1991 in New Zealand television

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This is a list of New Zealand television events and premieres which occurred, or are scheduled to occur, in 1991, the 31st year of continuous operation of television in New Zealand.

List of years in New Zealand television
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Events[edit]

  • 3 January - New Zealand television debut of Australian medical drama G.P. on TV3.
  • 4 January - American animated sitcom The Simpsons made its New Zealand premiere on Channel 2. Several years later it was moved to TV3 and later returned to Channel 2 (as TV2 and later as TVNZ 2) in early 2016.
  • 6 January - The popular British cult marionette television series Thunderbirds returned to New Zealand television after a long absence with the series airing in a Sunday morning slot on Channel 2.
  • 4 February - After 2 returned to Channel 2 with a 2.30pm start and a 4pm finish.
  • 7 February - British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends aired on TV3 one last time after a huge amount of reruns on the network since the switchover in 1990.
  • 9 February - The Saturday morning programmes The Breakfast Club and What Now returned to Channel 2.
  • 11 February - Wheel of Fortune debuted on Channel 2; it later revived in 2008 on TV One, and a year later they dropped the show due to financial issues.
  • 14 March - New Zealand satirical comedy show More Issues first appeared on TV One.
  • 19 March - Channel 2 transmitted the Australian children's television series Johnson and Friends.
  • 19 March - After a long absence since its last air on 14 November 1989, British children's animation Postman Pat returned to airing in New Zealand with the series now airing on Channel 2. This also marked the third time all 13 episodes of the series were ever broadcast on Channel 2.
  • 1 April - TV3 debuted a brand new children's educational series titled Aunties' Alphabet.
  • 1 April - Hine Elder returned to hosting children's television with a brand new wrapper programme, The Bugs Bunny Show, which aired on Channel 2. The show included dozens of old classic Warner Bros. cartoons featuring its popular characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester, Tweety, Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, Pepe Le Pew and Porky Pig, special guests, competitions, viewer participation and giveaways and was shown weekdays at 5pm.
  • 30 April - TV One premiered the popular British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances starring Patricia Routledge.
  • 7 May - British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends returns to airing on TV3 and continues broadcasting on the channel in the afternoons once again.
  • 8 May - US animated environmental series Captain Planet and the Planeteers got its proper television premiere on Channel 2 after airing in the previous year with only one episode as an introduction. The series would begin with its very first episode "A Hero for Earth".
  • 4 June - The last in series one of Johnson and Friends was shown on Channel 2 with "Cleaning Day". The iconic Australian children's TV series itself would return for a rerun on 10 December.
  • 14 June - A brand new political chat show titled The Ralston Group began on TV3 as a replacement for E Street.
  • 27 September - The British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends transmitted on TV3 for the very last time. It would switch over to air on Channel 2 the very next year.
  • 14 October - Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue was simulcast on both Channel 2 and TV3 at 5pm. It was first shown on TVNZ the year before as a simulcast across TV One and Channel 2.
  • 17 October - A 10-part comedy/documentary series titled Visual Symphonies began on TV One; it followed Lyn of Tawa (played by Ginette McDonald) on a journey through New Zealand and Australia.
  • 17 October - A new magazine-style infotainment show titled The Paradise Picture Show premiered on Channel 2; it was hosted by Mark Leishman, Judith Kirk (now Jude Dobson) and 'crazy newcomer' Clark Bent (played by Jeremy Corbett).
  • 10 November - Aramoana, a documentary which recalled the experiences the people of the small Otago town of Aramoana, screened on TV One; it was produced by Taylormade for TVNZ.
  • 10 December - Australian children's television series Johnson and Friends aired on Channel 2 in New Zealand for a second time when the series got repeated for the first time.

Debuts[edit]

Domestic[edit]

International[edit]

Changes to network affiliation[edit]

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on a New Zealand television network that had previously premiered on another New Zealand television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.

International[edit]

Program New network(s) Previous network(s) Date
United States The Prodigious Hickey TV One Channel 2 1 January
United Kingdom Thunderbirds Channel 2 South Pacific Television 6 January
United Kingdom Cockleshell Bay Channel 2 TV One 13 January
United States Don't Eat the Pictures Channel 2 TV One 3 February
United States Popeye and Son Channel 2 TV One 10 February
United Kingdom Rainbow Channel 2 TV One 18 March
United Kingdom The Raggy Dolls Channel 2 TV One 20 March
United States Zillion Dollar Adventures Channel 2 TV One 22 March
United Kingdom Roobarb Channel 2 TV One 31 March
United States The Jetsons Channel 2 TV One 2 April
Japan Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics TV3 Channel 2 7 April
United Kingdom/United States Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories Channel 2 TV One 12 May
Canada/France Babar Channel 2 TV One 18 June
United States Huckleberry Hound Channel 2 TV One 24 June
United States My Little Pony Channel 2 TV One 6 July
Australia/United States The Berenstain Bears (1985) Channel 2 TV One 7 July
United Kingdom Capital City TV One Channel 2 11 July
United States Roger Ramjet Channel 2 TV One 28 July
United Kingdom Colin's Sandwich CTV TV One 5 August
United Kingdom Chocky CTV TV3 7 August
United Kingdom Just Good Friends CTV Channel 2 7 August
United Kingdom Who Sir? Me Sir? CTV TV One 9 August
United States/Japan ThunderCats (1985) CTV TV One 11 August
United States AlfTales CTV Channel 2 11 August
United Kingdom Rupert the Bear Channel 2 TV One 12 August
United Kingdom The Gemini Factor CTV Channel 2 13 September
United Kingdom Chocky's Children CTV TV3 18 September
United States The Houndcats Channel 2 NZBC 28 September
United States Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue TV3 TV One 14 October
United States Scruples TV One Channel 2 17 October
United Kingdom Terrahawks Channel 2 TV One 9 November
United Kingdom Chocky's Challenge CTV TV3 13 November
United States Kidsongs: The Television Show Channel 2 TV One 9 December
United Kingdom The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin TV One Channel 2 1991

Subscription television[edit]

International[edit]

Program Channel Debut date
United States The Ruff and Reddy Show Sky Movies 1991

Subscription premieres[edit]

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on New Zealand subscription television that had previously premiered on New Zealand free-to-air television. Programs may still air on the original free-to-air television network.

International[edit]

Program Subscription network Free-to-air network Date
United States The Road Runner Show Sky Movies NZBC, TV One, Channel 2 1991
United States Merrie Melodies Sky Movies TV One, Channel 2, South Pacific Television 1991
United States The Porky Pig Show Sky Movies TV One, Channel 2 1991

Television shows[edit]

Ending this year[edit]

Births[edit]

Deaths[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "NZ On Screen Biography".