NZ Idol 3 - Factual / Entertainment (2006)
TV2 (NZ)
Distributor: FremantleMedia
Thousands of hopeful Kiwi singers sent in their registration forms for the third series of South Pacific Pictures' top-rating entertainment series.
This series they had to impress judges Frankie Stevens, Megan Alatini and Iain Stables and the voting public in their quest to be named NZ Idol. This years winner Matt Saunoa from Levin won a Daihatsu Terios, $50,000 in prize money and a recording contract with Race Records (a subsidiary of New Zealand label Siren Records).
Matt's single Hold Out was written by James Reed from New Zealand band The Feelers and debuted at number one on the New Zealand charts.
The Idol phenomenon has been extraordinary the world over, and New Zealand is no different. The first series of NZ Idol was the number one television programme in New Zealand and the highest rating show of 2004. Its final episode drew a 50+ share in the 5+ demographic. NZ Idol 2 and NZ Idol 3 sustained both profile and ratings and has become an entertainment icon in New Zealand.
This series received extensive media coverage, dominating the New Zealand news press and airwaves from the announcement of the judges, to the Grand Final.
South Pacific Pictures worked in conjunction with Grundy Television in Australia. The series was commissioned by Television New Zealand's TV2 network.
Since the original Pop Idol screened in the UK in 2001, more than a dozen countries have screened local versions of the format.
NZ Idol 3 aired on TV2 in the second half of 2006.
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