Escaping Utopia S2 Headlines NZ On Air-Funded Local Slate For TVNZ

The multi award-winning Escaping Utopia will return for season two, alongside a raft of compelling local shows made possible by NZ On Air, with funding support announced this today.

The bold new two-part documentary series will continue to expose life inside one of New Zealand’s most secretive communities, giving voice to those breaking free from Gloriavale.

Taskmaster NZ will also return for a seventh season of chaos, comedy and fierce competition. The award-winning series is a fan-favourite with viewers and season six was a runaway success, reaching a total audience of 884,000 (AP5+)* on TVNZ 2.

In the scripted space, a terminally ill conman reunites with his woke, goody two-shoes son in a last-ditch attempt at redemption — and accidentally turns him into a criminal mastermind in brand-new commission, Dead Losi.

In addition, NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho have confirmed funding for two returning commissions through their Reo Māori Content co-fund round. Francis and Kaiora Tipene return with more heart, humour, and cultural curiosity in The Casketeers: Life & Death Around the Globe; and drama series Dead Ahead will return with sharp humour, deep emotion, and rising tension, as the Wharekoa whānau reckon with the past, and fight for their future.

Nadia Tolich, TVNZ's Chief News & Content Officer, said “Local storytelling sits at the core of our programming strategy, and we’re thankful to NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho for their ongoing support. Their commitment to New Zealand content allows us to deliver fresh Kiwi stories that entertain, inspire and strike a chord with audiences across Aotearoa.”

Funding support was announced today as part of NZ On Air’s Scripted & Non-fiction funding round. Additional TVNZ projects supported include three more one-off documentaries as part of the return of Documentary NZ, Eat Well for Less NZ S6, Diary of a Junior Doctor S2, Q+A with Jack Tame and Tagata Pasifika, among others.

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