An Auckland man who appeared on Police Ten 7's "wanted" segment says the show should be cancelled.
For most, watching Police Ten 7 is merely entertainment but for some who appear on the programme, it can be an ongoing reminder of the lowest moment of their lives.
Chris Molloy appeared on Police Ten 7 five years ago, in 2016, for driving offences, including drink driving.
The Auckland actor told The Hui he was clinically depressed at the time and had just begun to seek help for his mental health and addictions, but the public naming forced him into a deeper depression.
While Molloy is today a successful recovering alcoholic and addictions support counsellor, he says because his Police Ten 7 mugshot has remained online, it's been difficult to move on.
"That image of me drunk, angry that, you know, that is not me anymore," Molloy told The Hui.
"But how do I move forward in my life when I've got this stigma and shame attached to me?"
Molloy says despite having been sober for five years, having that image reappear online affected him in many ways.
"I've had an experience just recently where the family of my partner has googled me and have been really concerned because of the mugshot that they saw," he said.
"Also applying for rentals - the demand is so high it's super hard to get a rental - just people in general that I meet, there's always a worry they'd google me."
It also affected his acting career.
"The last acting job that I got, they must've googled me after we had done the filming," he said.
"There was a lot of going backwards and forwards about who I was as a person, had they chosen the wrong person to represent their brand?
"It's brought back a lot of shame."
The image of Chris Molloy's mugshot has been removed from the internet this week following requests by Screentime to a Bay of Plenty media outlet.
Molloy is pleased with the news and says it's like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders.
Though Molloy told The Hui when the crime has been dealt with, the fines have been paid and consequences met, an individual deserves to move on without being constantly reminded by an online image.
The makers of Police Ten 7, Screentime, is reviewing the production following Molloy's challenge where he claimed the show caused harm and distress.
Screentime told The Hui it expected the review to take a couple of weeks when they will be open to discussing the findings and outcomes.
The Hui is made with support from Te Māngai Pāho and NZ On Air.
