New Zealand / Media

Aesha Scott, Paddy Gower and The Gone big winners at 2023 NZ TV Awards

23:17 pm on 5 December 2023

New Zealand superyacht stewardess Aesha Scott stars in the Bravo reality series Below Deck Photo: Maree Wilkinson Photography

The Kiwi star of a reality show about life on luxury superyachts has been named Personality of the Year at the 2023 New Zealand Television Awards - Ngā Taonga Whakaata O Aotearoa.

Aesha Scott, who stars in Below Deck Down Under, won the publicly-voted award, which was announced at a glittering event at Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre on Tuesday night.

Earlier this year, Scott told Kim Hill that delivering five-star service with TV cameras around 24/7 was tough.

"It's not all fun and games but I'm determined to keep doing it as long as my sanity will let me," she said.

Nearly 40 awards were announced during the night, recognising excellence in Aotearoa's TV industry across news and entertainment.

1News took out the award for Best News Coverage for their reportage on the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle, and 1News' Thomas Mead was named Reporter of the Year.

Patrick Gower won Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs for his work across Newshub Live at 6pm, Paddy Gower Has Issues, AM, The Project NZ and Paddy Gower On…. His co-star Karen O'Leary won Best Presenter: Entertainment for her work on Paddy Gower Has Issues.

Sunday was named Best Current Affairs Programme and Taskmaster NZ won Best Entertainment Programme.

Antonia Prebble was named Best Actress for her role in Double Parked, and Dominic Ona-Ariki was named Best Actor for his work in One Lane Bridge.

Crime drama The Gone won five awards including Best Drama, Best Cinematography (Drama/Comedy Drama), Best Original Score, Best Costume Design and Best Makeup Design.

Princess of Chaos, based on the 2013 political scandal that erupted when then-mayor of Auckland Len Brown was discovered to have had an affair with council advisor Bevan Chuang, won awards for Best Editing (Drama/Comedy Drama), Best Post Production Design and Best Director (Drama/Comedy Drama).

NZ Wars, Stories of Wairau, which was produced for RNZ by the Aotearoa Media Collective and Great Southern Television was named Best Māori Programme.

Oscar Kightley was honoured as the 2023 TV Legend.

2023 New Zealand Television Awards winners are:

NZ On Air Best Drama

The Gone

Kingfisher Films/ Keeper Pictures/ Southern Light Films / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+

Best Comedy

Educators: Season 3 Episode 1

South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ + and TVNZ 2

Best Factual Series

When Bob Came: Season 1

Stella Maris Production / Caravan Carpark Films / TVNZ+

NZ On Air Best Documentary

No Māori Allowed

Kindred Films / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+

Best Original Reality Series

The Walkers: Season 2 Episode 3

Hi Mama Productions / TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+

Best Format Reality Series

The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes

Great Southern Television / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+

Best Current Affairs Programme

Sunday

TVNZ / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+

NZ On Air Best Children's Programme

Mystic Season 3

Libertine Pictures & Slim Film + TV / TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+

Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Programme

NZ Wars, Stories of Wairau

Aotearoa Media Collective & Great Southern Television / RNZ

Te Māngai Pāho Best Reo Māori Programme

Homesteads

Te Imurangi Ltd / Whakaata Māori

NZ On Air Best Pasifika Programme

Brutal Lives - Mo'ui Faingata'a: Season 2

Kingston Productions Ltd / The Coconet TV

Best News Coverage

1News - Cyclone Gabrielle

TVNZ / 1News, TVNZ 1

Best Sports Programme

East Coast Rising

Pango Productions / TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+

Best Live Event Coverage

ANZAC 2023

Whakaata Māori

Best Entertainment Programme

Taskmaster NZ

Kevin & Co / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ 2

Best Director: Documentary/Factual

Toby Longbottom

Fire and Fury

Stuff Circuit / Stuff

Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama / Comedy Drama

Kiel McNaughton

Princess of Chaos

Chaos Films Ltd, Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Ltd & Augusto Ltd / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+

Best Actress

Antonia Prebble

Double Parked

Kevin & Co / Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ / ThreeNow and Three

Best Supporting Actress

Sesilia Pusiaki

Inky Pinky Ponky

Tikilounge Productions / The Coconet TV / Whakaata Māori

Best Actor

Dominic Ona-Ariki

One Lane Bridge

Great Southern Television / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+

Best Supporting Actor

Rick Donald

Educators

South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ+ and TVNZ 2

Reporter of the Year

Thomas Mead

1News

TVNZ / 1News, TVNZ 1

Best Presenter: Entertainment

Karen O'Leary

Paddy Gower Has Issues

Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ /ThreeNow and Three

Best Presenter: News And Current Affairs

Patrick Gower

Newshub Live at 6pm, Paddy Gower Has Issues, AM, The Project NZ, Paddy Gower On…

Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ / Newshub / ThreeNow and Three

Television Personality of the Year

Aesha Scott

Below Deck Down Under

Bravo (New Zealand)

Television Legend

Oscar Kightley

For the complete list of awards, see NZ TV Awards.