Series rua for The GC

Jade Ruwhiu and Rosanna Arkle from the reality show The GC. Photo / Steve Holland

Tame, the ladies man and star of reality show The G.C., might have to brush up on his te reo and join a Maori culture group when the second season of the controversial series starts filming later this year.

It has been confirmed by TV3 that Tame will be back for the show but given the Maori language and cultural criteria it has to meet this time round, he will have to display more of his Maoritanga than just his tattoos.

The show has received $420,000 from Maori funding agency Te Mangai Paho (TMP) and with that comes stricter stipulations around Maori content.

"It will hopefully be a quite different programme," says TMP chief executive John Bishara of the series about the lives - and loves - of a group of young Maori following their dreams on the Gold Coast.

The first series was funded by NZ On Air and drew criticism for its light, fluffy and at times trashy style which was compared to a Kiwi version of Jersey Shore. It had little Maori content apart from the 10 core characters having Maori heritage.

And as well as documenting them working hard and aspiring to a better life on the Gold Coast, a large part of the show was about their nights out on the town, partying.
Despite its divisive nature it was one of TV3's most popular shows last year with an average audience of 333,000 viewers per episode - and a strong online audience watching on-demand.

Bishara says the first proposal put forward by producers Black Inc. Media was declined because it did not meet TMP's requirements. However, in a later pitch it developed a Maori language plan, which outlined how it intended to meet TMP's te reo and cultural criteria throughout the series.

Another major reason for TMP funding the show was because of the strong Maori viewership (especially among the young demographic) that the first season picked up with an average of 92,600 Maori tuning in each week.

"And young Maori are a difficult audience for us to reach, so we're confident that Black Inc. is going to come through."

As for who else will be joining Tame, all TV3 is saying is "all our favourites" from the first series will return. Which presumably means budding singer Jade-Louise (and Tame's eventual series one girlfriend) will be back, along with likeable personal trainer Alby and, for entertainment's sake at least, the straight-talking and fiery Rosie, who also had a fateful foray in the boxing ring last year against Jaime Ridge. Though where her promo girl-cum-glamour model qualifications quite fit with the show's new criteria could be up for debate.

- TimeOut