Sidelined drama sweeps local TV awards

By NAOMI LARKIN

A drama which was bumped from Television New Zealand's Waitangi Day schedule in favour of America's Cup racing cleaned up at the TV Guide Television Awards.

Nga Tohu: Signatures won best actor and best actress titles for George Henare and Nancy Brunning, best supporting actor for Ross Duncan and best director, drama, for Andrew Bancroft.

The drama, which was funded by the Legal Services Board, tells the story of a fictional New Zealand town facing the consequences of a treaty claim.

The drama is used as an educational video in schools.

Producer George Andrews yesterday said TVNZ had refused to screen the programme in prime-time and had originally scheduled it for the afternoon of Waitangi Day.

But it was dropped on the day in favour of the yachting. It was later screened in an afternoon slot.

"It was the considered view of Television New Zealand that it was not fit for prime-time. The resounding decision of the industry itself was that it was by far the best thing in drama that Television New Zealand has transmitted over the year," Mr Andrews said.

TVNZ spokesman Liam Jeory yesterday said large events of any description can throw scheduling out.

"It's a judgmental term to say 'not fit for'," he said.

The supreme award at the black tie event held at Auckland's Aotea Centre on Saturday night went to TV3 frontman John Campbell, who beat Judy Bailey and Jim Hickey to the best presenter award.

Scrapped arts show backch@t, fronted by Bill Ralston, won best lifestyle series with 60 Minutes named best news and current affairs programme.

What Now? earned the best children's programme award, Nga Morehu - End of an Era, best Maori programme and Moko Toa best Maori language programme.

Guests included the Prime Minister Helen Clark, who presented the best news and current affairs programme award and a host of television celebrities.

The full list of winners:

Best News and Current Affairs Programme: 60 Minutes, Keith Slater for TV One News & Current Affairs.

Best Contribution to a Soundtrack: Haresh Bhana, America's Cup.

Best Original Music: Clive Cockburn, Destination Disaster - The Sinking of the Mikhail Lermontov.

Best Children's Programme: What Now?, Tony Palmer for TVNZ Children's Production.

Best Comedy Programme: Pulp Comedy, Mandy Toogood and Simon Sinclair for Phoenix Television.

Henderson Rental Cars Best Performance in an Entertainment or Comedy Programme: Jon Bridges, Ice As.

Academy Of Film & TV Make Up Best Contribution to Design: Paul Sharp, Animation, America's Cup.

Best Design: Guy Moana, Moko Toa.

Best Sports Programme: America's Cup - The Final Day, Denis Harvey, Andrew Hawthorn and Steve Coates for TV One Sport.

Atlab New Zealand Best Camera: Peter Young, Country Calendar - Yankee Harvest.

Best Editing: Paul Sutorius, Getting to Our Place.
Fujifilm Best Entertainment Series: Polyfest 2000, Claudette Hauiti for Front of the Box Productions.

Best Entertainment Programme: The $20 Challenge - London, Amanda Evans for Pacific Crews.

Best Supporting Actor: Ross Duncan, Nga Tohu: Signatures.

Best Supporting Actress: Stephanie Tauevihi, Shortland Street.

Best Lifestyle Series: backch@t, Gordon Harcourt for the Gibson Group.

Sony Digital Betacam Best Factual Series: Our People, Our Century, David Harry Baldock and Ray Waru for Ninox Films.

Russell McVeagh Best Maori Programme: Nga Morehu - End of an Era, Toby Mills for Tawera/Black Pearl Productions.

Te Mangai Paho Best Maori Language Programme: Moko Toa and Hineani Melbourne for Te Haeata Productions.

Best Factual Programme or Documentary Script: Philip Temple, Our People, Our Century, Families at War.

Pacific Renaissance Pictures Best Drama Script: Donna Malane, Duggan - Shadow of Doubt.

The TV Guide Best Presenter: John Campbell.

Best Director, Factual Programme or Documentary: Cheryl Cameron, Destination Disaster - The Sinking of the Mikhail Lermontov.

Best Director, Drama: Andrew Bancroft, Nga Tohu: Signatures.

Grace Magazine Best Actress: Nancy Brunning, Nga Tohu: Signatures.

Auckland City Best Actor: George Henare, Nga Tohu: Signatures.

Broadcast Communications Ltd Best Documentary: The Fatal Game, James Heyward for Making Movies.

Kodak New Zealand Best Drama Series or Serial: Duggan, Dave Gibson and Jan Haynes for the Gibson Group.