Sky New Zealand has set an ensemble for Small Town Scandal, a scripted adaptation of Tom Sainsbury’s hit mock-true-crime podcast that has now wrapped filming in Wellington and is targeting a 2026 launch. Rose Matafeo and Felicity Kendal join Sainsbury on screen, with Matafeo playing Carol, cousin to Sainsbury’s lead character Toby, and Kendal portraying Toby’s mother, Sue. The series is directed by Ghazaleh Gol, with BBC Studios handling international sales ahead of Mipcom.
The screen version keeps the podcast’s premise: a disgraced local journalist turns podcaster and digs into a suspicious death in a tight-knit rural community, sending petty rivalries and long-buried resentments back into circulation. The original audio series was voiced entirely by Sainsbury and became a local breakout, spawning a second season and live events; the TV iteration expands the world with an on-camera ensemble while retaining the blend of small-town satire and mystery.
Production notices and guild updates show cameras rolling in the capital region earlier this year, with the project billed as a Sky New Zealand Original made with local support. Trade coverage adds that finished episodes will debut at home before being offered to global buyers, reflecting a growing pipeline of New Zealand comedies designed first for domestic audiences and then exported.
Casting pairs two generations of comedy names: Matafeo, whose star has risen across film and television, returns to New Zealand for the shoot, while Kendal brings decades of screen and stage experience to a role that anchors the family dynamic at the center of the show’s mystery. Promotional materials emphasize a tone that toggles between affectionate portraiture of rural life and a send-up of our collective obsession with true-crime storytelling. With filming complete and sales activity underway, the series now moves into post-production and scheduling.
