It is with great pleasure that we welcome Nigel Godfrey as a new contributor to Throng.
We’ve been fans of Nigel’s work since we met him on the set of New Zealand Idol 8 years ago. He has a wealth of TV industry experience and plenty to say about it so we look forward to his thoughts and commentary.
Nigel Godfrey made both his West End and Television debuts at the age of 13 during the year of the Queen’s first jubilee. After leaving Alleyn’s School he starred as Kipps at the Westminster Theatre in Half a Sixpence and followed this with lead roles in both Oh What a Lovely War and The Boyfriend at London’s Golden Lane Theatre. In 1986 and 1987 he worked with The Miss World Group and Thames Television on Miss UK, Miss Great Britain and The International Final of Miss World – broadcast LIVE from The Royal Albert hall to an estimated audience of 500 Million. Nigel Continued to work for Thames Television until 1988 when he decided to move to Sydney.
Staying in Australia for 2 and half years he worked for Channel Ten and taught at The Australian Film and Television School. In 1990 Television New Zealand made him an offer he couldn’t refuse and he moved across the tasman to Auckland.
Nigel remained with TVNZ for 2 and a half years working as their Senior Floor Manager which saw him work on the Opening Ceremony of The Commonwealth Games in 1990. He them moved into Directing and Producing. In 1992 he traveled south to Christchurch and was instrumental in the set-up and operation of New Zealand’s first regional television station CTV. In 1994 he returned to Auckland to produce with Southern Star, and in 1995 he founded Eureka Productions his own television production company.
The last 17 years has seen Nigel and Eureka produce hundreds of hours of broadcast television programming on both sides of the tasman. He has worked with every major TV Network in Australasia. Producing, Directing and Writing virtually every genre of TV programme.
Some of the Highlights: 65 episodes of the Children’s Show Y for Channel 9 in Sydney,
Executive Producer of SKY’s coverage of The International Premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, he also produced 2 primetime specials on that movie. 120 episodes of SKY Scene – a magazine show for SKY TV – which broadcast form London, LA, Sydney, Brisbane and all over NZ. SKY Scene also interviewed Stephen Fry, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, Lee Tamahori, Robson Green and many, many others. In 2009 Nigel Produced the first Telethon that New Zealand had seen in 20 years, raising $2 Million dollars for underprivileged children. In 2010 Nigel Staged and Produced for Television, The New Zealand Variety Show – a star studded Kiwi version of the UK’s Royal Variety Show. The budget, which Nigel raised himself, for this ‘one-night only venture’ was $300K, Bonnie Tyler and Leo Sayer topped the bill. Variety the Children’s Charity benefited to the tune of $250K. Nigel has worked with TVNZ on Masterchef, Idol, Stars in their Eyes, So you Think you Can Dance, Deal or no Deal and countless other primetime franchises.
He has also Produced and Directed a wide range of TV commercials with, amongst others Kate Ritchie, Trinny and Susannah, Gorden Kaye and Sir Michael Caine.
Nigel is also well known as an actor both on stage and in front of the camera. He has starred in The Phantom of the Opera both in New Zealand and Tokyo. Last year he returned to the Stage as Moonface Martin in the multi-million dollar Auckland revival of Anything Goes. He has appeared in 5 feature films, sharing the screen with Jon Voigt, John Hurt, David Strathairn and most recently a rather large ape. He has also guest starred in around 15 TV series including Hercules, Xena Warrior Princess, Legend of the Seeker and Power Rangers. He has also taken the ‘hero’ role in around 35 commercials including a wildly successful US campaign entitled We Are the Champions for a certain little blue pill.
He also produces a number of large scale Events including The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, which has seen him and his crew travel to Monaco each June for the last 6 years.
When he does have any time to spare he’s normally watching TV or spending time with his partner and 3 daughters at his home in Auckland.
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