TVNZ Teases Local 2026 Slate
November 25, 2025 
2 Comments
TVNZ has revealed new seasons of Escaping Utopia, Taskmaster NZ, The Casketeers, Dead Ahead and Documentary NZ will screen next year following their funding by NZ On Air.
There’s also a new commission, Dead Losi, about a terminally-ill con man.
Here’s the media release:
Escaping Utopia S2 headlines NZ On Air-funded local slate for TVNZ
The multi award-winning Escaping Utopia will return for season two, alongside a raft of compelling local shows made possible by NZ On Air, with funding support announced this today.
The bold new two-part documentary series will continue to expose life inside one of New Zealand’s most secretive communities, giving voice to those breaking free from Gloriavale.
Taskmaster NZ will also return for a seventh season of chaos, comedy and fierce competition.
The award-winning series is a fan-favourite with viewers and season six was a runaway success, reaching a total audience of 884,000 (AP5+)* on TVNZ 2.
In the scripted space, a terminally ill conman reunites with his woke, goody two-shoes son in a last-ditch attempt at redemption — and accidentally turns him into a criminal mastermind in brand-new commission, Dead Losi.
In addition, NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho have confirmed funding for two returning commissions through their Reo Māori Content co-fund round.
Francis and Kaiora Tipene return with more heart, humour, and cultural curiosity in The Casketeers: Life & Death Around the Globe; and drama series Dead Ahead will return with sharp humour, deep emotion, and rising tension, as the Wharekoa whānau reckon with the past, and fight for their future.
Nadia Tolich, TVNZ’s Chief News & Content Officer, said, “Local storytelling sits at the core of our programming strategy, and we’re thankful to NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho for their ongoing support.
“Their commitment to New Zealand content allows us to deliver fresh Kiwi stories that entertain, inspire and strike a chord with audiences across Aotearoa.”
Funding support was announced today as part of NZ On Air’s Scripted & Non-fiction funding round.
Additional TVNZ projects supported include three more one-off documentaries as part of the return of Documentary NZ, Eat Well for Less NZ S6, Diary of a Junior Doctor S2, Q+A with Jack Tame and Tagata Pasifika, among others.
*SOURCE: Nielsen TAM; Consolidated; 18/8/25-16/9/25; TVNZ 2*; AP05+, AP18-54; Cume Reach 000s/%”
Any idea when TVNZ will reveal its showcase for 2026? — Mark.
TVNZ and Three have stopped doing showcases for the media, Mark. Covid was the beginning of the end, and last year TVNZ joined then WBD-owned Three in not staging the media bashes. Expect a succession of media releases to be drip-fed over the next month or two, the first being TVNZ’s local slate sneak peek.