TVNZ Appoints Double Emmy Award Winner

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Sunday 17 September 2000 For immediate release

TVNZ APPOINTS DOUBLE EMMY AWARD WINNER

TVNZ has completed its reorganisation of its commissioning structure for New Zealand programming with the appointment of a double Emmy Award Winner as the Head of Drama and Comedy for TV ONE.

John McRae will become the new Head of Drama and Comedy for TV ONE joining Irene Gardiner, recently announced as TV ONE’s Head of Factual and Entertainment programmes and Geoff Steven, the Head of Production for TV2. All three commissioners will work to TVNZ’s Head of Content, Andrew Shaw.

“John McRae is by far and away the most experienced producer of drama in New Zealand,” says Andrew Shaw. “I am delighted he has accepted this position.

“He is going to continue to oversee Shortland Street as well as develop new local dramas and comedies specifically for TV ONE.”

Over a 40 year career John McRae has worked for TVNZ, the BBC and in Australia. In 1990 he was awarded the Queens 1990 Commemorative Medal for services to New Zealand broadcasting. In 1992 John was honoured with an OBE for services to New Zealand Television Drama.

Whilst working at the BBC he produced some of the best known British dramas including David Copperfield, Anne of Green Gables, Jane Eyre, The Last of the Mohicans, A Tale of Two Cities and Tom Brown’s Schooldays, for which he was awarded an Emmy.

He also won a second Emmy for Ballet Shoes.

In the early 80s John McRae was Head of Drama for TVNZ responsible for productions such as Hanlon, Gloss, Erebus, Marlin Bay, Mortimers Patch, Hunters Gold, and Children of Fire Mountain.

John McRae has also produced Australian dramas such as Prisoner Cellblock H.

Andrew Shaw says, “This is a record and a depth of experience unparalleled in New Zealand drama, and is indicative of how much effort we are making in producing new dramas and comedies for TV ONE and TV2.”

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