''Close to Home'' is a New Zealand television soap opera which ran on Television One (later becoming Television New Zealand) from 1975 to 1983. Set in a suburb of Wellington, it originally revolved around the trials and tribulations of the Hearte family. Most of the Hearte children were written out of the show within its first two years. The older members of the Hearte family remained through most of the show's run and later storylines revolved around their interactions with neighbours and friends. A high point of the series occurred in 1982 with the wedding of Gayle and Gavin. Rehearsals took place in a local community hall in Avalon, and “''Close to Home''” was mostly shot in the largest NZBC TV studio, No 8, at

Avalon Studios Avalon is a suburb of Lower Hutt in New Zealand, formed as a private residential development in the 1970s on land formerly occupied by market-gardens on the left (eastern) bank of the Hutt River. It features mostly California-inspired designed ...

, Avalon,

Lower Hutt Lower Hutt ( mi, Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai) is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. Administered by the Hutt City Council, it is one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington metropolitan area. It is New Zealand's sixth most p ...

, which had sets round the studio of rooms in various characters’ houses plus the bar of the local hotel. It was criticised for the number of scenes set in the bar, but that was the only place apart from private homes that scenes could be set in without going on location, which was infrequent. The show featured John Bach, who went on to have his own TV series, '' Duggan'', and appear in various films. Jennifer Ward-Lealand appeared as a school friend of Gayle's after Fiona Lovatt's contract expired.

Jim Moriarty James Moriarty (born 20 June 1953) is a New Zealand actor and theatre director, who began acting professionally in 1967. He came to national attention and is probably best known for his role as the school teacher Riki Winiata in the 1970s soap ...

played a school teacher. Other cast members included Pat Evison,

Ginette McDonald Ginette Denise McDonald (born 18 April 1952) is a New Zealand actor, and television producer and director, best known for her comedic alter ego, "Lyn of Tawa". Early life McDonald was born in Wellington on 18 April 1952, the daughter of Joan ...

, and, in a special appearance, The Kokatahi Band. Harry Lavington played Ken Paget the baker, and was a full-time actor for seven years; He recalls that the show had a "tight schedule. We read through the scripts on Monday morning, while sets and locations were being set up. Monday afternoon and Tuesday we rehearsed. Scripts were put down on Wednesday, and on Thursday and Friday complete performances were needed in front of the camera, with no prompter to read from." Lavington was from Cardiff, and an episode was shot in Cardiff with Ken returning home to see his parents as his mother was in poor health. Scriptwriters included

Marilyn Duckworth Marilyn Duckworth (born 10 November 1935) is a New Zealand novelist, poet and short story writer. She has published 16 novels, one novella, a collection of short stories and a collection of poetry. She has also written for television and radio ...

(5 in 1975-76). Its replacement series, ''Country GP'', starring Lani Tupu, did not enjoy as successful a run in the same timeslot.

References

*Horrocks, Roger & Nick Perry (2004). ''Television in New Zealand: Programming the Nation'' p23 Auckland, N.Z.: Oxford University Press.

External links

*{{IMDb title, 0224849, Close to Home
''Close to Home''
at NZ On Screen 1970s New Zealand television series 1980s New Zealand television series 1975 New Zealand television series debuts 1983 New Zealand television series endings English-language television shows New Zealand television soap operas Television shows set in Wellington TVNZ 1 original programming Wellington in fiction