TVNZ Showcases Unmissable Lineup For 2026

TVNZ has announced its 2026 lineup, delivering a compelling mix of drama, factual favourites, big-ticket entertainment and world-class sport – a premium slate of local and international content for the year ahead.

2026 will be a milestone year for TVNZ. From the excitement of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and water-cooler reality to compelling, in-depth storytelling and nation-wide representation in the lead up to the election, TVNZ will continue to connect with audiences across New Zealand.

In 2025, TVNZ | Te Reo Tātaki, engaged audiences with the most watched free-to-air shows in Aotearoa. TVNZ+ had a standout year, with a weekly reach of more than 1.54million while TVNZ’s broadcast channels were watched by 4.35 million New Zealanders**, underscoring the wide-reaching impact of its content across the country.

Nadia Tolich, TVNZ’s Chief News & Content Officer says, “TVNZ is home to New Zealand’s most watched content, and we’re seeing continued momentum across our platforms, with audiences engaging at levels that reflect the strength and scale of our offering. It’s fantastic to see how consistently our shows connect with viewers across the motu - from homegrown stories that reflect life in New Zealand to trusted news and must-see local and international sport - and I’m excited to unveil our new programming lineup for the coming year, with plenty more to come."

SPOTLIGHT ON SCRIPTED

A diverse mix of originals, established favourites and premium dramas awaits audiences this year.

New Zealand Spy* brings together a powerhouse lineup of talent from New Zealand, Australia and the UK. Paul Williams, Rose Matafeo, Joe Thomas, and Bret McKenzie lead the cast in this retro espionage romp, which blends high-stakes spy thrills with offbeat Kiwi humour.

McLeod’s Daughters co-stars Michala Banas and Brett Tucker reunite in the crime drama Blue Murder Motel*, while Baddies* follows charismatic bank robbers who seize control of a camp for wayward youth, with an ensemble cast featuring Terence Daniel, Te Kohe Tuhaka and Jennifer Ward-Lealand.

Beloved local dramas return in 2026, with familiar and fresh faces settling back into life in Ferndale as Shortland Street* returns for another explosive year on screen. A Remarkable Place to Die* and Dead Ahead* also return for their highly anticipated second seasons.

Star-studded international titles will captivate and entertain.

Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen star in The Miniature Wife, a dark comedy about a couple navigating marriage after a scientific mishap shrinks the wife to six inches tall. In Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenet Ramsey, Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen portray Patsy and John Ramsey in a gripping retelling of the case that shocked the world.

Multi-BAFTA winner Jack Thorne (Adolescence) brings William Golding’s classic Lord of the Flies to television for the first time. Meanwhile, Alex Tarrant (NCIS: Hawai’i) and Harriet Dyer (Colin from Accounts), star in DMV, a comedy about underpaid staff facing endlessly exasperating customers at the notorious Department of Motor Vehicles.

Must-see new dramas for 2026 also include Frauds (Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker), Ponies (Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson), The ‘Burbs (Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall), Riot Women (Rosalie Graig, Joanna Scanlan and Tamsin Greig), The Other Bennett Sister (Richard E. Grant and Ruth Jones) and landmark docu-drama Titanic Sinks Tonight.

Returning favourites also feature prominently, led by The Rookie - TVNZ+’s number one show in 2025 - alongside The Hunting Party and TED.

MUST-SEE REALITY AND POPULAR FACTUAL

TVNZ’s 2026 slate also delivers a strong mix of new and returning must-see reality and popular factual programming.

Homegrown favourites will make a welcomed return, led by the seventh season of Celebrity Treasure Island*. Bree Tomasel reunites with co-host Jayden Daniels, as 16 new celebrity castaways battle it out for charity in the ultimate treasure hunt. Taskmaster NZ* is back with more chaos, comedy and competition, while Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge hit the road again in Off the Grid with Colin and Manu.

Hyundai Country Calendar* celebrates an extraordinary 60 years with a special collection of classic episodes on TVNZ+, alongside new episodes every Sunday.

Returning content also includes Origins*, My Family Mystery*, Grand Designs NZ, Love It or List It NZ, Eat Well for Less NZ*, and Moving Houses, alongside a new season of Documentary NZ*.

Brand-new in 2026, hosted by culinary powerhousesMelissa Leong and Vaughan Mabee, Taste of Art is a bold new culinary competition that fuses food with fine art. Mai FM radio host Tegan Yorwarth fronts Ready Gamer Mum, a new reality series blending heart, humour and high-skill gameplay as gamers join forces with their mums.

Hit franchises The Chase, Travel Guides, MasterChef Australia, My Kitchen Rules, Alone and Love Island all return in 2026 - serving up big moments, bold flavours and unforgettable entertainment.

NEWS YOU TRUST, SPORTS YOU LOVE

TVNZ’s award-winning news and current affairs programming continues to be the backbone of its content lineup. 1News at Six remains the country’s number one choice for trusted television news and the most watched programme in NZ. A new look Breakfast returns, alongside Seven Sharp, Te Karere, Q+A with Jack Tame*, Marae and Tagata Pasifika*. Digital news will also remain front and centre, with News on TVNZ+ complemented by extensive coverage across 1News.co.nz. In the lead-up to Your Vote 2026, the 1News team will deliver comprehensive coverage and in-depth analysis throughout this year’s election.

Sports fans get front-row access to their favourite action, with coverage spanning TVNZ’s broadcast channels and TVNZ+.

Football fever is set to sweep across Aotearoa in June, with the FIFA World Cup 2026™, which sees 48 teams play over 39 action-packed days.

Locally, the OFC Pro League kicks off as Oceania’s first professional football competition, with all Auckland FC and South Island United matches on TVNZ+. A summer of sixes continues with WHITE FERNS, BLACKCAPS and Super Smash cricket, alongside another epic showdown at this weekend’s The Hot Spring Spas T20 Tauranga Black Clash in association with Wolfbrook. Global highlights follow with the Super Bowl LX next month and the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games*. Closer to home, celebrities will face off against track and field athletes in Track Stars, while the ANZ Premiership Netball returns.

Rugby makes a comeback to TVNZ in 2026 with coverage of the National Provincial Championship (NPC), select Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) matches, and the Heartland Championship Finals, as the season gets underway later this year.

* Funded by NZ On Air 

+ Funded by Te Māngai Pāho

**TVNZ+ Source: Nielsen CMI Q4 24 - Q3 25; Base - AP 15+ and watched TV/Vid/Mov Online in last 7 days

Nielsen TAM; 01/01/25 - 17/12/25; Consolidated until 09/12; TVNZ Released Channels; Cume Reach (000's,%)

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