-based Black Ferns rugby sevens player - Kruz with Portia Woodman and Storm with Renee Wickliffe.

The athletes wore rhino-like helmets to scoop gunge out of a bin and pour as much as possible into the kids' bucket helmets.

Kruz and Portia were the victors and Kruz got his wish to be gunged, saying it was "really cool".

A What Now volunteer sprays willing victims with foam at Papamoa Domain. Photo/Samantha Motion

Gunge - the legendary substance came in a rainbow of colours and was everywhere - children splashed around in big bins of it left on the ground after activities and one parent was overheard jokingly responding to a warning to "move back or get gunged" with "that's not a threat around here".

What Now co-producer Meg Hustan said the team had used about 100 litres of gunge for today's broadcast.

They also had about 1000350ml bottles of gunge to give away as prizes, and it still was not enough.

Huston said Papamoa had the largest crowd turnout of the four special live outdoor broadcasts the Christchurch-based crew had done around New Zealand this year.

"The crowd wasabsolutely awesome."

Rachel Wharewhiti from Hamilton came to stay at a friend's bach in Papamoa for the weekend to take son Tama Wharewhiti, 8, along. He was picked for a gunge balloon catapult game called Splat Head.

After the live broadcast finished kids crowded around to be sprayed with foam, chanting "more foam, more foam" while the foam shooter reloaded.