"Bust Up"
New Zealand actresses Morgana O’Reilly (“The White Lotus”, “Friends Like Her”) and Roimata Fox (“A Remarkable Place To Die”, “The Wrecking Crew”) take the lead roles in the new buddy cop series “Bust Up”, a collaboration between ZDF and Sky New Zealand.
The six-part crime series is produced by the award-winning New Zealand company Lippy Pictures (“The Gulf”, “Jean”) in co-production with German partners MadeFor Film (“Stromberg”, “How To Kill Your Sister”), ZDF, and ZDF Studios, which is also handling international distribution. Filming began at the end of May, and the series is set to premiere in 2026 on Sky Open, Neon, and Sky Go in New Zealand. A broadcast date for ZDF will be announced later.
A decade after a sudden breakup, former lovers Deb (Morgana O’Reilly) and Mihi (Roimata Fox) find themselves face-to-face once again—this time as colleagues at the same rural police station in New Zealand’s remote Northland region. Returning to her hometown was always part of Mihi’s life plan. Working with her ex, Deb, definitely wasn’t. Can the two officers survive ten-hour shifts side by side, tackling everything from petty local disputes to serious crimes at the northernmost tip of the country?
Each episode of “Bust Up” features a self-contained case, while the season gradually unpacks the complex, often tense relationship between this mismatched duo. Though Deb and Mihi are convinced their professional partnership won’t work, it soon becomes clear they make a surprisingly effective team.
Frank Seyberth, Head of Co-production, International Fiction at ZDF, said: ‘Sky New Zealand is an excellent partner to tell a story of this scale. That only works if you have a deep understanding for stories and team up with outstanding writers. Of course, our trusted partners from MadeFor help us to build a bridge to the other side of the world and make it all happen. We are proud to work with such amazing talent.’
Gunnar Juncken, Executive Producer and CEO of MadeFor Film, praised their partners: ‘ZDF, ZDF Studios, and Sky have been our trusted partners for many years, and we are therefore delighted to be working for the first time with Lippy Pictures and Sky New Zealand on “Bust Up”. This co-production not only brings an extremely entertaining format to life but also represents a wonderfully creative collaboration across continents," noted.
Also, Thomas Robins, Head of Commissioning for Sky New Zealand Originals, commended the work of the production companies: ‘Sky New Zealand Originals is thrilled to be working with fabulous local creatives Lippy Pictures and their German partners MadeFor Film on this wonderful series. Co-producing with the excellent team at ZDF to take this truly New Zealand show to the world is an exciting prospect;" stated.
Meanwhile, Paula Boock and Donna Malane of Lippy Pictures highlighted that the production showcases the beauty of New Zealand: ‘To make a procedural drama that showcases the diversity and beauty of Aotearoa and openly centres the attraction between two women police officers is a special opportunity and we’re proud to have the backing of Sky, ZDF and a sales team that is primed to sell it to the world. It’s been enormous fun taking the much-loved buddy cop genre out of the closet and giving it a contemporary, queer twist, while also exploring the struggles, triumphs and eccentricities that exist in bicultural communities of New Zealand. “Bust Up” is two parts crime, two parts drama and one part just bonkers!;" expressed.
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