Thomas Robins
Thomas Robins has acted alongside digital penguins, dodgy teachers, and a ring forged in the fires of Mount Doom. Off-screen, his directing work has won a bag of awards, thanks to 2009's Reservoir Hill. He created the International Emmy-winning web series with David Stubbs, his partner at KHF Media. Robins was also behind TV series The Killian Curse, and directed 2017 telemovie Catching the Black Widow.
Jane Waddell
First ensnared by acting while training to be a teacher in Dunedin, Jane Waddell began her long stage career even before she graduated from New Zealand Drama School. On-screen, she has starred as real-life safe sex campaigner Ettie Rout (Pioneer Women), voiced a parrot (on BBC series Grandad) and directed for youth TV shows Squirt and Oi. Waddell has been a council member of Wellington’s Circa theatre since 1985.
Dominic Bowden
Since joining children’s TV show Squirt in 2000, Dominic Bowden’s jet-setting career has included time in the New Zealand, the United States, and Australian radio — plus three seasons hosting ratings-topper, NZ Idol. Signed to US agency William Morris Endeavor, Bowden broke into US broadcasting in 2007 as host of talent show The Next Great American Band, after relocating to Los Angeles. He then went behind the scenes on The X Factor USA, and in 2013 began presenting The X Factor (NZ). In 2017 Bowden began hosting the Kiwi version of dating show The Bachelor.
Matt Gibb
A background in Christchurch improv theatre prepared Matt Gibb for roles presenting long-running TVNZ kids shows Squirt and Studio 2 Live. He has gone on to host slots for youth channel TVNZ U (which he also produced), Good Morning, the live Lotto draw, and Heartland’s There and Back. A familiar face in a series of ads for Spark (formerly Telecom), in 2015 Gibb began fronting travel and homes segments for Kiwi Living.
Kanoa Lloyd
Gisborne-born Kanoa Lloyd got early screen experience as a presenter on Saturday morning kids slot Squirt, while she was still at high school in Dunedin. In 2009 she traded in stints as a university student and massage therapist to join the presenting team on after school show Sticky TV. From 2014 Lloyd was a weather presenter for 3 News at 6pm, where she won headlines for daring to introduce some te reo. In February 2017 Lloyd became one of the three inaugural presenters of 7pm current affairs/entertainment show The Project. Lloyd also read the news on radio's Mai FM, from 2012 to 2014.
Ian Taylor
Former Spot On presenter Ian Taylor, CNZM, is the founder of computer graphics company Animation Research Limited. ARL made its name providing real-time sports graphics at the 1992 America's Cup, and has gone on to apply their technology to golf, cricket, tennis and Formula One car-racing around the globe.
Andrew Gunn
Andrew Gunn spent 13 years working for TVNZ’s Children’s Unit. His writing credits range from extended contributions to What Now! to 1998 award-winner The Beginner’s Guide to Space Travel. In 2009 Gunn (who is brother to entertainer Jason Gunn) co-wrote trolley derby tale Kiwi Flyer with director Tony Simpson. 2014 saw his second feature 3 Mile Limit, based on the early days of pirate station Radio Hauraki.
Janine Morrell-Gunn
Janine Morrell-Gunn is one of New Zealand's leading children's television producers. She began her TV career in 1985 as a trainee director and producer at TVNZ, working on programmes such as Spot On and Fast Forward. Morrell-Gunn spent seven years as executive producer of TVNZ's Children's Unit. In the late 1990s she formed Whitebait Productions (now Whitebait Media) with her husband Jason Gunn.