PUBLICITY RELEASE
DECEMBER 10, 2007

Tune Yourself Up With a Warrant of Fitness

If the New Year’s resolutions have died on your lips and the avoirdupois is still on your hips – it’s time to get with the programme for 2008! Maori Television’s practical health and well-being show, WARRANT OF FITNESS, premieres for a third season on Tuesday January 8 at 8.00 PM.

Supported by empowering, motivational personal stories, WARRANT OF FITNESS delivers no-nonsense, hands-on health information from a distinctively Maori perspective.

Amanda Jones from Auckland’s Faultline Films says the show works with iwi, hapu and Maori communities to promote positive advancement of iwi, hapu and whanau health. WARRANT OF FITNESS goes where other health programmes seldom dare to go – from obesity to gambling addictions, from incontinence to asthma and everything in-between, no subject is too taboo.

“WARRANT OF FITNESS focuses on whaka ora, noho ora, whanau ora and tino rangitiratanga – getting healthy, staying healthy, healthy families and self management,” says Amanda. “Any one of us could be harbouring misconceptions about our health. Every one of us can take the steps to ora.”

Dr Rawiri Jansen (Ngati Raukawa) returns to front this third series with his warm but firm approach. When he’s not tied up with the production, he runs a general practice in Auckland and also lectures at the University of Auckland School of Medicine and Health Sciences. One of Dr Jansen’s key focuses is running clinical teaching, te reo and tikanga Maori programmes for Maori health professionals throughout the country.

In the first episode on Tuesday January 8 at 8.00 PM, WARRANT OF FITNESS revisits Hine Haig (Ngati Porou, Ngati Kahungunu) who managed to kick her smoking habit but has filled the void with high fat, high sugar food. She’s challenged to eat healthy kai and begin exercising.

Coming up in this series is well-known actress Waimihi Hotere (Te Aupouri, Ngati Maniopoto, Ngati Wai) – one of nearly 600,000 New Zealanders suffering from asthma, a condition which affects one in five Maori. WARRANT OF FITNESS also takes a look at men’s health with Dr Jansen giving practical tips on how to have a health overhaul and John Tamihere going in for a health check.

Join the doctor and his team when the new series of WARRANT OF FITNESS premieres on Maori Television on Tuesday January 8 at 8.00 PM.

ENDS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR WARRANT OF FITNESS

Year: 2007
Censor: General Exhibition (G)
Duration: 13 x 30 minute documentary film
Language: Maori language with English language subtitles

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