Eva Longoria to visit NZ next week

Eva Longoria is due in New Zealand next week. Photo / AP

Hollywood celebrity Eva Longoria will be in New Zealand next week.

The former Desperate Housewives star is due in New Zealand to help launch the Shopping Channel, and is scheduled to appear at a VIP launch party on Wednesday.

She'll follow that up with a live appearance on the Shopping Channel on Thursday, at 7.30pm.

The Shopping Channel is New Zealand's first dedicated retail TV channel, with media personalities Candy Lane, Monty Betham and Mike Puru confirmed as hosts.

Shopping Channel CEO Alistair Duff said it would be Longoria's first time in New Zealand.

"Eva is the perfect guest for our launch week as she embodies what The Shopping Channel is all about - style and glamour, with warmth and approachability," he said.

Ogilvy New Zealand boss Greg Partington it could well become the most watched channel on New Zealand screens.

"Our research is telling us that New Zealand women will watch our channel, particularly our prime-time viewing. We understand that we will get in excess of 600,000 Kiwi women watching the channel every week, and that's huge."

Longoria, 37, starred in eight seasons of Desperate Housewives as bored housewife Gabrielle Solis before the show ended its run earlier this year.

She has four films due for release, and recently spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

- nzherald.co.nz