We are thrilled to share the upcoming series brought together by a handful of WIFT members:
Shooting is underway in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington for the Sky New Zealand Originals’ all-new comedy Small Town Scandal, a screen adaptation of celebrated comedian Tom Sainsbury’s hit iHeartRadio NZ original podcast of the same name.
Producers Georgina Conder and Carthew Neal are at the helm, with the project directed by Ghazaleh Gol and Calvin Sang. The project stars Tom Sainsbury as Toby, a disgraced journalist turned true-crime podcast host as he investigates the suspicious death (by automatic lawnmower) of his millionaire uncle in a hometown filled with eccentric suspects. Also starring in this series, is Emmy-award winning actress Morgana O’Reilly (The White Lotus, Friends Like Her) and five-time Logie nominee Alexander England (Offspring, How To Please A Woman).
Speaking from location in the fictional town of Te Hōiho, Tom said, "Small Town Scandal is becoming a TV show, and I am absolutely fizzing! It’s the perfect mix of my two favourite things – juicy true crime and those wonderfully quirky small-town Kiwi characters we all know (and maybe are related to). I can't wait for people to throw out wild theories about whodunnit while also cracking up at the hilariously familiar chaos of small-town life. And don’t even get me started on the cast – my dream team of comedy legends. Bring on the scandal!"
The series will screen later in 2025. In the meantime, listen to the Small Town Scandal podcast on Spotify or Apple
We wish you all the best in production, and look forward to seeing the series when it is released!