Mark Crysell

Mark Crysell is a storyteller with over 35 years of experience crafting top-rated current affairs documentaries. He spent 23 years at TVNZ, making his mark on One News, Fair Go, and Close Up, but he’s best known for his work on Assignment and Sunday—where he racked up multiple awards, including Broadcast Reporter of the Year (twice!). As a former Europe Correspondent for TVNZ and RNZ, Mark has reported from war zones and even ventured deep into parts of North Korea where no other foreigners have set foot. He’s also dabbled in arts television, producing gems like backch@t, Bookenz, and Sunday Arts. When he’s not chasing stories, Mark judges New Zealander of the Year, mentors young journalists, is ordered around by his young daughter and reflects on his eclectic past—which includes stints as a fencing contractor, oil and gas prospecting in the Australian desert, and a London courier driver. But storytelling is his true calling. “Our plucky island nation at the bottom of the world is built on the stories we tell,” he says. “They shape who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going."