NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

The Diary: Aussie TV star voices his approval for capital

NZ Herald
17 Jun, 2014 09:35 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Host of Australia's The Voice, Darren McMullen, is fronting Positively Wellington Tourism's new campaign.

Host of Australia's The Voice, Darren McMullen, is fronting Positively Wellington Tourism's new campaign.

Presenter Darren McMullen won over by Wellington’s charms.

Glaswegian-born Darren McMullen, an Australian TV star, is the surprising choice to front a new online advertising campaign by Positively Wellington Tourism, which was launched yesterday.

The 32-year-old host of The Voice admits even he was surprised to get the call. "When it first came through, it was like 'hold on, you want a Scottish guy to do tourism in New Zealand, for Australians?'"

The Wellington tourism bureau says they couldn't have picked a better candidate to front the tongue-in-cheek social media campaign aimed at upwardly mobile younger Australians.
For starters, they had to dispel simple misconceptions Aussies have about our capital city, including how long the flight is.

"It is so quick ... three hours. Can't even bust out a Lord of the Rings movie in that time,'' McMullen jokes on the YouTube video.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The campaign, called "Wellington Has Things", films McMullen amusingly traipsing around the capital plugging the city as a major metropolis within close flying distance.

Positively Wellington Tourism chief executive David Perk says the film was designed to highlight the proximity to major cities in Australia.

"Wellington prides itself on doing things a little differently and we wanted to buck the trend of traditional tourism films by adding a touch of fun," Perk said. "Darren's sense of humour was a perfect fit - he really got what Wellington is about and we're thrilled with the end result."

Australian TV personality Paul Mercurio is an added bonus. He makes a guest cameo role and a rep for Positively Wellington says it was pure luck getting the two together.

"The Australian High Commissioner alerted us to the fact Paul was in town looking at craft beers for his food show and we thought, how can we incorporate him too?
"Holy Pasodoble, it's Paul Mercurio," McMullen says on the film. "What are you doing here? Shooting another dance movie? ... Strictly Balding?"

The tourism movie, which is expected to be a viral hit, has already won over its supporting star attraction - McMullen.

Discover more

New Zealand

Collins facing health scare

06 May 05:00 PM
Entertainment

Lorde's boyfriend chased paparazzo

06 May 08:14 PM
Entertainment

Why I'm leaving Shorty St

29 May 05:00 PM
Entertainment

WAGs cook up tasty treats

03 Jun 05:00 PM

The 32-year-old, who is dating American actress Crystal Reed, says despite being paid for the job, he has fallen in love with the city and wants to share it with his girlfriend.

"We're going to go back hopefully when she comes over," Darren told Sydney's Daily Telegraph yesterday. "We are really foodie and coffee snobs, Crystal and I, and Wellington is amazing for that ... when we get a long weekend we'll pop over."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Wright timing is everything

Tandi Wright is cherishing her big US break.

She was a star of Kiwi drama Nothing Trivial, which was axed, but 44-year-old actress Tandi Wright has quickly landed on her thespie feet with an exciting new role in an American television series. And she tells The Diary the move has been so fast she has barely had time to appreciate her luck.

Wright is on location in Canada shooting the 10-part American supernatural TV drama Returned for the A+E cable network, a US remake of the French series Les Revenants.

"It's been a wonderful whirlwind so far. I was cast on Friday [June 6] and was on a plane to Vancouver on Sunday," Wright says on set. "I nearly got whiplash!

"The shoot got pulled forward so everyone is chasing their tails. But I'm having a great time.

"The moment I got here I was into hair, costume, makeup, camera tests. We had a cast read-through with a video hook-up to network and studio execs in New York and Los Angeles. It was both exhilarating and terrifying."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Wright plays Claire, a small town mother whose life is turned upside down when several local people who have been long presumed dead suddenly reappear.

It's a big break for the Kiwi mum. She spent a lot of time at casting auditions and meetings, but her agent, Imogen Johnson, says Wright is not the only New Zealander making waves in the US television industry.

"This is the second big US series for Johnson & Laird [Auckland talent agency] this year, with Rose McIver cast in iZombie, and more and more actors getting American work direct from New Zealand now. It's a very exciting time for Kiwis, there's no longer that real barrier to entry."

Wright, aware of her age in the fickle Hollywood industry, says she's grateful to be a working actress and to be given such a plum role.

"The job is for four months, it'll go by in a flash. I keep pinching myself to check I'm not dreaming. I'm just really chuffed and thrilled.

"I have raced up here with a moment's notice, and my wonderful husband [Michael Beran] and daughter [Olive] will follow in a couple of weeks when I have found us a place to stay.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We'll turn it into a family adventure for all of us."

Lorde award

Lorde has picked up another award. Photo / AP

Teen queens Lorde and Kendall and Kylie Jenner took to the stage at the MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto on Monday where the Kiwi pop star accepted the gong for Best Pantsuit Most Envied by Hillary Clinton. Actually, she won the award for best international video artist and gave a trippy onstage performance where she literally tripped over a standard lamp. Apparently it was part of the act.

Baby brews up a storm

Cameron Brewer welcomes a son.

Councillor Cameron Brewer's wife Kate gave birth to a baby boy during the peak of last week's bad weather, prompting some to suggest the newborn be named Storm.
However, the proud parents have christened him William Patrick Brewer and, although he was born a little early, mother and baby are doing well. Brewer, who wed his wife in Fiji less than 11 months ago, gloats he now has his own "Kate and Wills". He is also the proud father of 9-year-old Lucy from a previous relationship.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

'Magic mix': NZ Youth Choir's stunning win at European competition

07 Jul 03:07 AM
Royals

'Deeply saddened': Children’s theatre pioneer dies at 61 after cancer battle

07 Jul 02:49 AM
Entertainment

Building a Lego-cy: The brick-mad Kiwi mums taking on the legends of Lego

07 Jul 02:00 AM

Sponsored: Get your kids involved in your reno

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

'Magic mix': NZ Youth Choir's stunning win at European competition

'Magic mix': NZ Youth Choir's stunning win at European competition

07 Jul 03:07 AM

The choir hit a high note in their first European tour since the pandemic.

'Deeply saddened': Children’s theatre pioneer dies at 61 after cancer battle

'Deeply saddened': Children’s theatre pioneer dies at 61 after cancer battle

07 Jul 02:49 AM
Building a Lego-cy: The brick-mad Kiwi mums taking on the legends of Lego

Building a Lego-cy: The brick-mad Kiwi mums taking on the legends of Lego

07 Jul 02:00 AM
'I'm back baby': Lewis Capaldi returns to NZ for two special shows

'I'm back baby': Lewis Capaldi returns to NZ for two special shows

06 Jul 10:00 PM
Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP