McDonald's Young Entertainers (1997)

Season 1

McDonald's Young Entertainers was a New Zealand teenager talent reality series that ran from 1997 to 1999 on TVNZ's TV2 at 6:30pm on Sundays. It was hosted by Jason Gunn, and endorsed by the McDonald's franchise. McDonald's Young Entertainers was broadcast in New Zealand from March 1997 to September 1999. The show featured Jason Gunn as the host and a group of talented young teenagers as a regular troupe of singers and dancers. The young talents’ job was to make the three contestants that would appear on the show feel at ease while they were under tight scrutiny from the resident judges, including singer Tina Cross. The troupe and the contestants all had to be aged 18 or under in order to be eligible for the show. Jason and the troupe would open and close each individual show with big production numbers, as well as performing various songs during the show, individually or as a group. The show aired with high ratings among young audiences, but was cancelled within two years in late 1999. The show featured some New Zealand teenagers who are now famous, including television personality Drew Neemia, cricketer Ronald Karaitiana, singer Hayley Westenra, actress Michelle Ang and concert pianist John Chen.