The star-studded Fresh Eggs is just one of the new offerings coming to NZ screens next year. Photo / TVNZ
The star-studded Fresh Eggs is just one of the new offerings coming to NZ screens next year. Photo / TVNZ
TVNZ has just announced its line-up for 2019 and there's a lot to be excited about.
There's an impressive range of international content, including The Luminaries, The War of the Worlds, The Deadlands TV series and David Attenborough's Dynasties.
And on top of that, the network has also managed to scoop some of the year's major live sporting and entertainment events - including the Oscars which hasn't played on TVNZ for more than 10 years.
TVNZ's director of content, Cate Slater says their aim is to make that major content accessible to all fans and deliver the "events that make the nation stop and watch".
They're also going big on local content, saying "it's in our DNA. It resonates strongly with New Zealand viewers, who want to see their own stories reflected on screen."
Which means we are in for some brand new dramas, some Kiwi-as comedy, and some new reality TV goodness. Here are just a few of the highlights we're most excited to see in the New Year:
ALL THE EVENTS:
The America's Cup is just one of the major sporting events coming to TVNZ soon. Photo / TVNZ
If you're into sports, TVNZ will be the place to be. The network's pulled off a massive win getting not only the Rugby World Cup but the America's Cup and the Paralympics too - all free for you to enjoy without having to go to a mate's house to mooch off their Sky subscription. Similarly, they got the Oscars back for the first time in more than a decade, and they'll have the Grammy Awards too so if you don't care about sport, you can get your celeb fix instead.
CELEBRITY TREASURE ISLAND:
Who will be the new cast of Celebrity Treasure Island? Photo / TVNZ
That's right. All your wildest reality TV dreams have come true: Celebrity Treasure Island is back. The original show ran for nine seasons and featured some Kiwi TV gold, but now it's back the only question worth asking is: Who will be on the island? Thanks to us having more reality TV than you can shake a stick at these days, NZ has a whole new slew of potential celebs to throw out of the frying pan. Naz from The Bachelor? Brett and Angel from MAFS? Perhaps Clarke Gayford could return to the island for sweet, sweet vengeance. Either way, we can't wait to see how CTI 2019 pans out.
Ready to head back to Heartbreak Island? Photo / TVNZ
TVNZ has confirmed the return of it's most popular reality shows: Project Runway, The Great Kiwi Bakeoff and the trashy guilty pleasure that is Heartbreak Island - all will return for a second season of reality goodness. Not only that, but there's some new reality on the horizon too. Our pick is upcoming OnDemand series House of Drag which sounds like it could be NZ's answer to RuPaul's Drag race as a group of queens move in together and battle it out in a series of challenges for their right to stay in the house. 10s across the board!
KIWI HITS REVISITED:
Wellington Paranormal will be back for another season. Photo / TVNZ
One of NZ's greatest and most underrated shows, The Casketeers is returning for a second season and we can't wait. It follows the staff of Tipene Funerals and is a great insight into a new world with a whole heap of aroha. Not only that, but the hilarious What We Do In The Shadows spin-off Wellington Paranormal is returning, and we'll also get the chance to revisit Maori action flick The Dead Lands, returns as a TV series. Sign us up.
A HUGE SELECTION OF FRESH MEAT:
Psychological thriller The Bad Seed. Photo / TVNZ
There is a tonne of brand new local offerings coming to your screens. Some of our top picks include TVNZ1's new psychological thriller The Bad Seed, Based on the books by award-winning New Zealand author Charlotte Grimshaw; Straight Forward which follows a woman as she tries to leave her criminal past behind by fleeing Copenhagen to take refuge in Queenstown; black comedy Fresh Eggs, which has an all-star cast including Claire Chitham, Cohen Holloway, Danielle Cormack, John Rhys-Davies and Dave Fane; Jackie van Beek's new comedy series Educators and That's A Bit Racist, in which experts, scientists and average Kiwis look at why racism is still alive and well here and overseas.
Following his glowing review of last Wednesday's Coldplay concert on the Mike Hosking Breakfast, Matt Heath got a special invite to the band's show on Saturday night.
