Media Insider podcast: Great Southern Television founder and owner Phil Smith on The Casketeers, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and other hit shows

Phil Smith, the founder of Great Southern Television, recognized the potential of Francis and Kaiora Tipene for the show The Casketeers, which faced challenges securing funding for a Kiwi version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? The project sat on the shelf for nearly a year before Smith successfully convinced TVNZ of the duo’s talent and the show’s appeal.

Explain It To Me Like I’m 5:

The Casketeers

Phil Smith had a great idea for a TV show about two talented people, Francis and Kaiora Tipene, but it took almost a year to convince others to let it happen.

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