Polk: The Trial of Philip Polkinghorne explores the case of a prominent New Zealand eye doctor accused of the murder of his wife, Pauline Hanna. Was it suicide? Or did Dr. Polkinghorne stage Pauline Hanna’s death?

In an exclusive, never before seen interview conducted while he was awaiting trial for murder, Dr. Philip Polkinghorne reveals his version of events for the very first time. Sexual deviance. Illicit drugs. Suspicious behaviour. Polk has an answer for it all.

In New Zealand’s trial of the century, the series features interviews from Julia Hartley Moore (Private Investigator); Madison Ashton (Philip Polkinghorne’s Girlfriend); Bruce Hanna (Pauline Hanna’s Brother); Pheasant Riordan (Friend of Pauline Hanna); Alysha McClintock (Crown Solicitor Auckland); Craig Kapitan (Journalist, New Zealand Herald), and Chelsea Daniels (Journalist, New Zealand Herald).

Speaking about the project, Julia Hartley Moore explains: “In February 2021, I received an unusual phone call from a Remuera woman concerning her husband’s behaviour, but the call was short as her husband arrived home.

“Seven weeks later, local media broke the news of the death of a Remuera woman, and I had a feeling that phone call and this case were connected. The unexplained circumstances of Pauline’s death sparked a massive police investigation and intense media scrutiny, and I found myself drawn into the case both as a private investigator and personally.

“I now believe that woman was Pauline Hanna after hearing her voice in the ‘Longlands’ recordings in court.

“Everyone in town was talking about the Polkinghorne case - except Pauline’s husband Philip Polkinghorne, a respected Remuera eye surgeon. That piqued my interest, as I have somebody at hand who can get anyone to talk; a man with a very particular set of skills as they say.

“Over the course of many months a cordial relationship was formed between Philip and this man, who then after some time arranged for Philip and me to finally meet to discuss the idea of telling his story.

“Incredibly, Philip, who had recently been charged with murder, was very open to the idea and within a few days my film company BA Films Ltd began shooting interviews with him. The result is the remarkable interviews that form the basis of this series.”