A Northland-made fishing series has beaten big-budget international competition to be voted New Zealanders' favourite TV show.
The ITM Fishing Show, hosted by Northland extreme fisherman Matt Watson, has ousted the long-running soap Shortland Street from the number-one spot in the TV Guide Best on the Box Viewers' Choice Awards. It was also named Best Sports Show, a title held for the previous three years by The Crowd Goes Wild.
Watson said the win was a big deal for the Kerikeri-based production company.
"As a smaller local show based in Kerikeri, we don't have the same media presence as other programmes. So to get this recognition from the viewers we're stoked, but more so, I think it shows how much Kiwis are into fishing, and that viewers can relate to our Kiwi number-8 wire style of show."
A total of 466,000 votes were cast, giving The ITM Fishing Show a landslide win despite strong competition from local and international programmes.