The Jokes Are On In 2022: NZ Comedy Trust Partners With Discovery’s Three & NZ On Air To Bring More Local Laughs On TV

The New Zealand Comedy Trust is proud to announce that their new partnership with Discovery’s Three has landed funding from NZ On Air to produce four televised comedy events during the 2022 NZ International Comedy Festival.

These Festival special events will be filmed in front of live audiences during the much-loved NZ International Comedy Festival. The partnership means that audiences from across Aotearoa will be able to get their own front seat to The Comedy Gala, The Great Comedy Debate, Last Laughs and a special live episode of 7 Days on Three and ThreeNow, delivering critical comic relief during what has been a challenging time.

The new partnership with Discovery’s Three is vitally important to the NZ Comedy Trust, which supports local comedians to forge sustainable careers in comedy.

“Our work with Three from 2010 to 2018 created big shifts in the comedy scene and proved to audiences that New Zealand has funny bones,” says Lauren Whitney, General Manager of the NZ Comedy Trust. “Shows like the Comedy Gala, 7Days, Jono & Ben, and Funny Girls gave huge opportunities for local comedians to hone their skills across scripted and unscripted, and build their profiles, alongside providing them with crucial paid work. It’s exciting to be back in partnership again.”

In addition, the NZ Comedy Trust - Discovery partnership will also open the doors to global reach for local comedy artists and their creative work, enhancing Aotearoa’s reputation internationally.

“The NZ Comedy Trust joins a pool of top-quality comedy projects to be funded by NZ On Air, it’s a successful outcome that reflects the mahi of our comedians and production teams and pays testament to their creativity, nous and resilience,” says Whitney, adding that the NZ Comedy Trust is looking ahead with plans to further support both emerging and established local talent with an even greater portfolio of festival and broadcast events.

“This is all very positive news for an industry that has, over the long recent lockdown, seen many comics with little or no work. We are excited that venues are planning their re-opening today, because nothing compares to the energy of a live audience, and the satisfaction of that very specific tidal wave of shared hilarity when a joke lands. We’ll be there, vaxxed, masked and laughing.”

Proving that New Zealanders are in need of a good laugh, tickets to the opening festival event -The Best Foods Comedy Gala - have been selling like hotcakes since going on presale yesterday. This is testament to the fact that the networks, funders and trusts have it right: 2022 needs to, and will be, filled with laughter.

Watch this space for more announcements about the NZ Comedy Trust and Discovery NZ partnership, a meeting of comedy minds that will ensure “great New Zealand content is valued and enjoyed by many New Zealanders.” says Whitney.

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