Paul Henry's new adventure pays tribute to his late mum

Paul Henry is sailing around the world in memory of his late mother Olive. Photo / Supplied

Anyone who watched Paul Henry on New Zealand's TV screens knew how close his bond with his late mother Olive was. Which is why it comes as no surprise his latest tribute to her is truly spectacular.

Henry signed off from NZ's airwaves18 months ago to embark on an early retirement.

Just three days after his mum died in 2016, the polarising broadcaster said farewell to The Paul Henry Show and to New Zealand.

Back then he was building a boat to sail around the world and when the time came to launch the latest chapter of his life, there was only ever one name for it - Olive.

"She loved travel and in her final years talked about going on a cruise, but she'd left it too late. She was too frail," Henry told New Zealand's Woman's Weekly.

Olive was launched in Heusden, in the Netherlands on May 7, on what would have been Henry's mother's 88th birthday.

The boat is in every way a tribute to her: "the Olive Suite" features olive-coloured furnishings and a dome of olive glass that contains her ashes.

Henry plans to sail the world, aiming to be back in New Zealand for the America's cup in 2021.

He told the New Zealand's Woman's Weekly he feels like his mother is "on the journey with me" and hearing the words "Olive, Olive, Olive" come across the radio when he comes into port helps keep her alive.

Henry is enjoying the anonymity his new life offers him. Far from the headlines of New Zealand news, he's free to be himself.

"I loved what I did when I did it, but I certainly never craved the audience," he says.