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VNZ hasn’t traditionally been known for taking risks. But then 2018 rolled around. First, they went and signed up Jeremy Wells to co-host their flagship daily current affairs show. And now they’ve gone and hired his buddies Matt Heath and Mike Lane from the Alternative Commentary Collective to join their Commonwealth Games coverage.
Positioned over on the network’s Duke channel, Heath and Lane are beaming live into New Zealand’s living rooms every weeknight for the duration of the Games as co-hosts of The Moment, a quick and dirty wrap of highlights and other talking points from the day’s action. That’s right, live. As we ponder that fact, let’s not forget Heath and Lane’s Alternative Commentary Collective is the outfit that’s famous for its overly sexual remarks about the nation’s cricketers and wound up being banned from the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
Once upon a time, the chances of TVNZ hiring these guys to cover a major sporting event were about the same as me winning gold in the high jump (ie zero). But thank God they have.
Don’t get me wrong. Watching several hours of lawn bowls or badminton does sound riveting. But, frankly, who has the time? A The Moment. Matt Heath and Mike Lane have brought the edge TVNZ wanted without mishap, so far.