NZ Television Awards’ best dressed reflect on fashion and favourite TV moments

Aotearoa’s biggest night in screen, the New Zealand Television Awards, kicked off on Tuesday night to celebrate the best of our local television talent.

The event honours the best of NZ’s film media in 2023, from actors to directors and journalists to screenwriters, in Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre, where smart suits (some borrowed, some owned) and sparkling dresses ruled the red carpet (which was actually black).

After a particularly hard year for the media, why not indulge in a bit of glitz, glamour, Champagne drinking, and reflecting?

And what better way to celebrate the hard work of these nominees than by asking: “what are you wearing?”

Aesha Scott

Below Deck: Down Under star Aesha Scott has had a phenomenal year on television, returning for the second season of the hit reality series where the Tauranga-native proved herself a favourite amongst fans for her authenticity and leadership.

She’s nominated for Television Personality of the Year, and is dressed in a custom silver sequined dress by New Zealand label BW, founded by designer Blair White.

“I actually went and did a fitting with him, and he drew the shape of my body on here, and he’s painted it on the inside of the sequins, all of these shapes,” Scott says.

”So, he’s incredible.”

Scott is also wearing earrings by Layla Casey, which she says are “worth a bloody fortune.”

Patrick Gower

Newshub journalist, Patrick Gower, is wearing a Working Style suit, but he has a confession: he had to pop into the store to get the workers to help him with his bowtie.

He feels guilty saying it, but Gower’s favourite television moment of 2023 is … himself.

Whether it be the opening of Paddy Gower Has Issues, or that fiery election debate, it’s been a chocka year for the Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs nominee. But what stands out?

“The best moment was when Christopher Luxton told me that he didn’t know who Winston Peters was,” Gower laughs.

“Because he really knows who he is now.”

Jack Tame

Nominated for Best Presenter: News and Current Affair, Q+A host Jack Tame arrived in a smart and simple Working Style suit.

For the King of Sunday morning television, there’s only one show that truly stands above the rest: Grand Designs.

“I’m a massive Grand Designs fan – like, absolutely religious Grand Designs fan,” he says, “so the only thing that I’m upset about being here tonight is that it clashes with Grand Designs.”

“The end of the episode when Tom comes in and does the whole, like, ‘design is but a reflection of music and lyrics and sound’ – it’s that moment that I love.”

“So, yeah, I’m disappointed to be missing that.”

Jesse Mulligan

Broadcaster Jesse Mulligan was dazzling in blue, another suit plucked from Three’s private wardrobe.

“When The Project ended on Friday, the stylist said, ‘would you like to take a suit?’,” Mulligan says.

“And I said, ‘yeah, I’ll take this one’”.

For his pick for the best television moment of the year, Mulligan “can’t go past the final episode of The Project.”

“Bias, because I was on it,” he jokes.

“But, man, we just put seven years of love, and and family into that show, and we left at 7.30 with nothing left on the table.

“We were so happy and sad and moved and proud, you know? So we’re all still feeling the the halo of that this week.”

Samantha Hayes and Mike McRoberts

Newshub Live at 6pm co-presenters Samantha Hayes and Mike McRoberts were ever the formidable duo, with Hayes adorning a dress plucked from Three’s wardrobe.

“It’s from the Dancing With The Stars – I think it was one of the judges wore it,” she says.

Roberts, meanwhile, is wearing a brand-new made-to-measure Crane Brothers suit.

Hayes laughs while she thinks of the story that stood out to her this year: that infamous Chinese sun bear that fooled the world into thinking it’s actually a human.

“I really believe they are actual bears, but Mike thinks they’re human,” Hayes says.

Roberts did not expand on the conspiracy theory.

Oscar Kightley

Next Goal Wins star Oscar Kightley is receiving the Television Legend award, and will be accepting the honour in a Crane Brothers suit – the actor’s go-to label for special occasions.

He’s still riding off the high of his home premiere of Next Goal Wins, which will come to screens across Aotearoa on Thursday.

“After seeing the premiere and waiting for it to come out here, I was really stoked on that night because it was for Kiwi audiences,” Kightley says.

“You know, I think they got it more than maybe they might get it in America. Who knows?”

For the one and only Television Legend, one moment on the screen this year stood out: the All Blacks’ loss in the Rugby World Cup final.

Chris Parker

Comedian Chris Parker is nominated for Best Script: Comedy for his work on the second episode of Double Parked.

Parker is dressed in head-to-toe Zambesi, a suit which he needs to return at the end of the night, so he’s on high alert for any food spillages and sweat stains around his collar.

As for the year in television, the moment that stuck out to Parker was fellow comedian James Mustapic’s win on Celebrity Treasure Island, making him the third white, gay, and blonde winner.

“We’re not deciding who comes in, you know, but this is the way it plays out,” Parker says.

“I guess Treasure Island plays to our strength, which is like gossiping and alliances.”