By LOUISA CLEAVE
In a country with a population the size of New Zealand's, who would have thought that keeping in touch could be so difficult?
The makers of a new series which reunites friends and relatives discovered the extent of the problem when they called for stories to tell on Together Again. The 21 reunions which feature in the seven-part series just scratch the surface.
Producer Janice Finn says she received hundreds of letters, many from people wanting to trace birth parents or long-lost relatives.
"You don't realise how many have lost track. There's an enormous pool of people out there who would love to find relatives or friends. People get spread from one end of the country to the other or overseas.
"You do feel sorry for them - there's letters we could weep over."
But the series, fronted by Kerre Woodham, is not all about emotional reunions. Finn wanted something entertaining and heartwarming, so there's an element of nostalgia. Among those reunited are cast members of old television shows and beauty queens from pageants past.
Tonight's first episode tracks down the half-sister of a woman whose mother lost touch with her American serviceman lover during the Second World War.
As with many of the pleas for help, Finn and her researchers had few leads. The serviceman was posted to Hawaii and told the woman's mother he would write three times, and that if she did not reply then he would assume she did not want him. He did write three times but the letters were intercepted.
The Together Again mailbag was also filled with appeals from people wanting to find old school friends, members of a marching team from the 70s, and the best man at a wedding.
Finn puts the successful reunions down to luck and tenacity.
But the show had to consider privacy issues when dealing with people wanting to track down birth parents, and in some cases made the connection but decided against filming the story.
"We were careful to see what the tone of a letter was," says Finn. "If we felt there might be a parent or relative who didn't want to be found, then it was better to leave well alone.
"But other stories are much lighter ... it's very rewarding for a lot of people.
"And it's good to see them enjoying meeting each other."
Together Again
TV One, 8 pm
TV: Reunion time on Together Again
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