Kerry Smith
Kerry Smith's broadcasting career crossed the gamut: from TV continuity announcer, to playing sharp-tongued deputy editor Magda McGrath on Gloss, to presenting That's Fairly Interesting and home improvement show Changing Rooms. Smith also did many years as a radio host. She died on 20 April 2011, after a battle with cancer.
Victoria Spackman
In May 2017 Victoria Spackman began as leader of creative campus Te Auaha, which is set to open in Wellington in 2018. Before that she was chief executive and co-owner of Wellington company Gibson Group, whose multi-media and interactive installations and TV programmes reach a large international audience. Studies in law, film, theatre and linguistics have all fed into Spackman's work.
Lisa Manning
London-born Lisa Manning moved to New Zealand with her family, at the age of 10. After working as a regional reporter for the BBC in the early 90s, she returned downunder to file reports for One News, Holmes, Fair Go and Good Morning, winning multiple Qantas Film and TV Awards. From 2000, Manning fronted popular home renovation show Mitre 10 DIY Rescue, before shifting back to morning TV in 2004 to host Good Morning. She made international headlines when a relationship sprang from a 2004 Good Morning interview with Welsh Lord of the Rings actor John Rhys-Davies.
Julie Christie
Julie Christie, DNZM, is one of New Zealand's most successful television producers. She built her company, Touchdown Productions, into the country's leading producer of entertainment television and exporter of programme formats. In 2006 she sold Touchdown to global company Eyeworks in a multi-million dollar deal; she stayed on as managing director until 2012.
Les Andrews
Les Andrews, QSM, began singing with the Kiwi Concert Party during World War II. After the war he studied at London’s Royal College of Music, and sang on BBC television. Back home he was one of the first faces on air when local television began transmitting, and later spent four years hosting quiz show Personality Squares. With his wife Sonia, he was a busy patron of the arts. Andrews died on 28 February 2014.
Amanda Evans
The trio of documentaries surrounding the religious community of Gloriavale generated huge TV ratings. Amanda Evans is the director and producer behind this mini-TV phenomenon. In her 30 year career she has produced and/ or directed documentaries, reality series and iconic Kiwi kids and arts shows.
Tessa Tylee
Tessa Tylee has over two decades of television credits, including six seasons of community hero garden renovation show Mucking In. She begun on the coffee run on factual series Heroes and worked her way up to helm documenaries on rally driver Possum Bourne and actor Kevin Smith. These days Tylee runs her own production outfit, Alice in Television, from Hawke's Bay.
Nevak Rogers
As the Head of Content Development at Māori Television and commissioning consultant for TVNZ's Māori and Pacific Programmes, Nevak Rogers is always looking to capture that elusive rangatahi audience. The former journalist and moved into directing and producing Māori and Pacific Island stories. She has presented popular reality shows like Marae DIY and produced doco Ngā Tamatoa - 40 Years On.
Jayashree Panjabi
Jayashree Panjabi began her television career in 1980 as a presenter on children's staple Play School, which she later returned to direct. During (and after) eight years with programme powerhouse NHNZ, Panjabi directed and produced documentaries around the world.
Philly de Lacey
Philly de Lacey heads company Screentime New Zealand. De Lacey began in television in 1999. By 2003 she was producing the company’s newly-launched show Police Ten 7; three years later she became managing director at Screentime NZ. The company’s staple of shows ranges across drama (Underbelly: Land of the Long Green Cloud, Siege), and various long-running actuality series (Beyond the Darklands, Marae DIY).