Trailer for ITV's new TV show Noel Edmonds' Kiwi Adventure. Video / ITV
Noel Edmonds, the British TV star turned small-town Kiwi pub owner, has opened up about his “magical” new life in New Zealand.
And he has revealed that a return to the screen with a reality show is in the works about his transformation from northern hemispherecelebrity to southern hemisphere businessman.
Edmonds – star of Noel’s House Party, Top of the Pops,Deal or No Deal, I’m a Celebrity, Get Me OutOf Here, and friend of Mr Blobby – moved to New Zealand with his wife Liz in 2019 after falling in love with the country on an earlier trip.
Edmonds, 76, transformed the property into the English-inspired River Haven, complete with a restaurant, cafe, general store and a pub named the Bugger Inn.
“Sometimes I struggle to explain why I’m so excited about this Kiwi adventure,” he said in a recent interview with Britain’s PA news agency.
Edmonds and wife Liz at the Champagne Lady Ball at Auckland's Northern Club in 2019. Photo / Norrie Montgomery
“It comes down to the land – the look, the feel of it. We have a beautiful home and, in the morning, we wake up to a view of the mountains.
“Just a few kilometres away, there’s a beautiful beach, the Moutere River, and within an hour’s drive, you’re in serious bush – wild terrain.
“The scenery here is magical. Even after six years, we’ll go for a drive and still say: ‘Wow’.”
Edmonds revealed he had invited ITV cameras into his life in a bid to showcase his new life and explain his passion for Aotearoa.
Noel Edmonds’ Kiwi Adventure will air in the UK at the end of the month.
Edmonds and his wife initially rented a house in Auckland but were unable to buy property until they had residency.
“It was beautiful. Suddenly, we had all these Kiwi friends. It’s true what they say: Kiwis are very friendly. We had a fabulous social circle,” he said.
“But over time, it [Auckland] began to feel a bit like the UK or Europe. I even called it ‘Euro-Zealand’ because it was so busy – busy roads, constant building and development. So we decided to move again and ended up at the top of the South Island."
Liz Davies, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Noel Edmonds at a charity debate in 2020.
Edmonds talked about the “challenge” of New Zealand weather and experiencing his first earthquake.
He told PA that he was enjoying rural living and was “trying to live in harmony with the natural environment and farm responsibly”.
“Kiwi farming has been incredibly intense ... I love it. I absolutely love it.”
Mr Blobby was a famous "character" on Edmond's show Noel's House Party. Photo / Mr Blobby Official Instagram
Alongside the land, Edmonds had also fallen in love with the people of New Zealand and their “give it a go” attitude.
“That’s taken a bit of a hit in recent years with all the changes and uncertainty, but it’s still very much part of the national character.
“Kiwis are also incredibly sociable. They love a good time, a good laugh – and they don’t take themselves, or their politicians, too seriously. I love that.”
Edmonds admitted that, while the show was about his new life, there was another motive to get back on the screen.
“There’s a bit of ego involved.
“People still ask: ‘Noel Edmonds? Didn’t he die? Is he still around?’”
In May 2024, Edmonds made headlines when claims were made that he had sacked 17 staff at his winery with just a day’s notice.
Edmonds told the Herald the claims were “lies, lies and more f’ing lies”.
“A few casual employees think they can blackmail us into giving them cash in hand,” he said.
Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 19 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz.
