NZ Television Awards 2024: Hit Robyn Malcolm TV Series After The Party scoops top prizes

Robyn Malcolm attends the 2024 NZ Television Awards.

Critically acclaimed Robyn Malcolm drama series After The Party won big at the 2024 NZ Television awards on Friday night in Auckland, taking home a record-breaking nine awards and continuing its dominating streak as one of New Zealand’s best TV exports.

It broke the record eight wins previously set by two other series: 2020 fantasy The Luminaries, which was based on Eleanor Catton’s 2013 Man Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name, and 2022’s The Panthers.

After The Party has been touted as New Zealand’s best TV drama in years and recently launched on UK streaming sites after wowing audiences across the Tasman and at home.

It has been lauded for its inventive storytelling, with the plot told partly in flashbacks and partly in the present day.

Besides winning the overall title of New Zealand On Air Best Drama, it also won Best Editing, Best Script, Best Cinematography and Best Director.

Lead cast members Malcolm, Peter Mullan, Elz Carrad and Tara Canton all won awards for their performances.

In other categories, Reporter of the Year was claimed by Newshub’s Lisette Reymer, who is known for her work reporting live on the war in Ukraine.

Herald senior investigative reporter Michael Morrah was also a nominee for the coveted title.

Morrah, who has nearly 20 years’ experience as a reporter and was previously Newshub’s investigations correspondent, currently keeps Kiwi audiences in the know with his in-depth reporting on Herald’s Michael Morrah Investigates visual series.

As voted by the public, the title of Television Personality of the Year was given to Shortland Street actor Bella Kalolo, who captivated Kiwi viewers with her performance as Selina in the TV soap.

Comedian Pax Assadi, who was nominated for his writing on Season 2 of the hit comedy Raised by Refugees, hosted Friday night’s ceremony at Auckland’s Aotea Centre.

Organisers said there were 121 nominations for the awards from more than 490 entries.

New Zealand Television Personality Of The Year

• WINNER: Bella Kalolo – Shortland Street (TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Patrick Gower – Paddy Gower Has Issues (Warner Bros. Discovery/Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: James Mustapic – Celebrity Treasure Island NZ Season 7 (TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Melissa Chan-Green – AM (Warner Bros. Discovery/Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Paul Williams – Taskmaster Season 4 (TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Turia Schmidt-Peke – Ahikāroa Season 6 (Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+)
• Finalist: Tāmati Rimene-Sproat – Hīkoi: Speaking Our Truth (TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Bubbah Olo – I Got You Season 2 (Vertical Series for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok/RNZ)
• Finalist: Paul Henry – The Traitors Season 1 (Warner Bros. Discovery/Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Rikki Swannell – Rugby World Cup 2023 (Sky)

New Zealand On Air Best Drama

• WINNER: After The Party – Helen Bowden, Liz DiFiore, Peter Salmon (Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Testify – Philippa Rennie, Sharlene George (Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Friends Like Her – Sarah-Kate Lynch, Philip Smith, Kathleen Anderson Annabelle Lee-Mather, Steven Zanoski (Great Southern Television Limited / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

Best Comedy

• WINNER: The Motherhood Anthology – Give Me Babies – Ankita Singh, Calvin Sang and Briar Collard (Eyes and Ears / Oriental Maidens / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Miles From Nowhere – Ahmed Osman, Gary Scott, & Sam Wilton (Gibson Group & Homegrown Pictures / Neon / Sky Open)
• Finalist: Kid Sister – Emily Anderton (Greenstone TV / TVNZ+)
• Finalist: 7 Days – Rob Brown, Thom Watts (The Downlow Concept / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

Best Factual Series

• WINNER: Escaping Utopia – Philippa Rennie & Natalie Malcon (Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Origins – Te Wakahuia Bernard, Tash Christie, Meg Douglas (Scottie Douglas Productions / Greenstone TV / TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Black Coast Vanishings – Cass Avery & Nicola Smith (Augusto / Kindred Films / Story Time Productions / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

New Zealand On Air Best Documentary

• Winner: Family Faith Footy: A Pasifika Rugby Story – Adrian Stevanon, Gregor Paul, Abba-Rose Vaiaoga-Ioasa, Philip Smith (Great Southern Television Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey – Kereama Wright, Mahanga Pihama, Riria Morgan, Arthur Rasmussen, Peter Lee, Matua Houltham (Mairanga Media / RNZ)
• Finalist: Hīkoi Speaking Our Truth – Whatanui Flavell (Haututū Creatives / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)

Best Original Reality Series

• WINNER: Down For Love Season 2 – Rachel Jean (Attitude Pictures / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Cooks On Fire Season 2 – Nick Ward, Brendan Dahill, Richard Fletcher & David Arlich (Perpetual Entertainment NZ / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: The Casketeers – Vivienne Wigby-Ngatai, Annabelle Lee Mather, Philip Smith (Great Southern Television Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)

Best Current Affairs Programme

• WINNER: Q+A with Jack Tame – Alex Braae and the Q+A team (TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Paddy Gower Has Issues (Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Sunday – The Final Episode – Sunday Team (TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Newsroom Investigates with Melanie Reid (Newsroom.co.nz)

New Zealand On Air Best Children’s Programme

• WINNER: Kiri & Lou – Fiona Copland (Kiri and Lou Ltd / Sky)
• Finalist: Island of Mystery: Te Wā o Matariki – Andrea Kahukiwa (Adrenalin)
• Finalist: Fresh Fairytales 2 – Hope Papali’i and Eileen Lee (Coconet TV)
• Finalist: KEA Kids News – Luke Nola and Kendall Kanoa Kukahiko (Luke Nola & Friends)

Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Programme

• WINNER: NZ Wars: Stories of Tauranga Moana – Mihingarangi Forbes, Annabelle Lee-Mather (Aotearoa Media Collective / RNZ / TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Hīkoi Speaking Our Truth – Whatanui Flavell (Haututū Creatives / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Origins – Te Wakahuia Bernard, Tash Christie, Meg Douglas (Scottie Douglas Productions / Greenstone TVNZ1 & TVNZ+)

Te Māngai Pāho Best Reo Māori Programme

• WINNER: Te Karere – Nationwide Activation Day - Rapaera Tawhai and the Te Karere team (TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Waka Huia – Meg Douglas, Whatanui Flavell (Scottie Douglas Productions Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey – Kereama Wright, Mahanga Pihama, Riria Morgan, Arthur Rasmussen, Peter Lee, Matua Houltham (Mairanga Media / RNZ)

New Zealand On Air Best Pasifika Programme

• WINNER: Family Faith Footy: A Pasifika Rugby Story – Adrian Stevanon, Gregor Paul, Abba-Rose Vaiaoga-Ioasa, Philip Smith (Great Southern Television Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Still Here – Ursula Grace Williams, Josh Yong, Torisse Laulu Four and Five Films Ltd / Re:News / TVNZ+
• Finalist: Untold Pacific History – Damon Fepulea’i and Tuki Laumea (Coconet TV)

Best News Coverage

• WINNER: Cyclone Gabrielle, One Year On – 1News at Six (TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Auckland Shooting – Newshub (Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Election Night – 1News at Six (TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)

Best Sports Programme

• WINNER: Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey – Kereama Wright, Mahanga Pihama, Riria Morgan, Arthur Rasmussen, Peter Lee, Matua Houltham (Mairanga Media / RNZ)
• Finalist: All Blacks: In Their Own Words – James Gemmell, Tim Dale-Fuller, Jon Wild (Whisper Films / NZR+)
• Finalist: Relentless – Alex Bradshaw, Tara Durrant (Fire Fire / TVNZ+)

Best Live Event Coverage

• WINNER: Anzac 2024 – Ngatapa Black, Wayne Leonard, Sean Murphy (Whakaata Māori / MĀORI+)
• Finalist: Super Rugby Final 2024, Blues v Chiefs – Marcus Kennedy, Mark Kearns, Will Meiklejohn (Sky Sport NZ / Sky Sport 1)
• Finalist: Ngā Tohu Matariki o te Tau 2023 – Ngatapa Black (Whakaata Māori / MĀORI+)
• Finalist: Ngā Kapa Haka Kura Tuarua o Aotearoa – Ngatapa Black, Kereti Rautangata, Kororia Taumaunu (Whakaata Māori / MĀORI+)

Best Entertainment Programme

• WINNER: New Zealand Today – Bronwynn Bakker, Guy Williams, Matt Cooke, Cam Bakker (Kevin & Co / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Code, The Reunion – Joe Whitehead, Bailey Mackey (Pango Productions / Whakaata Māori / MĀORI+)
• Finalist: Taskmaster NZ – Cam Bakker, Bronwynn Bakker (Kevin & Co / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)

Best Director: Documentary/Factual

• WINNER: Sophie Musgrove & Siddharth Nambiar – Dynamic Planet (NHNZ Worldwide / NEON / Sky Open / Sky Go)
• Finalist: Laurie Clarke – Our Country’s Shame (SunPix Ltd)
• Finalist: Natalie Malcon, Justin Pemberton & Britta Hawkins – Escaping Utopia (Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Megan Jones & Candida Beveridge – Black Coast Vanishings (Augusto / Kindred Films / Story Time Productions / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama / Comedy Drama

• WINNER: Peter Salmon – After The Party (Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Calvin Sang – The Motherhood Anthology – Give Me Babies (Eyes and Ears / Oriental Maidens / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: The 8 Pan-Asian Women Directors of Kāinga – Kāinga (Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Productions Ltd / RNZ)
• Finalist: David White – Far North (White Balance Pictures / South Pacific Pictures / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

Best Actress

• WINNER: Robyn Malcolm – After The Party (Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Bree Peters – Spinal Destination (Great Southern Television / Whitiora Productions / Sky)
• Finalist: Chelsie Preston Crayford – Dark City – The Cleaner (Endeavour Ventures Ltd / Neon & Sky Open)
• Finalist: Morgana O’Reilly – Friends Like Her (Great Southern Television Limited / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

Best Supporting Actress

• WINNER: Tara Canton – After The Party (Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Tess Haubrich – Friends Like Her (Great Southern Television Limited / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Awa Puna – The Boy, The Queen, And Everything In Between (Lucky Legs Media Ltd / TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Roxie Mohebbi – Miles From Nowhere (Gibson Group & Homegrown Pictures / Neon & Sky Open)

Best Actor

• WINNER: Peter Mullan – After The Party (Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Cohen Holloway – Dark City – The Cleaner (Endeavour Ventures Ltd / Neon & Sky Open)
• Finalist: Temuera Morrison – Far North (White Balance Pictures / South Pacific Pictures / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

Best Supporting Actor

• WINNER: Elz Carrad – After The Party (Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Jarod Rawiri – Friends Like Her (Great Southern Television Limited / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Jay Ryan – Creamerie Season 2 (Kevin and Co. / Flat 3 Productions Ltd / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)

Reporter of the Year

• WINNER: Lisette Reymer – Newshub (Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow
• Finalist: Alexa Cook – Newshub (Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Michael Morrah – Newshub (Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

Best Presenter: Entertainment

• WINNER: Karen O’Leary – Paddy Gower Has Issues (Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Guy Williams – New Zealand Today (Kevin & Co / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Dave Letele – Heavyweight with Dave Letele (Heavyweight Media / South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Jeremy Wells and Paul Williams – Taskmaster NZ (Kevin & Co / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)

Best Presenter: News And Current Affairs

• WINNER: Jack Tame – Q+A with Jack Tame (TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Julian Wilcox – The Hui (Great Southern Television Limited / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Guyon Espiner – 30 with Guyon Espiner (RNZ)
• Finalist: Patrick Gower – Paddy Gower Has Issues (Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

Best Editing: Documentary or Factual

• WINNER: Tori Bindoff, Carl Budden – Escaping Utopia (Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Margot Francis and James Brown – Black Coast Vanishings (Augusto / Kindred Films / Story Time Productions / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Toby Longbottom – The Long Game (Stuff Circuit)
• Finalist: Chris Anderton – NZ Wars: Stories of Tauranga Moana (Aotearoa Media Collective / RNZ / TVNZ+)

Best Editing: Drama / Comedy Drama

• WINNER: Denise Haratzis – After The Party (Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Allanah Bazzard – Dark City – The Cleaner (Endeavour Ventures Ltd / Neon & Sky Open)
• Finalist: Eric de Beus – Testify (Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)

Best Camerawork: Documentary or Factual

• WINNER: Mark Chamberlin – The Hui (Great Southern Television Limited / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Chris Watkins – WTF is Crypto? (Reel Factory / TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Dean Cornish and Mark Russell – Troy Kingi’s Desert Hīkoi (Tavake / TVNZ+)

Best Director: Multi-Camera

• WINNER: Matt Quin – NRL playoffs – Warriors v Knights (Sky Sport NZ / Sky Sport 1)
• Finalist: Matt Barrett – Anzac 2024 (Whakaata Māori)
• Finalist: Marcus Kennedy – The Rugby Championship, All Blacks v South Africa (Sky Sport NZ / Sky Sport 1)
• Finalist: Mark Kearns – Super Rugby Final 2024, Blues v Chiefs (Sky Sport NZ / Sky Sport 1)

Images & Sound Best Cinematography: Drama / Comedy Drama

• WINNER: Dave Cameron NZCS ACS – After The Party (Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Simon Tutty – Testify (Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Adam Luxton – Far North (White Balance Pictures / South Pacific Pictures / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

Best Contribution to a Soundtrack

• WINNER: Pinnacle Post Sound Team – Our Flag Means Death, Season 2 (Neon & Sky Open)
• Finalist: Tom Miskin, Alan Kidd, Mike Bayliss, Steve Finnigan – Far North (South Pacific Pictures / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Bruce Langley – Dark City – The Cleaner (Endeavour Ventures Ltd / Neon & Sky Open)

Images & Sound Best Original Score

• WINNER: Andrew Keoghan, Reb Fountain – Escaping Utopia (Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Karl Sölve Steven & Rob Thorne – Black Coast Vanishings (Augusto / Story Town / Kindred Films / Warner Bros. Discovery / Studiocanal Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Moniker – Far North (White Balance Pictures / South Pacific Pictures / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)

Best Post Production Design

• WINNER: Alana Cotton – Testify (Warner Bros New Zealand / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Erin Woolhouse – The Motherhood Anthology, Give Me Babies (The Rebel Fleet / Eyes and Ears / Oriental Maidens / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Jemma Lee – Motherhood, Ahi and the Stars (Caravan Park Films / Stella Maris / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)

Best Production Design

• WINNER: Neville Stevenson – Dark City – The Cleaner (Endeavour Ventures Ltd / Neon & Sky Open)
• Finalist: Andy Currie – The Motherhood Anthology – Give Me Babies (Eyes and Ears / Oriental Maidens / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Melissa Spicer – ​​After The Party (Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Riria Lee – Kāinga (Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Productions Ltd / RNZ)

Best Costume Design

• WINNER: Briar Vivian – Far North (White Balance Pictures / South Pacific Pictures / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Sarah Aldridge – Testify (Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Briar Vivian – Miles From Nowhere (Gibson Group & Homegrown Pictures / Neon & Sky Open)

Best Makeup Design

• WINNER: Janene Cissi – The Boy, The Queen, And Everything In Between (Lucky Legs Media Ltd / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Maya Bailey – Far North (White Balance Pictures / South Pacific Pictures / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)
• Finalist: Joseph Kalepo & Andrew Kalepo – Motherhood (KOHA Productions / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)

Best Script: Comedy

• WINNER: Simone Nathan – Kid Sister (Greenstone TV / TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Pax Assadi – Raised by Refugees Season 2 (Kevin & Co / Sky Open)
• Finalist: Mohamed Hassan – Miles From Nowhere (Gibson Group & Homegrown Pictures / Neon & Sky Open)

Best Script: Drama

• WINNER: Dianne Taylor – After The Party (Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
• Finalist: Paul Cleave – Dark City – The Cleaner (Endeavour Ventures Ltd / Neon & Sky Open)
• Finalist: Sarah-Kate Lynch – Friends Like Her (Great Southern Television Limited / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow)