"I think people know me and know that I am actually the good guy and I'm not there to win any points off anybody. Minimise the tears, operate the hugs - that's where I see my job."
He believes "peer pressure" will be important in convincing talented Kiwis to sign up for the show.
"It's your friends telling you you don't need to get drunk and do that thing that you always do, it's about saying you can do that sober," he says.
"And know that I'm going to be there. I'll be there with them holding their hands through the whole process."
Pre-auditions will begin on Breakfast from the end of April and the roadshow will kick into gear after that with auditions being held in dozens of towns around the country.
The show will screen twice a week from September to November, with the winner receiving a cash prize of about $100,000. Toyota and NZ On Air are the foundation partners.
A TVNZ spokeswoman said: "We do genuinely want to hunt out talent, nurture them and give them a showcase. It's not about getting people to make fools of themselves."
But she admitted it would be a tough ask.
"Open auditions will be a cattle call - you have to prove yourself really quickly. It can be pretty brutal, depending on the judges we get."
* To enter go to tvnz.co.nz/newzealandsgottalent
