Wendy Petrie is going into 2023 with a positive mindset. Photo / NZ Woman's Weekly
Last summer, Wendy Petrie was adjusting to her eldest daughter moving to America and fearful that being a fill-in newsreader would be the only work to ever come her way. A year on, she’s walking into 2023 – and indeed our Weekly photo shoot – like Wendy version 2.0.
Animated, upbeat and wearing a black Led Zeppelin T-shirt, she’s fresh off a plane from Invercargill after giving a keynote speech to 200 women in the dairy-farming network. Yes, it was nerve-wracking and she did worry she wouldn’t have anything interesting to impart to them. But it turns out, no matter what industry a woman is in, we all face the same challenges.
“When I was first asked, I thought, ‘What do I know about dairy farming?’” admits the mum-of-three. “But I gave a message about resilience, and encouraging women to reset and re-imagine their future after a pretty tough couple of years.”
It’s something Wendy knows a lot about. When the popular broadcaster very publicly lost her role as an anchor for 1 News At Six due to Covid job cuts, she worried she wouldn’t find other work.
“All I’ve ever done for the last 14 years is read the news,” she says. “I felt so fearful of the future. So it’s been really empowering this last year to start doing more diverse roles that see me do things way outside my comfort zone.”
It’s also brought a newfound freedom to show her more playful, goofy side. “I do feel freer now,” she reflects. “I grew up in the era of news anchors who had such neutrality. It was very important for us to be seen as serious, authoritative and credible. And I’m not really that person, to be honest. So it’s nice to be able to express more of my personality.
“I always feared the backlash of people saying, ‘Who’s that ridiculous woman doing those ridiculous things?’ But one gift of getting older is you worry less about what people think and you have the authority to be yourself. “I’ve always been silly – just ask my friends. They’re like, ‘Woah, you’re so serious on TV, but you’re not like that normally.’ So that freedom has come with not doing the news night after night, and relishing the new opportunities that have come my way.”
While the 51-year-old has never really disappeared from our screens, she’s now also a newsreader on Newstalk ZB, and voice-coaching TVNZ reporters and global Les Mills presenters.
“It’s been rewarding because you realise you don’t know how much you know until you start imparting some knowledge,” she explains.
Wendy is also relishing having more time to spend at home with her two youngest teens, Liv, 17, and Zach, almost 13. “Teenagers do really still need you, especially on an emotional level,” she asserts.
“It’s been nice to be around for that. Often you get the best conversations on the drive to water polo or things come out when you’re not facing each other.
“Zach starts high school this year and is so different from my girls. He’s very creative, loves animating and editing. He’s a sweet, gorgeous boy for now, but soon he’s going to turn into a hairy, pubescent grunter!”
It’s been a year since the family farewelled eldest daughter Addison, 19, to the University of San Diego on a rowing scholarship. But the talented rower is back for three weeks over the summer break, where they will all holiday for a week at Waimea Beach in Gisborne.
“I’ve adjusted to Addie living overseas,” tells Wendy. “Initially, I’d walk into her bedroom and start crying. But the minute we could travel again, I booked my ticket to San Diego to see her. Then my husband Ross and I went back recently so he could see where she was living. We both were so overwhelmed with how grown up, happy and settled she is there.
“She’s slotted in with an amazing group of rowers who have embraced her as one of their family. And she also seems to be expanding her social group – and hanging out with members of the men’s baseball and football teams,” adds Wendy with a wink.
Year 13 student Liv – a skilled swimmer who will attend the Swimming NZ camp this month – is also eyeing up overseas universities.
“Liv sees Addie having so much fun, so she’s quite keen on going to the US or Queensland in Australia,” reports Wendy. “I keep threatening to enrol myself in one of those universities for an adult course, but their mortified faces tell me that’s not such a good idea!
“I’m just glad 2023 looks so much brighter, especially for my kids. I really want them to start dreaming again, and imagining themselves in the future and making big goals.”