Star rapt with expat project

Taking a punt: Erik Thompson is George Turner in 800 words. Photo/supplied

People are over reality TV, they want genuine substance and stories which they can sit down and watch as a family.

Erik Thompson is said to be Australia's best-loved dad. He was Dave Rafter in the iconic television series, Packed to the Rafters and he's recently returned to our screens with 800 Words - another series that has had massive success across the ditch.

Despite being a well-known television star, however, he considers himself to be "just a boy from Tauranga" in real life.

Despite living in South Australia, Tauranga is where he grew up and he says, "it's my place to be".

This is where he went to school: firstly at Gate Pa Primary, then Tauranga Intermediate and finishing at Tauranga Boys College, where he was head prefect.

Erik has been busy promoting the launch of 800 Words in Auckland, but flew down for a quick visit to see his mum and sister recently. While he was here he did what most of us do when we haven't been home for ages - he went to see Mauao. Walking up is something he always does when he comes home.

Coming home has been on his mind a lot recently. It's the theme on which 800 Words is built, and it revolves around the story of George Turner (an expat Kiwi) who moves back to New Zealand with his two children after the death of his wife.

Turner ends up in the small beachside town where he spent family holidays.

"The reason it's slaying it in Australia is because it's just a beautiful combination of drama and comedy - and it also has a big heart.

"We've taken viewers on a journey across the Tasman. For Australians that haven't come to New Zealand, they get to come over every Tuesday and they meet these quirky people that have embraced this Aussie family."

Another reason for the show's popularity, he believes, is the heart of the storytelling, and the fact that the audiences care about the characters.

Hooray for the return of storytelling on our television screens. Who isn't sick of reality television?

Erik agrees. "People are over reality TV, they want genuine substance and stories which they can sit down and watch as a family."

While 800 Words is about a man coming home, to some extent it's also about Erik coming home, and putting something back into the New Zealand industry.

He says he never forgot people he worked with in the early days.

"I have always kept in touch with South Pacific Pictures and James Griffin (who wrote the series). I've never forgotten the people that have given me opportunities when I was younger."

Erik was instrumental in getting South Pacific Pictures and Seven Network to work together on the transTasman series. It was a punt, he says, but "I knew the quality of the writing and the crews, so I said let's give it a shot".

Turns out the shot was bang on.

* 800 Words screens on TV One at 8.30pm on Thursdays.