What Now


What Now is a New Zealand children's television programme that premiered in 1981. It is filmed before a live audience at a random school in New Zealand, which is selected every week.
The show airs every Sunday at 8 am on TVNZ 2 and has such as Tamariki Titans, DareDevil Levels and Hoover Hover. It has no adverts, due to the Broadcasting Act 1989 which states that no advertising can be shown on New Zealand television between 6 am and noon on Sundays.

History

What Now? was created by Rex Simpson before he left to head up his own production company, Kids TV. It originally screened on Saturday mornings on TVNZ 1 between 7:30 and 10 am. Hosted by Steve Parr, he introduced segments covering morning keep-fit exercises, sketches involving recurring characters such as complaining old man Clive Grumble, simple recipes by Alison Holst, trivia from Frank Flash, law and safety with Constable Keith and Sniff, "Starbound" a nationwide talent quest, interspersed with regular cartoons. The theme song was Get Out of Your Lazy Bed, by Matt Bianco.
When Steve Parr left the show after a couple of years, the format changed to live broadcast. The hosts increased in number, usually to three, beginning with Danny Watson and Michelle Bracey added, and Frank Flash given a more central comedic manic role. When Michelle left the show, she was succeeded by Michele A'Court. Comedy sketches, interactive phone calls and competitions with the viewing audience, plus magazine-style segments going out and about, all became a more central part of the format.
The style remained this way for many years, as hosts evolved and were replaced, until today where the format now involves live audiences of crowds of children, but still is closely faithful with the core concept established early on.
In 1989 the show moved to TVNZ 2 and then in 1996 to Sunday mornings. An after school version of What Now, What Now PM, also ran on TVNZ 2 during the week between 1997 and 2002.
The weekdays version of What Now? became its own separate show known as WNTV. First hosted by Carolyn Taylor and a face in a computer screen played by Mikey Carpenter. Later the show changed dramatically but kept the same WNTV name. It became a drama showing behind the scenes of a children's afternoon magazine show. This was hosted by Antonia Prebble and Tom Herne, and featured several other characters. Anna Allbury and Jo Tuapawa featured as reporters.
The What Now show was moved to TVNZ's Avalon studios in Lower Hutt in 1999 until TVNZ shut down its Children's Department at the end of 2003. What Now the show was then brought back to Christchurch in 2004 to be produced by an independent company Whitebait Productions, headed by Janine Morrell-Gunn and Jason Gunn. What Now? has been funded by NZ On Air since NZOA's inception in 1989; prior to that it was funded by TVNZ.
In 2004 the afternoon show WNTV was cancelled and replaced with the old children's afternoon TV show Studio 2 produced by Ian Taylor.
Various programme partnerships over the years have seen What Now? promoting 'healthy eating healthy action', water safety and old-fashioned letter writing amongst many other things. What Now? has a long-standing association with the Weetbix Kiwi Kids Tryathlon, and with Sport and Recreation New Zealand whose 'Push Play' message encourages children to be physically active.
Early What Now? presenters were also credited as writers. They were people like Michelle A'Court, Danny Watson, Al Kincaid, Michelle Bracey, Simon Barnett and Catherine McPherson, some of whom have gone on to roles as directors and writers. A more recent presenter who made a significant behind-the-scenes contribution was Anthony Samuels, who also trained as a director.
Off-screen personnel who have shaped What Now? over the years are many. They include camera operator and director Alan Henderson, Directors Keith Tyler-Smith, Bill de Friez, Peter Verstappen, Mike Rehu, Brian Wickstead, Mark Owers, Mike Ritchie, Jason Gunn and Richard Hansen. Producers include Richard Driver, Mike Rehu, Tony Palmer, Anne Williams, Reuben Davidson, and Janine Morrell-Gunn. Emma Gribble got her start opening the mail for the fan club and 10 years later became producer of the show.

Current presenters

Previous presenters

Throughout the years, What Now has maintained the use of gunge and foam. Children, celebrities, parents and sometimes the presenters are often the subject of embarrassment in various gunge games. Examples include Happy Feet, Gunge Matters, Target your Teacher and Tug of War and general gunging.