After several travel series that have taken her around Australia and Scotland, Miriam Margolyes is off on a new adventure around New Zealand.
The esteemed actress is hiring a campervan and exploring the country and its people in a two-part series that comes to the ABC this month.
Miriam Margolyes in New Zealand has its world premiere on Sunday 12th January with the second episode to follow on television the following week, but both episodes will be available on iView immediately.
As a dual British-Australian citizen, celebrated actress Miriam Margolyes has spent the past 40 years coming and going from her home in Sydney. But she’s ashamed to say she knows very little about the nation that is Australia’s closest friend and ally.
Now, Miriam’s been offered her first film role in New Zealand – playing a Kiwi Nun! She’s played a few nuns in her time, but a New Zealander?
Determined to overcome her ignorance and prepare for her new role, Miriam embarks on a road trip across New Zealand’s North and South islands to find out what it means to be a Kiwi today. And to understand how different it is from being an Aussie.
As she explores this far-flung country of just over 5 million people, Miriam uncovers a
fierce, passionate and diverse nation that’s unlike any other.
Along the way, Miriam confronts some of her own deep-seated prejudices: developing a new appreciation for rugby, a sport she “absolutely loathes”, as a well as a surprising affiliation with hobbits.
Spending time in communities across the country, Miriam digs into what makes New Zealand so unique – including the ways in which it is tackling the challenges it faces in the world today.
As Miriam discovers, New Zealand is a country full of unexpected lessons for us all,
herself included. The result is an unforgettable adventure with one of the most keen-eyed observers of
people on the planet.
Tune in or log on to see the series from Sunday 12th July 2025.
