Bryn & Ku's Singles Club is back on YouTube and The Spinoff for Season 2! The first series was nominated for Best Factual Series and was winner for Best Presenter: Entertainment at last year’s NZ Screen Awards.
Season 1 of course saw the amazing two Tāmaki wāhine comedians Kura Forrester and Brynley Stent embark across Aotearoa to look at the dating scene around the country and talk to Kiwi’s about the modern dating scene, loneliness and finding connection.
But since then, things have changed…..a lot!
This season centres around Kura’s navigation of being hapu with a new partner, and Bryn, who is exploring a new relationship and dating a younger partner, whilst also planning a possible O.E. The episodes still bring the heartfelt friendship and comedy viewers saw last season and at the centre of it, the journey of connection and love (in all forms), and self-discovery is still the aim of the game.
We love this show and these magnificent wāhine behind it, so thought we would catch up with both the stars, and their incredible producer and WIFT NZ member Jin Fellet.
BRYN & KU’S SINGLES CLUB Q&A
Jin Fellet
Kate Rodger: From your perspective, what was the most rewarding part of the growth between season one and season two?
JIN: We built such strong relationships within our crew, so coming back together for season two was really fun. It felt like we were a big group of friends road-tripping together, getting to witness Brynley and Kura fall in love with their new partners - hearing new updates, and giving advice when it was asked for. It was truly special to see Kura go through pregnancy, watching her belly grow over time and seeing her progress into becoming a mother. It's been a really special journey, and I feel incredibly blessed to have been part of it alongside the best crew.
KR: What are you hoping the audience takes away from Bryn & Ku’s journey?
JF: I hope audiences feel comforted. Although they aren't single anymore, the challenges and thoughts they go through are relatable to all women. Their friendship is so beautiful, and the love and admiration they have for each other make us all feel seen and heard.
KURA FORRESTER & BRYNLEY STENT
KR: Now that your show is an Award-Winning kiwi show, how are you both coping with this new status?!
Kura: I was at Heathrow airport waiting to fly out after spending 2 weeks meeting Marks whānau and visiting friends. It was so cool to get an onslaught of texts and videos saying we had won! I had to try and stay cool in the boarding lounge but there were definitely some squeals of delight! Bryn nailed the acceptance speech! I’d say we are humbly taking the new status in our stride.
Bryn: Huge fan! Even though we obviously don’t do it for awards - it was nice to celebrate the show on such a big night celebrating TV and film. The funniest part was that I actually arrived late to the awards because I had just finished performing to about eight people at The Basement Theatre. One minute we were doing live theatre to a tiny audience, and the next we were walking into a room full of TV people and somehow winning an award. It felt like the most perfect snapshot of this industry - you can go from the quietest lows to the biggest highs in the space of an hour.
KR: Let's just say ALOT has changed since Season 1 and nothing beats real life informing our screen experiences - what's been the most nourishing aspect of getting back on the road for Season 2?
Kura: Reconnecting with our crew and getting back into the fun of making this show. We laugh (and cry) so much together, every meal, every hotel, every debrief is so much fun and we are so lucky to love one another how we do. Bryn and I often say if it wasn’t for the crew we have there is no way we would feel so safe to be as candid as we are so the success of this Show is a real tribute to them all.
Bryn: Getting back on the road with Kura and the whole crew. We’ve become a bit of a little family, which makes touring feel really special. I also feel so grateful that my job allows me to travel around Aotearoa and see more of our country. It’s such a privilege to do what I love while getting to spend time in so many beautiful places I might never have visited otherwise.
KR: In this batshit crazy world we now live in - connected but sooooo NOT connected - I feel like you two, and your show - are exactly what women (and men too of course ;)) need. Do you feel that when you are out and about on the ground talking to kiwi wāhine?
Kura: Hard out! Season two has been live for one day as I write this and I’ve already had so many incredible messages from fans about how they connect to this show. The honest and open nature of our stories seems to really strike a chord with people and we are so stoked it can give people joy and hope and connection.
Bryn: Heck yeah! That’s something I really took away from season one. We were out there going on in-person dates, attending dating events, and chatting to people from all walks of life. At first, it was pretty intimidating putting yourself out there and approaching strangers, but it was always worth it. I’d encourage everyone to hop in a car with their bestie, go on a roadie, and strike up conversations with people you don’t know - especially if you’re feeling over the dating app grind!
KR: Some BIG emotions and some seriously big life moments - can you tell us what it feels like to share those experiences on camera, and with us all?
Kura: It feels very cathartic. I’ve never been a super private person and have always found clarity and connection in the sharing. I tribute this show a lot to the wonderful things that have happened in my life since we began. I truly believe that getting to spend concentrated time honestly talking about what you want and hope for, as scary as that maybe sometimes, has meant a lot of those things have come true!
Bryn: It’s a double-edged sword, because obviously it’s hard to share some of challenging stuff with the internet, BUT, the whole reason we made the show was for people to see stories they connect with. It’s a real “share your private to connect to the public” kind of thing. So sure it’s challenging, but also, we wouldn’t put anything out there we weren’t comfortable sharing. And also, I LOVE sharing some of the stuff - especially my relationship with Kura, I want the world to see us cracking each other up!
KR: Feeling safe and nurtured within a production and with everyone involved must be KEY, can you give us a window into that and how important that must be on this show?
Kura: Yes so important and a vital part of this shows success. We genuinely forget our crew are their sometimes which is real testament to their skill. Season 2 we felt like a well oiled machine and Bryn and there was a short hand between what was required of us technically from the cameras. There is so much love and respect between us all I’ve felt super safe and held by our whole crew.
Bryn: Absolutely! I adore our crew. We have a relatively small crew while we are on the road - we all fit in a singular van (including all the gear), so we’ve gotten really close. It’s absolutely imperative that we have a crew around us that we get on with and trust, because otherwise I feel we wouldn’t be as open. They’ve been with us every step of the way - crying, laughing and gagging quietly behind the camera. I’m really greatful to Sophie (our director) and Jin (our producer) for bringing together such a fine group of people.
KR: Having the lives and experiences of New Zealand women immortalised this way, what a gift. Where did the original idea for the series come from?
Kura: Bryn has nailed this answer! That is how it happened, Sophie Dowson seeing our potential as a duo and believing that Bryn and I have the skills to lead a show.
Bryn: When Kura, Sophie and I first got in a room together creatively, Kura and I wrote down a list of everything we had in common - very close to the top of the list is that we were both single. So we thought “is this a dating show?”. We both felt like we’d dated enough in Auckland so then we thought; “is this a travelling dating show?”
Q; NOTHING is easy in the screen industry right now, what have been the biggest challenges getting this season off the ground and now set for release?
Kura: Hmm yes I agree with Bryn that we are very lucky not to know too much about how the heck this has gotten off the ground. Shout out to the spinoff and our hard working producer Jin Fellet for crunching the numbers and getting it done. We are extremely grateful and conscious of how hard the funding situation is right now and have appreciated every second we have had to make this latest season. We all hope there is more to come too!
Bryn: That’s a question for the producers! Kura and I mostly just show up and bring the funnies.
KR: Finally, sum up this new season in one sentence... and GO!:
Kura: Two crack up best mates reconnect at this new stage of life and work to share and unpack how their hearts are coping with all the new phases they are in.
Bryn: Two crack-up best mates travel around the country trying to figure out what on earth they are doing with their lives, and more importantly - how they FEEL about it.
ENDS.