Covid-19 coronavirus: Mediaworks shuts down Dancing with the Stars and The Block

From left: Anna Willcox, Brad Coleman, Kristie Williams, Mike McRoberts, Laura Daniel, Shae Mountain, K'Lee, Scott Cole, from Dancing With the Stars 2019

Mediaworks has announced that it is shutting down production on all its local entertainment shows.

The news comes as the country moves into Alert Level Four and the Government's restrictions around non-essential services kick in.

In a statement Mediaworks said the popular Dancing With the Stars NZ will no longer be airing as scheduled in April and production on its DIY-based reality show The Block NZ has been placed on hold.

"We will be reviewing all of our local content and our capacity to return to full production as soon as it is safe to do so," the statement read.

However the media company's Newshub bulletins and stable of current affairs show will continue to air as usual, with Mediaworks clarifying that The
AM Show, Newshub Live at 4.30PM, Newshub Live at 6PM, Newshub Late, The Project and Newshub Nation are not affected. Breaking news specials will also air on Three and ThreeNow as required.

"During this unprecedented time, it is crucial that all New Zealanders have access to the most up-to-date information regarding Covid-19," the statement read.

It also confirmed that MediaWorks' stable of radio station will continue to operate as normal.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website