2026 Screen Legend and Screen Personality of the Year Finalists Announced
The New Zealand Screen Awards have also revealed the ten finalists for 2026 Screen Personality of the Year, with voting now open for the only award decided entirely by the New Zealand public.
From familiar faces in news and sport to comedy, drama, entertainment and lifestyle television, this year’s contenders reflect the breadth of personalities connecting with audiences across New Zealand’s screens.
The finalists for 2026 Screen Personality of the Year are:
- Rebecca Gibney: Happiness / Millionaire Hot Seat (Three & ThreeNow)
- Shaun Johnson: Ford League Lounge with Shaun Johnson (Sky Sport)
- Ryan Bridge: Ryan Bridge Today (NZ Herald / Three & ThreeNow)
- Chris Chang: Breakfast / FIFA World Cup 2026™ (TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
- Alex King: Shortland Street (TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+)
- Shiray & Gillies Kākā: Full Noise (Whakaata Māori & Māori+)
- David Correos: Celebrity Treasure Island (TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+) / The Weed Eaters
- Ganesh Raj: Eat Well For Less New Zealand (TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
- Jackie Van Beek: Taskmaster New Zealand (TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+) / Educators (TVNZ+) / Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant
- Turia Schmidt-Peke: Chat Her Up (Whakaata Māori & Māori+)
The award celebrates the screen personalities who have made a lasting impression on New Zealand audiences, with viewers invited to vote for their favourite.
Previous winners include Scotty Morrison (2025), Bella Kalolo (2024), Aesha Scott (2023), Bree Tomasel (2022), Nicola ‘Nix’ Adams (2021), Hilary Barry (2020), Matty McLean (2019), Hayley Holt (2018) and Toni Street (2017).
Voting is open now and closes at 11.59pm on Friday 13 November 2026.
The winner will be revealed at the New Zealand Screen Awards on Thursday 19 November 2026, alongside the winners across the film and television categories. The red-carpet gala ceremony at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre will be hosted by Kate Rodger.
Vote for your favourite at nzscreenawards.co.nz
Country Calendar Named 2026 Screen Legend
Country Calendar will receive the 2026 Screen Legend Award at this year’s New Zealand Screen Awards, recognising 60 years of storytelling about rural Aotearoa.
First broadcast on 6 March 1966, Country Calendar is New Zealand’s longest-running television programme. Originally a short rural news and information show for farmers, it has grown into one of the country’s most enduring television programmes, documenting the people, communities and changing landscapes of rural New Zealand.
“Country Calendar isn’t simply a television programme that has survived; it has thrived for 60 years. It has become part of the way New Zealand sees itself,” says producer Dan Henry.
Country Calendar is only the second television programme to receive the Screen Legend Award, following Shortland Street in 2019. It is also a finalist for Best Factual Series at this year’s awards.
The programme will be honoured at the New Zealand Screen Awards ceremony on Thursday 19 November at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre.
Read the full announcement here
