Comedian Tom Sainsbury reveals new political comedy-drama ahead of election

One of New Zealand's most prominent political satirists is trading in his impersonations of National MP Paula Bennett to take on a whole new character in an upcoming local web series.

Comedian Tom Sainsbury, best known for his portrayals of Ms Bennett, is taking on a new role as Darren Bellows in his new comedy-drama Sextortion.

In the show, Mr Bellows is hoping to clinch the electorate of “Glenderson” as the leader of the newly-formed “Conservative Unity Party” but chaos ensues after after incriminating footage of Sainsbury's character, a married Christian, has been leaked months out from the 2020 General Election.

But it's not just a regular leak - it’s footage from an S&M session with a dominatrix.

During an interview with TVNZ's Q+A this morning, Sainsbury said, in an indirect way, his satirical political characters help to make politics more accessible and allow people to engage with the real-life drama of politics, especially during election season.

“I'm living for this election. I feel very blessed and very lucky that it's happening and I'm in a position where I can make fun of it all.”

Watch the full Q+A story in the video above.

Sextortion will be streaming on TVNZ OnDemand from tomorrow.