Dr. Ashley Bloomfield chats about his last week on the job after 25 years. Video / ZM
His days of beaming into our living rooms with a kia ora koutou katoa may well and truly be over, but before Dr Ashley Bloomfield, director general of health-turned national treasure, steps down next week, he's revealed he still intends to get behind a microphone.
Speaking to ZM hosts Fletch,Vaughan and Hayley this morning, Bloomfield shared that while he had to postpone his farewell do, because of Covid, he will be looking forward to "wheeling out the karaoke machine and having a good old shindig" when the time is right.
Asked what his go-to song is when he's handed a mic - outside of addressing a pandemic-stricken nation - Bloomfield says, "It's Friday I'm In Love, by The Cure, that's to start with. But I'm planning to be up there more than once."
He also gave his prescription for sounding good: "The trick to karaoke, of course, is to maybe just have a drink or two first. Then no one notices whether you're out of tune or not."
Aside from serenading the slightly inebriated, Bloomfield intends to take "a good long break".
Ashley Bloomfield has revealed his favourite karaoke song. Photo / Getty Images
"Spending some of that lost time with my family will be the first priority," says Bloomfield, who has spent 25 years "on and off with the Ministry of Health and as a public servant".
ZM host Fletch asked if Bloomfield plans to leave the country for a holiday because "you have become an All Black-level celebrity."
While Bloomfield reveals he has had "thousands of people come up to me in the last two-and-a-half years asking for a selfie", he's keeping mum about exactly where he plans to get away to.
"There's going to be a bit of sun in the Pacific, but I'm not going to divulge which Pacific Island for fear of offending all the others," says the ever-diplomatic Bloomfield.
Despite becoming a household name and, literally, a face that appeared in our homes more than most of our friends and family for months on end, Bloomfield says he's only ever had positive interactions from Kiwis.
Of the thousands of people Bloomfield has been approached by in the last couple of years, he says "not one of them has been rude or unpleasant or anything less than grateful about what the team here has done to protect them."
From the cards, letters and sometimes "unusual gifts" he's received - including tie-dyed underpants - he says he knows Kiwis are "really appreciative".
"I've got more portraits of myself ... I think my wife wants to just throw them all out. One's on the back of a placemat, there's a spoon painted with my visage on it.
"But also some very beautiful things I've been gifted which I will really treasure."
Bloomfield also told the ZM hosts he was genuinely thrilled by Hayley's farewell song for him, Goodbye My Brother (A dedication to Dr Ashley Bloomfield).
"Can I just say how much I appreciated the song from Hayley. It's no secret in our househould that we are huge fans of hers. When that song was done my credibility with my kids just skyrocketed."
