The public voting campaign for the New Zealand Screen Awards’ TV Screen Personality of the Year officially launched today, revealing ten finalists, 1News reported.
The race brings together ten finalists, with the winner to be decided by public ballot ahead of the ceremony on November 19 at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre.
The Final Nominees Vie for Public Votes
- Rebecca Gibney (Happiness / Millionaire Hot Seat)
- Shaun Johnson (Ford League Lounge with Shaun Johnson)
- Ryan Bridge (Ryan Bridge Today)
- Chris Chang (Breakfast / FIFA World Cup 2026)
- Alex King (Shortland Street)
- Shiray & Gillies Kākā (Full Noise)
- David Correos (Taskmaster / Celebrity Treasure Island / The Weed Eaters)
- Ganesh Raj (Eat Well For Less)
- Jackie Van Beek (Taskmaster / Educators / Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant)
- Turia Schmidt-Peke (Chat Her Up)
The category celebrates screen personalities who leave a lasting impression on New Zealand audiences. Last year’s winner was TVNZ’s Scotty Morrison.
Voting remains open to the public until November 13. The wider awards programme spans 57 categories, highlighting achievements across New Zealand’s film and television sectors.
Country Calendar Claims Screen Legend Honor
Alongside the competitive categories, the New Zealand Screen Awards committee announced a special Screen Legend Award for Hyundai Country Calendar. Marking its 60th anniversary this year, the nation’s longest-running television programme becomes only the second show to receive the Screen Legend award, following Shortland Street in 2019.
First broadcast in March 1966 as a rural news and information show, Country Calendar evolved into a showcase for pioneering farmers and rural innovators. The series is also a finalist for Best Factual Series at this year’s awards.
Hyundai Country Calendar producer Dan Henry reflected on the milestone:
For six decades, the programme has told the stories of New Zealand’s rural communities – their resilience, ingenuity, humour, challenges and deep connection to the land. While farming and rural life have changed enormously, the heart of those stories remains the same – people with a genuine passion for what they do and a willingness to share their lives with us. Dan Henry
Broadcasting Nominations and Current Affairs Recognition
Across the journalism categories, the broadcaster secured five nominations, which includes Q+A with Jack Tame contending for Best Current Affairs Programme. His nomination for Reporter of the Year stems from a portfolio featuring an exclusive interview with former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster following the Jevon McSkimming scandal. Tame is also nominated for Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs.
Both TVNZ’s reporting on the deadly Mount Maunganui landslide in January and its coverage of the fatal shooting of fugitive father Tom Phillips in September of last year are competing as finalists for Best News Coverage.
Across the broader awards programme, the feature film Pike River leads the nominations with 15. In television, the New Zealand-German co-production Bust Up tops the categories with 12 nominations, while the New Zealand-Scottish co-production The Ridge follows with nine.
| Award / Category | Key Nominee or Recipient |
|---|---|
| Screen Legend Award | Hyundai Country Calendar |
| Best Current Affairs Programme | Q+A with Jack Tame |
| Top TV Production Nominations (NZ-German) | Bust Up (12 nominations) |
| Feature Film Nominations Leader | Pike River (15 nominations) |
November 13 marks the end of public voting for TV Screen Personality of the Year, and the NZ Screen Awards ceremony takes place on November 19 at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland.
