New Zealand TV Awards 2023: Below Deck star Aesha Scott wins, Paddy Gower shines and The Gone is celebrated
The results are in and your favourite New Zealand TV personalities have been revealed.
Last night at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre, Aotearoa’s finest media personalities came together for the New Zealand TV Awards. Alongside glasses of champagne, glitzy outfits and plenty of nerves, some very iconic names won some very prestigious awards - and we have all the details.
Hosted by beloved comedian and actress Kura Forrester, the awards’ most hotly contested title was no doubt the TV Personality of the Year. After a close battle in which Kiwis voted for their favourite familiar face, it was revealed Tauranga’s Aesha Scott took out the title.
Competing against the likes of Kim Crossman, Guy Montgomery, Jenny May-Clarkson, Joe Daymond and Dame Susan Devoy for the award, Scott’s win came after she won hearts all around the world starring in Bravo New Zealand’s Below Deck Down Under
Oscar Kightley earned another impressive title on his already impressive resume and was honoured as this year’s Television Legend, with his trophy presented by long-time friend and collaborator Teuila Blakely.
As for your other favourite faces, the hilarious Karen O’Leary, co-star of Paddy Gower Has Issues, claimed the top prize for Best Presenter: Entertainment - and speaking of Gower, he didn’t go home empty-handed either.
The beloved Kiwi journalist won Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs for his work across Newshub Live at 6pm, Paddy Gower Has Issues, AM, The Project NZ and Paddy Gower On ...
It was a successful night for TVNZ, with content screened on the broadcaster taking home 25 awards. 1News broke Newshub’s four-year winning streak, earning the 2023 award for Best News Coverage after their extensive reporting on the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle.
Meanwhile, their popular show Sunday was named Best Current Affairs Programme and 1News’ Thomas Mead won Reporter of the Year.
The Gone, which aired on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ and was recently renewed for another season, was produced by Kingfisher Films, Keeper Pictures and Southern Light Films and was the undeniable star of the show, taking out the most awards of the evening with five wins: NZ On Air Best Drama; Images and Sound Best Cinematography: Drama / Comedy Drama (Dave Cameron NZCS ACS); Images and Sound Best Original Score (Mahuia Bridgeman-Cooper); Best Costume Design (Pauline H Pohatu); and Best Makeup Design (Kelly Mitchell).
One Lane Bridge, TVNZ’s drama series produced by Great Southern Television, also took out multiple wins. Dominic Ona-Ariki was named Best Actor, while the show took home the award for Best Production Design (John Allan).
While shows aired on TVNZ scored the majority of the winners, Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ content won five awards and Whakaata Māori won three. Another huge winner of the night was NZ On Air, with its funded programmes winning 19 awards across the categories.
Complete list of winners
NZ On Air Best Drama
The Gone
Kingfisher Films/ Keeper Pictures/ Southern Light Films / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
Best Comedy
Educators: Season 3 Episode 1
South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ + and TVNZ 2
Best Factual Series
When Bob Came: Season 1
Stella Maris Production / Caravan Carpark Films / TVNZ+
NZ On Air Best Documentary
No Māori Allowed
Kindred Films / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
Best Original Reality Series
The Walkers: Season 2 Episode 3
Hi Mama Productions / TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+
Best Format Reality Series
The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes
Great Southern Television / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
Best Current Affairs Programme
Sunday
TVNZ / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
NZ On Air Best Children’s Programme
Mystic Season 3
Libertine Pictures & Slim Film + TV / TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+
Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Programme
NZ Wars, Stories of Wairau
Aotearoa Media Collective & Great Southern Television / RNZ
Te Māngai Pāho Best Reo Māori Programme
Homesteads
Te Imurangi Ltd / Whakaata Māori
NZ On Air Best Pasifika Programme
Brutal Lives - Mo’ui Faingata’a: Season 2
Kingston Productions Ltd / The Coconet TV
Best News Coverage
1News - Cyclone Gabrielle
TVNZ / 1News, TVNZ 1
Best Sports Programme
East Coast Rising
Pango Productions / TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+
Best Live Event Coverage
ANZAC 2023
Whakaata Māori
Best Entertainment Programme
Taskmaster NZ
Kevin & Co / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ 2
Best Director: Documentary/Factual
Toby Longbottom
Fire and Fury
Stuff Circuit / Stuff
Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama / Comedy Drama
Kiel McNaughton
Princess of Chaos
Chaos Films Ltd, Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Ltd & Augusto Ltd / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+
Best Actress
Antonia Prebble
Double Parked
Kevin & Co / Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ / ThreeNow and Three
Best Supporting Actress
Sesilia Pusiaki
Inky Pinky Ponky
Tikilounge Productions / The Coconet TV / Whakaata Māori
Best Actor
Dominic Ona-Ariki
One Lane Bridge
Great Southern Television / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
Best Supporting Actor
Rick Donald
Educators
South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ+ and TVNZ 2
Reporter of the Year
Thomas Mead
1News
TVNZ / 1News, TVNZ 1
Best Presenter: Entertainment
Karen O’Leary
Paddy Gower Has Issues
Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ /ThreeNow and Three
Best Presenter: News And Current Affairs
Patrick Gower
Newshub Live at 6pm, Paddy Gower Has Issues, AM, The Project NZ, Paddy Gower On…
Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ / Newshub / ThreeNow and Three
Television Personality of the Year
Aesha Scott
Below Deck Down Under
Bravo (New Zealand)
Television Legend
Oscar Kightley
Best Editing: Documentary / Factual
Toby Longbottom
Fire and Fury
Stuff Circuit / Stuff
Best Editing: Drama / Comedy Drama
Carly Turner
Princess of Chaos
Chaos Films Ltd, Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Ltd, Augusto Ltd / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+
Best Camerawork: Documentary / Factual
Kina Scollay & Alex Hubert
Our Big Blue Backyard - Snares Island
NHNZ Worldwide Ltd / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
Best Director: Multi Camera
Steve Jamieson
Rugby World Cup 2023 Final
World Rugby / HBS / ThreeNow, Three & Spark
Images & Sound Best Cinematography: Drama / Comedy Drama
Dave Cameron NZCS ACS
The Gone: Season 1, Episode 2
Kingfisher Films/ Keeper Pictures/ Southern Light Films / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
Best Contribution to a Soundtrack
Ben Sinclair, Buster Flaws, Travis Heffernen, Steve Finnigan, Joel Haines
The Brokenwood Mysteries: Season 8, Episode 2
South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
Images & Sound Best Original Score
Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper
The Gone: Season 1, Episode 4
Kingfisher Films/ Keeper Pictures/ Southern Light Films / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
Best Post Production Design
Alana Cotton
Princess of Chaos
Chaos Films Ltd, Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Ltd & Augusto Ltd / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+
Best Production Design
John Allan
One Lane Bridge
Great Southern Television / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
Best Costume Design
Pauline H Pohatu
The Gone
Kingfisher Films/ Keeper Pictures/ Southern Light Films / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
Best Makeup Design
Kelly Mitchell
The Gone
Kingfisher Films/ Keeper Pictures/ Southern Light Films / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+
Best Script: Comedy
Dana Leaming
Not Even: Season 1, Episode 4
Miss Conception Films / Sky Open
Best Script: Drama
Jessica Joy Wood
Shortland Street: Season 32, Episodes 7714, 7715, 7716
South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+
Lillie Rohan is an Auckland-based reporter covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined the Herald in 2020. She specialises in all things relationships and dating, great Taylor Swift ticket wars and TV shows you simply cannot miss out on.