7 May 2010

Two popular characters from TVNZ's Shortland Street are looking forward to their first visit to the Bluff Oyster & Food Festival later this month. 

Robbie Magasiva who plays Maxwell Avia in the popular, long-running show and Kiel McNaughton (James 'Scotty' Scott) are both heading south as guests of the Festival.

Both are looking forward to their first experience of the event and being able to mingle with locals throughout the day. McNaughton sums it up well. “I have never been to Bluff so I am really looking forward to this experience,” he says. 

“I’ve also heard that Southern hospitality surpasses anything we can deliver in the North, so I am really looking forward to coming down and meeting everyone and experiencing some of that hospitality." Both men will take on a star studded field in the Celebrity Oyster Eating race and the banter has already begun. “I am a little bit embarrassed to admit that I haven’t even eaten many oysters in my life time so the opportunity to come down and be part of the Oyster Festival is fantastic," says McNaughton. "Robbie (Magasiva) has mentioned that oyster-eating requires certain skills that he doesn’t think I will be able to pull off, but I suspect that he is just scared I might beat him in the competition and is trying to put me off my game!” 

While the duo will participate in some of the events of the Festival there will be plenty of time for them to enjoy the delectable treats and great entertainment while Festival goers will be in the company of two very familiar faces.

While both are currently starring in Shortland Street they have many other credits to their careers. Magasiva has appeared in a multitiude of television shows including Shark In The Park, Skitz, Telly Laughs, The Semisis, Cover Story, Jacksons Wharf and Tiger Country plus he was also part of the award winning theatre troupe, The Naked Samoans. He also had roles in Power Rangers, Doves Of War, Mataku, Burying Brian and appeared in three series of the critically acclaimed The Strip. He has also featured as a presenter on Tagata Pasifika alongside Beatrice Faumuina and made his movie debut in the 2001 film Stickmen while he also starred in the 2006 production, Siones Wedding.

McNaughton did stunt work in Power Rangers, River Queen, and Shortland Street before living in Papua New Guinea for a year before he commenced his role as Scotty in Shortland Street in March 2007.

The duo will travel south courtesy of Air New Zealand and will join Good Morning presenter Brendon Pongia as Festival guests and compete alongside Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt.