EXCLUSIVE: Rose Matafeo is returning home for Sky New Zealand’s Small Town Scandal, as she is cast opposite British star Felicity Kendal.
Matafeo will play Toby’s cousin Carol in the TV adaptation of the hit podcast, while Kendal is Toby’s mother Sue.
Filming has now wrapped on the adaptation of Tom Sainsbury’s iHeartRadio NZ true-crime parody podcast of the same name. Set to premiere in 2026, Small Town Scandal follows Toby (Sainsbury), a disgraced journalist turned podcast host, who returns to his rural hometown to investigate the bizarre death of his millionaire uncle – killed, suspiciously, by an automatic lawnmower. As Toby dives deeper into the case, he finds himself surrounded by a cast of quirky, eccentric townsfolk – all with secrets of their own.
Emmy winner Morgana O’Reilly, another New Zealander, has already been announced in the show opposite Alexander England.
Matafeo, who was born in Auckland, is the award-winning creator and star of HBO-BBC comedy Starstruck. Kendal, meanwhile, is known for The Good Life and Rosemary & Thyme.
Sainsbury said: “I’ve always loved the quirks of small-town life and getting to bring Small Town Scandal from podcast to screen with such an incredible cast like this has been a dream. A satirical take on small-town drama and true-crime obsession – it’s absurd, heartfelt, and full of mystery.”
BBC Studios is selling Small Town Scandal at MIPCOM and it will premiere in 2026 on Sky New Zealand. It is directed by Ghazaleh Gol and Calvin Sang, produced by Georgina Conder (The Moon Is Upside Down, Night Raiders), Carthew Neal (Jojo Rabbit, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) and Sainsbury (Loop Track). It was commissioned by Head of Sky New Zealand Originals, Thomas Robins for Sky Open, Sky Go and Neon, and made with the support of New Zealand On Air.
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