Cash pours in for dancing weatherman

Weather presenter Tamati Coffey proved a champion fundraiser on Dancing With The Stars this year as well as the champion dancer.

Votes for Coffey during the television show raised $259,990.79 for his chosen charity, Rainbow Youth.

TVNZ said it was a record amount earned by a charity from the series and it was more than half of the provisional total amount of $433,053.81 which was raised during the series. Runner-up Barbara Kendall's charity UpsideDowns Education Trust did next best with $99,009.02, with semifinalist Josh Kronfeld's charity Koru Care Otago third with $37,276.01.

Geraldine Brophy's charity Arthritis NZ received $24,795.53, Rebecca Hobbs' charity NZ Spinal Trust $6664.74, Chris Hobbs' charity Ronald McDonald House $3256.69, John Rowles' Project Hope Foundation $1425.81, and Lizzy Igasan's Go Red For Women $635.22.

Dancing With The Stars has now raised more than $1.75 million for New Zealand charities in its five seasons.

TVNZ head of television Jeff Latch said all money raised from public votes went to the charities once service provider charges were taken out of the cost of voting.

- NZPA