1986 a year of specials

Press, 27 January 1986, Page 19

1986 a year of specials

Television New Zealand will screen a wide variety of entertainment specials this year. Top Town returns next month, produced and hosted by Bill McCarthy, aided by Olympic gold medallist, lan Ferguson, and sponsored by L and P.

For those who missed the first series of Top Town in the 19705, the programme features teams from towns throughout New Zealand, competing for the Top Town trophy and the glory of being the Top Town in New Zealand. Encouraged by their own cheerleaders, the teams negotiate wierd and wonderful obstacle courses, often with hilarious results.

On February 8, Miss New Zealand 1986 will screen live from the Regent Theatre in Dunedin with 18 contestants competing for the Miss New Zealand Crown, and the chance to represent New Zealand in the Miss World Pageant in London in November.

Miss Zealand 1985, Sheri Le Fleming Burrow, will reflect on her year as

Miss New Zealand and her success in the Miss World Pageant, where she was placed in the final 15 of approximately 78 women, and won the Continent of Beauty title for Australasia and the Pacific — ‘Miss Oceania.’ In March, the Benson and Hedges Fashion Awards will be televised, and an Easter treat for young and old will be the opera, Hansel and Gretal.

Live telecasts this year include: the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts opening, with Joan Sutherland and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, on March 5; Miss Universe New Zealand from Christchurch on April 26; and the new Film and Television Awards on June 12, replacing what was once known as the Feltex Television Awards.

On October 25, live from the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington, New Zealand will host an international song contest — the 2nd Abu Popular Song Contest.

In 1985, New Zealand was represented by Rob Winch in the host country, Singapore. Whilst in Singapore, Malcolm Kemp, Television New Zealand’s Head of Entertainment, initiated discussions on New Zealand hosting the Abu contest. Our international reputation with entertainment spectaculars of this type has been well established by shows such as the Pacific Song Contest in 1978 and 1979. Entries in the contest will be sought from the 70

members representing the 46 counties making up the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union with the finalists appearing on stage in Wellington before a live audience. The programme will be transmitted by satellite to Abu member countries, with a potential audience of two thirds of the world’s population — countries like Egypt, China, Australia, Japan, Korea, India and New Zealand.

In November, the New Zealand Music Awards will acknowledge the achievements of New Zealand artists in the recording industry, and December specials include Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve shows.

Beginning in February, and running for 44-week seasons, the following well established, specialist audience programmes will continue — Ready To Roll, Radio With Pictures, Video Releases, and 12 O’Clock Rock — shows with the latest in chart happenings both locally and overseas.

In the classical vein, Opus will return on Sundays at 4.00 p.m.