MORE MEAN SPORTS STARS ON MĀORI TELEVISION'S CODE

9 April 2008

The world’s most recognised rugby star, Jonah Lomu, joins African American boxer Emmanuel Augustus and Hawaiian-based surfing stars Bonga Perkins and Campbell Farrell as special studio guests at the live-to-air broadcast of Māori Television’s award-winning sports entertainment show HYUNDAI CODE this Thursday April 10 at 8.30 PM (repeats Sunday April 13 at 4.00 PM).

Former All Black winger Lomu – whose playing career thrilled crowds but terrified opponents – found fame at the 1995 World Cup and went on to play 73 times for the All Blacks. Despite being diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, he fought back to play in the 1999 World Cup and even played club rugby for Cardiff in 2006 despite having had transplant surgery.

Augustus' televised bouts have garnered him a cult following in part due to his unique style and flair in the ring and his willingness to take on all comers, sometimes taking fights on short notice as a last minute replacement, even in his opponents' hometowns. Augustus frequently clowns in the ring, engaging in his trademark ‘string-puppet dance’.

One of the world’s top 10 longboarders, Bonga Perkins (Hawaii) has been in New Zealand competing in the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour. Also based in Hawaii is New Zealand’s own Campbell Farrell – the first Kiwi to surf ‘jaws’, an infamous big-wave break in Maui. Farrell and Perkins – who won his first competition at 12 years of age – has been showing off some stand up-paddling at the Hyundai event, a style of surfing that is currently seeing a resurgence.

Voted Best Sports Programme at last year’s Air New Zealand Screen Awards, HYUNDAI CODE is an hour-long live-to-air show – now in its fourth year – which is filmed in front of a studio audience at Māori Television’s Auckland headquarters. Tawera Nikau and Jenny-May Coffin are joined by Warriors’ Wairangi Koopu and the ‘Brofessionals’ – aka Glen Osborne (Oz) and Matua Parkinson (Mutz) – for more news, inside stories and off-camera action with Kiwi sports stars excelling at home and abroad.

Book your ringside seat for hard-case interviews and plenty of laughs with HYUNDAI CODE – screening on Māori Television every Thursday at 8.30 PM (repeats every Sunday at 4.00 PM).

Ends

Vanessa Horan
Kaiwhakaputa (Publicist)
Māori Television
DDI: +64 9 539 7159
MOB: +64 21 928 007
EML: vanessa.horan@maoritelevision.com