Fresh Eggs, anyone?

Swapping hectic city living for a peaceful rural existence is something many urban-dwellers have probably considered. But is the good life all it’s cracked up to be? Not for Wade and Penny in Fresh Eggs, a new local series about a married couple who say goodbye to the big smoke when they relocate to the country.

‘‘Penny and Wade are very boring and nice Aucklanders,’’ says Claire Chitham, who plays Penny. ‘‘Wade works in human resources and Penny is a book editor.’’

Chitham says the couple are high school sweethearts, ‘‘Who have never done anything remotely interesting in their lives. Ever.’’

Penny and Wade, who is played by Cohen Holloway, are on their way to a wedding when Wade confesses he has just lost his job. They stop for icecream and see a real estate sign for what they think is the house of their dreams.

‘‘They think – as many a city-dweller thinks – wouldn’t it be amazing, wouldn’t it be everybody’s dream to have the little lifestyle property, a block of land somewhere to grow your own veges and have your own chickens and never be hurt by the challenges of life in the city?’’

However, country living takes a sinister turn when Penny and Wade become embroiled in the aftermath of a fatal accident.

Set in the fictional town of Alberton, Fresh Eggs also stars Danielle Cormack and Dave Fane, who appear as a married couple and career criminals. Other actors in the series are John Rhys Davies (Gimli in Lord Of The Rings), Fasitua Amosa (Auckland Daze) and Bree Peters (Shortland Street).

For Chitham, the show marks a return to local television – at least in front of the camera – after a stint in Los Angeles.

‘‘I was getting very tired of the LA hustle, as they call it, which is playing the actor game of auditioning,’’ she says.

‘‘So I came home and ended up getting a couple of jobs on the other side of the camera to sort of fill some time while I was back here and that actually led to more opportunities on that side of the camera, which I’ve been doing.’’

Chitham is best known for playing the earnest Waverley in Shortland Street. She joined the soap at age 16 and the role made her a household name.

Holloway, her Fresh Eggs co-star, is all too aware of the downsides of appearing on a daily soap, particularly if you are playing a villain.

‘‘Bree Peters [who played Shorty Street’s evil Pania] is in Fresh Eggs,’’ says Holloway. ‘‘I’ve worked with her on a couple of projects and she got so much grief at supermarkets and stuff.’’

Holloway says for two years in a row he was asked to play the part ofa Shortland Street ‘‘baddie’’ but turned down both opportunities. He recently said no to a film role, too.

He once harboured dreams of becoming a rock star and spent six years working in a bank after leaving high school before pursuing acting. His acting credits include Hunt For The Wilderpeople, Find Me A Ma¯ori Bride, Top Of The Lake and Wellington Paranormal.

Holloway recalls the advice his actor uncle Jim Moriarty (Close To Home) imparted years ago when Holloway was thinking about quitting his bank job.

‘‘He said, ‘There is no money in acting. Go and stay in the bank’.’’

– Sarah Nealon, TV Guide

Fresh Eggs debuts on TVNZ2 at 8.30pm tonight.