Hayley Sproull
Actor, Presenter, Writer
Toi Whakaari drama school graduate Hayley Sproull starred in Three's 2019 sitcom Golden Boy. She played Mitch, a journalist who returns home to find her honours degree paling in comparison to her brother’s All Black status. Sproull has created and starred in comedy web series Hayley's Kitchen, written for the likes of Jono & Ben and 7 Days, and been a repeat performer at the NZ International Comedy Festival. In 2018 she turned her talents to presenting, taking on The Great Kiwi Bake Off (alongside Madeleine Sami) and later the Kiwi version of hit Australian game show Have You Been Paying Attention? Image Credit: Photo by Andi Crown
[On] most reality TV shows they get the biggest kinds of personalities to clash together, whereas this is just like watching us – it’s like watching your neighbour, watching your dad, watching your friends cooking, doing what they love. Hayley Sproull on The Great Kiwi Bake Off, The Spinoff, 16 October 2019
Golden Boy
Have You Been Paying Attention?
Fresh Eggs
Educators
Three Turns 30 - Promo
Big hair, big shoulder pads and big earrings feature in this video celebrating Three’s 30th birthday. On 26 November 1989, TV3 — the first privately owned TV channel in New Zealand — transmitted from its Auckland studios for the first time. The promo opens with fresh-faced news reporters/presenters hamming it up for the camera, including Joanna Paul, Eric Young and Genevieve Westcott. The rest of the clip celebrates Three's successes (Outrageous Fortune, bro’Town, 7 Days) and takes a light-hearted look at its failings, revisiting times it went into receivership.
Golden Boy (Comedy Pilot Week)
The Great Kiwi Bake Off
Funny Girls - NZ Suffragette Special
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shows off her comedy prowess in this Funny Girls special, celebrating 125 years of Kiwi women attaining the right to vote. Ardern corrects the blatant lies of "Pauline the producer" (Jackie van Beek), and puts up with Pauline kissing her. This episode is a who's who of female Kiwi comedians, featuring (for the first time) live stand-up alongside the sketches — including Justine Smith and Billy T winners Melanie Bracewell and Angella Dravid. The Suffragette Special followed series three.
Cystic Sisters
Hayleys Kitchen
Interns
Marching
Loner
School Night
Have You Been Paying Attention? (Australian game show)
Woodville (Episode Four)
Sid (Byron Coll) is somewhat distracted in this fourth instalment of online mini-comedy Woodville, when he meets his Uncle Clive’s beautiful assistant Jane (Hayley Sproull) to discuss a role in his documentary about the town’s heroic battle against a Belgian petrochemical corporation. Things get serious on set, with a proper table read in which Jane reveals her acting talent recently honed in the Whakatāne production The Death of Di and Dodi. This NZ On Air-funded six-part series was selected for London’s Raindance Festival in 2013.
Woodville (Episode Six)
This six-part web series about a small town rising up against big business reaches its heartwarming conclusion in this episode. Sid (Byron Coll), is shooting the last few scenes of his doco on the proud Tararua town (including one with a frisky dog which is meant to be dying). Bella (Vanessa Stacey) makes her entrance as the Brockovich-ian lawyer who saves the day. As the town gathers for an open-air screening of the finished film, Sid gets another chance at love. Woodville, written by Christopher Brandon, was selected for London’s Raindance Festival in 2013.
Woodville (Episode Three)
In the third episode of this doco about a doco, Byron Coll’s Sid shows visits Uncle Clive (Tim Spite) to ask for a loan, while his gung ho film crew prepares to launch some vigilante justice if the deal doesn’t go through. He shows Clive the dramatic slow-mo trailer, featuring Mr Baker as the king of Belgium and head of the petrochemical company crushed by the small Hawkes Bay town of Woodville. Sid is reacquainted with the lovely aspiring actress Jane (musical comedienne Hayley Sproull) but makes a dodgy impression.
Woodville (Episode Two)
The tables are turned in the second episode of this online comedy as Sid (Byron Coll) get tongue-tied while being interviewed about being a sexy new doco maker. Sid exhorts his fellow residents to star in a recreation of the town’s battle against a Belgian petrochemical corporation, but actor Molly (Gentiane Lupi) takes direction a bit too enthusiastically. Don Longridge deadpans as deaf Mr Baker, whose fart gag permeates a pair of near wordless scenes with Sid and Bella (Vanessa Stacey). Woodville was selected for London’s Raindance Festival in 2013.
Jono and Ben
In 2012 television pranksters and funny boys Jono Pryor and Ben Boyce remixed the best elements of their popular shows Pulp Sport and The Jono Project, to concoct Jono and Ben at Ten. Three's satirical news and entertainment series ran for seven seasons. Comedians Guy Williams, Rose Matafeo and Laura Daniel also featured. The series began life on a Friday night at 10pm, before moving to a Thursday 7:30pm slot in 2015 (when the title was shortened to Jono and Ben). Despite a fan petition to 'uncancel', the last episode aired on 15 November 2018.
Wellington
NZ Detectives
7 Days
Since debuting in 2009, award-winning panel series 7 Days has introduced a range of Kiwi comedy talents to television audiences. Three's show takes an irreverent look at the past week in the news, with regular segments like “my kid could draw that” and “what’s the taxi driver talking about”. Jeremy Corbett hosts; the two teams of regular and guest comedians have included Paul Ego, Dai Henwood, Ben Hurley and Urzila Carlson. The show echoes the format of Britain's long-running Mock the Week. Corbett has described 7 Days as the comedy show he's always wanted to make.