{"id":503336,"date":"2026-06-30T21:08:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T21:08:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/503336\/"},"modified":"2026-06-30T21:08:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T21:08:16","slug":"must-see-tv-in-july-whats-coming-to-tvnz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/503336\/","title":{"rendered":"Must-see TV in July: What\u2019s coming to TVNZ"},"content":{"rendered":"

Graham Norton sits down for a world exclusive interview with pop doyenne Madonna and July is a bonanza for sports fans as the Fifa World Cup<\/a> continues, NPC rugby kicks off and Conor McGregor returns to the UFC octagon.<\/p>\n

Madonna & Graham<\/a><\/p>\n

(Wednesday July 1, TVNZ 1 8.30pm and TVNZ+)<\/p>\n

Pop music royalty Madonna joins Graham Norton for an intimate and career-spanning interview, from early days in New York to her recent Coachella performance and everything between.<\/p>\n

Recorded at London\u2019s Koko music venue, Madonna discusses her life and career ahead of her anticipated new album Confessions II this month.<\/p>\n

FIFA World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n

(TVNZ+ Event Pass and selected matches on TVNZ 1)<\/p>\n

The world\u2019s largest sports tournament continues with the must-win knockout stages, culminating in the final on July 20.<\/p>\n

All matches can be watched live on TVNZ+ with an Event Pass, while TVNZ 1 will also screen two Round of 16 clashes, one quarterfinal, one semifinal and the final.<\/p>\n

UFC 329: Conor McGregor v Max Holloway<\/p>\n

(July 12)<\/p>\n

UFC International Fight Week returns to Las Vegas, headlined by the rematch that will see former two-division champion Conor McGregor collide with former featherweight titleholder Max Holloway in a rematch 13 years in the making.<\/p>\n

The UFC 329 prelim fights are available on TVNZ+ live and free, while the main card can be watched with a one-off purchase of a TVNZ+ Event Pass, https:\/\/www.tvnz.co.nz\/passes available closer to the live event<\/p>\n

NPC Rugby<\/p>\n

(Starts July 30, TVNZ+)<\/p>\n

National Provincial Championship rugby returns to TVNZ with every match streaming free to air on TVNZ+, along with selected games on TVNZ 1.<\/p>\n

The competition kicks off with Waikato v Bay of Plenty (July 30) and Tasman v North Harbour (July 31).<\/p>\n

NZ International Football Festival<\/p>\n

(From July 26)<\/p>\n

Iconic English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur takes on Auckland FC at Eden Park (screening on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+).<\/p>\n

Sydney Super Cup ’26<\/p>\n

(TVNZ+)<\/p>\n

Chelsea FC v West Sydney Wanderers, July 28<\/p>\n

Tottenham Hotspur v Sydney FC, July 29<\/p>\n

Sgt. Haane<\/a><\/p>\n

(July 10, TVNZ+)<\/p>\n

A story of courage, brotherhood and legacy, following M\u0101ori Battalion hero Lance Sergeant Haane Manahi, whose extraordinary leadership turned the tide of a pivotal WWII battle.<\/p>\n

Blending dramatic re\u2011enactment with the voices of descendants, the film explores legacy, whakapapa and remembrance.<\/p>\n

M.I.A<\/p>\n

(July 15, TVNZ+)<\/p>\n

From the co-creator of Ozark comes this gripping revenge thriller. <\/p>\n

Restless in the Florida Keys, Etta Tiger Jonze dreams of a life in Miami\u2019s glittering, sub-tropical kingdom. But when her family\u2019s drug-running business shatters in tragedy, Etta embarks on a dangerous journey through Miami\u2019s neon-lit underbelly that will define who she is and what she\u2019s ultimately capable of.<\/p>\n

Launching with three episodes, followed by double eps weekly. <\/p>\n

A Woman of Substance<\/p>\n

(July 26, TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+)<\/p>\n

Emma Harte, an impoverished ambitious maid in Yorkshire, England goes on a dizzying journey to become the world\u2019s richest woman, gazing down from a sprawling luxury New York penthouse. A rags-to-riches tale of women through the 20th century, Emma defies the expectations of her society, fearlessly challenging the roles she’s given and smashing glass ceilings.<\/p>\n

Based on the multi-million bestselling novel written by Barbara Taylor Bradford. <\/p>\n

Babies<\/p>\n

(July 30, TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+)<\/p>\n

Babies is a gripping, tender and urgent love story that explores the resilience of a couple navigating the heartbreak of pregnancy loss. The series follows Lisa (Siobh\u00e1n Cullen) and Stephen (Paapa Essiedu), a couple in their 30s whose hope is tested as they endure multiple miscarriages. While confronting unimaginable grief, their bond shines through with humour, warmth, and unwavering love.<\/p>\n

Love Island USA<\/a><\/p>\n

(July 27, TVNZ+)<\/p>\n

They’re single, and ready to mingle. Your favourite sexy reality show has landed stateside. Hot American singles looking for love travel to a tropical paradise for the ultimate summer of fun in the sun. Hosted by Ariana Madix.<\/p>\n

Alone Australia<\/a><\/p>\n

(July 15, TVNZ+)<\/p>\n

Wilder, tougher and more brutal than ever, Alone Australia is back for a fourth season and Kiwi sheep and cattle farmer Clint (57) is here to make NZ proud. <\/p>\n

Set against a breathtaking backdrop of dancing Northern Lights in S\u00e1pmi, Finland, this season delivers a brand-new spectacle of bushcraft, ingenuity and survival.<\/p>\n

Thrust into an unfamiliar Arctic environment, participants must navigate unknown flora, risky first-time foraging challenges, where a single mistake identifying fungi could turn a life-saving meal into a lethal one, and rapidly dwindling resources – all while coexisting with formidable predators.<\/p>\n

Thirst Trap: The Fame, The Fantasy, The Fallout <\/p>\n

(July 16, TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+)<\/p>\n

A TikTok lip-sync to Barry Manilow’s ‘Mandy’ unexpectedly launches William White into viral stardom, and into the hearts of a generation of women. This two-part documentary unpacks the rise, the fandom and the chaos that follows when fantasy crashes into reality.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Graham Norton sits down for a world exclusive interview with pop doyenne Madonna and July is a bonanza…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":503337,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[42,43,417,40,38,41,39],"class_list":["post-503336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-headlines","tag-news","tag-television","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/503336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=503336"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/503336\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/503337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=503336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=503336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=503336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}