First Aired: June 17th, 2012

Status: Ended

Genre: Comedy

Air Time: Sunday, 07:00 PM

Network: TV3 (NZ)

Summary: She was the nation’s golden girl, with the medals to prove it. Now, The Games are on the horizon, and the big question is - Where is Shelley Bowman? Created by Lucy Schmidt and Stayci Taylor, Golden is the hilarious new comedy series about Shelley Bowman, a world rowing champion with an expanding problem. After smashing all world records in the women’s single sculls, Shelley Bowman was on top of the world. Watching from home, 4.28 million hearts soared with the New Zealand national anthem as the blonde, blue-eyed rowing champion accepted her gold medal. But a freak accident during the ceremony left Shelley injured and making headlines worldwide. Three years later, we find Shelley holed up in the suburbs, having forgone training and tofu and taken up TV and pies. 65kg heavier and counting, Shelley is dependent on Eliot - her cousin, best friend and physiotherapist - to keep her in donuts and out of the spotlight. And although she gets daily visits from her mother, Bev, lamenting the halcyon days when her daughter was the nation’s golden girl, Shelley remains deeply in denial and blasé about her return to glory. She’ll get back in shape; then she’ll be ready to face the world. But the clock is ticking and even Shelley knows that she can’t hide forever. Motivation comes from ex-coach and jilted ex-boyfriend Paul Swanson appearing on the TV with his new protégé. When it becomes clear that he is making a bid for another gold medal with another rower, Shelley is suddenly very keen to make her comeback. But, although determined to regain her world champion fitness, Shelley quickly finds it’s not that easy. Bev has appointed herself diet guru, with unfortunate results, and Eliot is out of his league as stand-in coach. Without the expertise of Paul, ‘Team Bowman’ is missing a link. Initially, pride stands in the way of Shelley approaching Paul, but when Eliot finally gets her on the scales even Shelley has to admit they need him. Once Paul is persuaded to return to the fold a reluctant alliance is formed. Now Shelley’s truly on the comeback trail. But no one’s prepared for the obstacles – training without being seen in public, fad diets, a thwarted trip to Zurich, a brush with the law, an invasion of boy scouts, performance enhancing drugs, the return of a trans-Tasman rival... All this and the clock ticking toward the last qualifying regatta!