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.