Jon Bridges Email & Phone Number

Auckland, Nz

Auckland, New Zealand

Paddy Gower Has Issues is a major new entertainment/current affairs programme that was broadcast in 2023 to rave reviews. Every episode, Patrick Gower and a top New Zealand investigative reporter advocate with conviction for change in this country on the issues that matter to us all. Meanwhile Karen O’Leary carries out a hilarious investigation of issues that matter to at least one person. I was brought onto this project along with Gower to create the format, then assemble and lead the team of journalists, tv professionals and comedians to deliver the programme weekly. We created this format giving equal emphasis to the linear broadcast and digital platforms. Success came in the form of incredible audience reach, critical reception and two NZTV Awards – Best Presenter News and Current Affairs – Patrick Gower, and Best Presenter Entertainment – Karen O’Leary.

Auckland, New Zealand

The Project was an important show in the New Zealand media landscape. For seven years it was a nightly 7pm presence in thousands of households, telling the stories of countless New Zealanders, bringing new dimensions to the news, and entertaining with real comedy and aroha. I was brought into this role to develop a New Zealand version of this major Australian news/entertainment format. I was responsible for hiring thirty full time staff, then leading that team to develop the broadcast facility, and develop the production systems and workflow. For six year I was responsible for all content of the programme and general management of the large editorial and production team including hosts, producers, writers, post-production and live broadcast crew. I also had sole responsibility for liaison with the wider Warner Brothers Discovery operation - Marketing, Publicity, Integration, News, Engineering and Programming. The Project broadcast over 1300 episodes, bringing marked improvement in ratings to that timeslot. By the time I left the show Three's 7pm ratings were higher then they'd been since 2007.

Eden Terrace, Auckland

As co-creator founding producer I was one of the developers of this brand new format. At a time when TV comedy in New Zealand was often unloved and short-lived, we conceived and launched a show that, fifteen years later, is still thriving. 7 Days is recognised as the most successful New Zealand comedy programme ever. It is a two-time winner of the New Zealand TV Award for Best Comedy Programme. For seven years I was responsible for the budget, personnel and the content and editorial of the show, overseeing story choice and writing, studio record, editing and delivery of the weekly programme. Hundreds of New Zealand comedians and writers have made their debuts, and made their living on this show. 7 Days graduates are pervasive in the comedy, media and entertainment industries in New Zealand. Thank you to New Zealand on Air for funding this important part of our comedy heritage.

Tetherthedogsin produces the 7 Days Live tour of New Zealand every November and December. With 14 shows each year it’s one of the country’s biggest live comedy properties.

From speaking at the Nurture Change conference (How to do Public Speaking Even When You're Scared) to MCing the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge prizegiving, or the Insurance Industry annual awards, the Innovation Awards, the Property Council Annual Conference or the Wellington Gold Awards, I bring a customer-focused and bespoke approach to corporate speaking and MC work. Mixing a stand-up comedy background with an understanding of business and a policy of creating custom content for each individual client has meant entertaining events and many repeat clients.

For six years I wrote a weekly humour column in the New Zealand Listener - the country’s salient weekly read for people who are interested in thinking. The editors were remarkably tolerant to my mixture of surrealism, satire, poetry and piss-take.

Choice Cuts - a compendium of funny internet moments hosted by Fletch and Vaughan. Snatch Our Booty - innovative game show starring Nathan Rarere, Petra Bagust and Oscar Kightley. TV3Sportzah - a wonderful sports show starring Dion Nash, Nathan Rarere and Oscar Kightley. TV3.Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge - presented and produced on-the-bike coverage for '02,'03,'04. Sky Sports.Tour of Southland Coverage - 8 years of nightly coverage every November '02-'08. Sky Sports.The Panel - an early New Zealand comedy panel show - my first producing job - 2002, TV3.Risk - I presented this Lotteries-aligned game show. 2001. TVNZAway Laughing - Actor/Writer in this early comedy sketch show for TV3.

Auckland, New Zealand

The Dick84 Breakfast Show broadcast stupidity and music to the 09, the 04 and the 03. Nathan Rarere and I hosted this breakfast radio programme, in great music-format station, with a mixture of curiosity, humour, love of music and stupid games. We had no business having such a gloriously fun time in the cut-throat world of commercial radio.

From a start in the Massey University Capping Revue to the New Zealand TV Award for best performance in an Entertainment or Comedy Programme and a sold out standup show in the 2002 New Zealand International Comedy Festival, I enjoyed a great career in an exciting time in New Zealand comedy. A member of comedy team Facial DBX I toured the country several times, and helped to establish the New Zealand standup comedy scene as co-founder of the Kitty O’Brien’s comedy nights, then part of the team responsible for setting up The Classic Comedy Club. Roles in tv shows like Away Laughing and Pulp Comedy and writing jobs for others like More Issues were my early introduction to the television industry.

I was one of the three hosts of this iconic youth-oriented magazine, entertainment and comedy programme for six years through the late nineties. Icetv is still remembered for its groundbreaking approach to host-created content and for its sense of humour. I won the NZ TV Award for Best Performance in an Entertainment or Comedy Programme in 2000 for my role in Icetv.