Editor

It’s hard to believe that it has been 30 years since thousands of people around New Zealand – including me – gathered in their lounges, eyes on the telly for the. “You’re not in Guatemala now, Dr Ropata!” has been repeated so often, every Kiwi knows it. That first show received mixed reviews, but people kept coming back for more. Now the country’s longest-running soap, it has been the launching pad for some of our most famous faces and has repeatedly tackled issues relevant to every-day Kiwis. I have dipped in and out of the show, but presently watch it most nights. Like Hilary Barry shares on page six, it is a bit of escapism and respite amongst busy days. To be honest, the fact I do watch it is somewhat problematic to senior publicist Raegen. We’ve worked together for a number of years now, telling personal stories with the stars, such as engagements and weddings, but part of her role involves telling me spoilers – because how else would I know which characters have major storylines coming up that mean we’ll be featuring them in the magazine? She always laughs that it makes things very diffi cult when I get upset that a particular character is going to die or get hurt! On the flip side, it’s not particularly unusual for her to get a text from me at 7.30pm questioning the direction it’s taking... only for her to reply, “My lips are sealed”. Raegen has become a friend and is just one of the many talented women who are behind the scenes, making sure airs on our screens each weeknight. You can find out more about some of them and take a trip down memory lane from page 22. Congrats to all those who have been involved in the show over the past three decades – what a ride it has been!