TVNZ swipes Home & Away rights

TVNZ has taken advantage of the dire financial situation at rival New Zealand broadcaster TV3 by picking up the rights to long-running Australian soap Home and Away.

TVNZ’s channel TV2 will air the Seven Network production on weeknights with catch-up opportunities at weekends. A premiere date has yet to be announced.

The series is distributed in New Zealand by Endemol, which has decided to cancel its agreement with TV3, where the soap has aired since 2002. That move follows TV3 owner MediaWorks being placed into receivership last month with debts of about NZ$700m (US$548m).

Home and Away joins a growing band of soaps on TVNZ networks. TV2 already airs domestic medical drama Shortland Street and Home and Away’s rival Ozzie soap Neighbours, while TV1 carries UK broadcaster ITV’s Coronation Street.