New Zealand Today

Last updated

New Zealand Today
Genre Comedy
Narrated by Guy Williams
Country of origin New Zealand
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes28
Production
Producer Warner Bros. Discovery New Zealand
Running time30-minute episodes
Original release
Network Three
Release23 August 2019 (2019-08-23) –
present
Related
Jono and Ben

New Zealand Today is a satirical news and entertainment show hosted by Guy Williams in New Zealand airing on Three. It features Williams investigating odd and humorous stories across New Zealand. The show began airing on 23 Aug 2019.

Contents

New Zealand Today is a spin-off of the Jono and Ben segment of the same name. [1]

History

After the show's launch in 2019, it only lasted one season before being cancelled as part of Three's cost-cutting measures to ready the station for sale. [2] [3] In July 2020, Guy Williams stated that New Zealand Today had been "resurrected and approved for development", and that a second season would be possible. [4] The show was revived for a second season, which began airing in April 2021, [5] and a third season was aired beginning in June 2022. In December 2022, Guy Williams announced via Instagram that New Zealand Today would have a fourth season in 2023. [6]

A podcast spin-off was launched on 1 December 2021, [7] where Williams is joined by Karen Hill, who featured previously on the show. [8]

Episodes

Season 1

No.
overall		No. in
season		Original air date
1123 August 2019 (2019-august-23)
Guy investigates a racism scandal and takes a trip to Whanganui, where a woman made her own coffin only have it stolen, long before she was dead enough to use it.
2230 August 2019 (2019-august-30)
Guy meets with an ex-convict who promotes healthy eating. Then, the team uncovers supernatural happenings in Marton. Can Guy rid the town of its ghosts?
336 September 2019 (2019-sep-06)
Opononi is still obsessed with a dolphin that lived over 60 years ago. Then in the capital of brown trout fishing, Guy tracks down a fugitive who has been taunting police online.
4413 September 2019 (2019-sep-13)
Guy tracks down the infamous internet celebrity Karen, who wanted her $20 back. Then, how will the town of Murupara get by after their last ATM was stolen? Guy has a solution!
5520 September 2019 (2019-sep-20)
Guy meets 'The Ukelele Lady' who is harbouring a dark secret. Then in the strange world of Mascot racing, Guy meets the former mascots at the centre of a cheating scandal.
6627 September 2019 (2019-sep-27)
Guy travels to Taranaki to investigate a slogan scandal which is like none you've heard before. Can he find who is responsible and fulfil his Guy Williams guarantee?
774 October 2019 (2019-oct-04)
Guy investigates the flat earth community. Then, why are there two Mt Albert BBQ Noodle houses right next to each other? Which is the real one and which is the best one?
8811 October 2019 (2019-oct-11)
Guy investigates a case of six consecutive code browns in Invercargill's aquatic centre. Then why would a man get banned from his favourite pub for 10 years?

Season 2

This is a caption
No.
overall		No. in
season		Original air date
918 April 2021 (2021-apr-08)
Guy heads to Feilding in Manawatu, which claims to be New Zealand's most beautiful town after taking the title 16 times in the award's 32-year history.
10215 April 2021 (2021-apr-15)
Guy heads to the windy capital to investigate what is quite possibly the biggest story of the year - a man who broke into Wellington Zoo to steal a monkey.
11322 April 2021 (2021-apr-22)
Guy steps outside of his comfort zone as he travels to Geraldine and further into the Southern Alps to explore the 'art' of Tahr hunting.
12429 April 2021 (2021-apr-29)
Guy heads back to Christchurch to find out what happened to the Wizard, a legend in Cathedral Square for several decades.
1356 May 2021 (2021-may-06)
Guy travels to the small Manawatu town of Woodville to investigate the story of a man who chainsawed the 'private parts' off a local carving.
14613 May 2021 (2021-may-13)
Guy heads to Christchurch to learn more about the nocturnal world of boy racers, before jetting off to Huntly to investigate an unusual spate of sex toys.
15720 May 2021 (2021-may-20)
Guy travels to Mermaids, Wellington's iconic strip club, to investigate a missing fish tank. Then, onto Wainuiomata to get to the bottom of some unconventional means of travel.
16827 May 2021 (2021-may-27)
Guy heads to his hometown of Nelson to investigate conspiracy theories surrounding 5G Technology. Later, he goes undercover to stay at the worst reviewed motel in the country.
1793 June 2021 (2021-june-03)
Guy returns to Taranaki to visit outspoken New Plymouth district councillor Murray Chong, who stood as a candidate for the New Conservative party at the last election.
181010 June 2021 (2021-june-10)
Guy heads to Granity to try and save the sinking town, then over to Millterton's no. 1 punk rock radio station Bedrock FM to help solve the mystery of who stole their CDs!

Season 3

No.
overall		No. in
season		Original air date
1919 June 2022 (2022-jun-09)
Guy returns to Golden Bay to visit NgAngA, who has gone off the Covid-19 conspiracy deep end, and investigates slippery tiles causing chaos with Picton's elderly population.
20216 June 2022 (2022-jun-16)
Guy tries to reunite two best mates estranged over a crashed car, then meets Crown Xu, military enthusiast, army tank owner, and maybe a new best mate for Guy?
21323 June 2022 (2022-jun-23)
Guy sets up a sting on a Hamilton burger bar owner who refuses to hire Indian workers, only to find that the business owner is the last person he would have expected.
22430 June 2022 (2022-jun-30)
Guy investigates the mysterious case of a missing playground in Tokoroa and sets out to recruit a final member for the New Zealand women's medieval combat team.
2357 July 2022 (2022-jul-07)
Ten years since Guy met alleged scammer Ken Eastwood, is Ken at it again, or could he be dead? And Guy investigates the scourge of the South Island freedom campers.
24614 July 2022 (2022-jul-14)
Guy tries to stop Leo Molloy's Auckland Mayoral campaign, and investigates the disappearance of local cats long rumoured to be at the hands of the Raglan cat killer.
25721 July 2022 (2022-jul-21)
Guy brings back the much loved Dargaville Beauty Pageant and tries to help aspiring but incompetent stuntman Crazy Craig become a legit stunt performer.
26828 July 2022 (2022-jul-28)
Guy meets the grower of what could be the world's heaviest potato and tracks down the source of Vengaboys music blasting in West Auckland.
2794 August 2022 (2022-aug-04)
Guy embarks on a journey of discovery about correct pronunciation of Māori and Pasifika names.
281011 August 2022 (2022-aug-11)
Guy reconnects with his old friend, Pebbles Hooper to see if he can get her uncancelled, and comes face to face with a notorious peddler of conspiracy theories.

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References

  1. ↑ Greive, Duncan (23 August 2019). "Review: Guy Williams finally gets out from under Jono and Ben on NZ Today". The Spinoff. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "MediaWorks wasn't bluffing: NZ Today and MAFS NZ cancelled, 7 Days faces huge cuts". The Spinoff. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  3. ↑ Greive, Duncan (18 October 2019). "MediaWorks quits television: Three will be sold – or closed". The Spinoff. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  4. ↑ "Guy Williams show New Zealand Today could return for a second season". Stuff. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  5. ↑ "Don't worry – there's plenty to laugh about in 2021!". www.nzonair.govt.nz. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  6. ↑ @guywilliamsguy (5 December 2022). "New Zealand Today is returning for Season 4!" – via Instagram.
  7. ↑ "Guy Williams on Instagram: "THE NEW ZEALAND TODAY PODCAST WITH KAREN HILL IS OUT NOW! Link in bio."". Instagram. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  8. ↑ "New Zealand Today: Guy Williams' cult TV show launches podcast spin-off". Stuff. 11 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.


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