The Diary: Pop diva in town

Superstar Katy Perry is staying at the exclusive Arrowtown gold resort The Hills, inset.

Katy Perry secretly jetted into Queenstown on Monday night aboard her private plane, immediately following her final Australian concert in Brisbane.

The Firework singer has been camped out at Michael Hill's exclusive Arrowtown golf resort The Hills, The Diary has learned, but staff kept mum about her stay.

On Wednesday night, Perry was spied enjoying low-key drinks with a small entourage of friends at cosy Arrowtown bar The Blue Door. Wearing a black baseball cap and sportswear, she looked determined to be discreet, said a fellow patron.

"Katy Perry was really incognito. You'd never have guessed there was a multi-millionaire musician in our midst. She was just hanging out and enjoying herself with friends, not drawing attention. They were drinking inside the bar and outside in the courtyard."

The American pop superstar has taken in some South Island sights, hiring a helicopter for a scenic tour around Wanaka. She posted a picture to Instagram of herself waving from a chopper on a snow-capped mountain.

Perry performs at Vector Arena tonight and tomorrow night and is staying at the plush penthouse of the Pullman Hotel.

Sizzling times for Issy and Frankie

Summery Sydney days got loved-up actress Frankie Adams and Wallaby Israel Folau all hot and bothered on the basketball court.

He's just returned from a promotional rugby trip to Japan last week, but Wallabies star Israel Folau has sought solace in the arms of his girlfriend - former Shortland Street star Frankie Adams, who is staying at his beachside Sydney apartment.

The transtasman romance between the young Samoan actress and the cross-code Tongan footy star is heating up.

This week, the pair posted pics of themselves shooting basketball hoops, with Adams wearing a skimpy yellow bikini, kicks and a baseball cap and Folau bare-chested.

Later, Folau uploaded a shadowy image of his girlfriend reclining on his seaside deck on Instagram.

"Found a stranger on my balcony," he teased.

While the young lovers are determined to play coy about their relationship in public, it is clear love is blooming.

Mutual friend Teuila Blakely introduced them three months ago, and the romance took off, with Adams sneaking over the Ditch for a secret rendezvous or two in between her heavy filming schedule and boxing training.

Folau was in Hamilton two weeks ago at her Fight For Life bout and the couple have plans to see in the New Year together in Sydney.

Adams will move to Los Angeles to have a crack at Hollywood - which will mean an even longer-distance relationship with Folau.

Women to watch

Brodie Kane

The brassy blonde with the sexy husky voice is

Fair Go's

secret weapon. Rumours swirl that Pippa Wetzell may be leaving the show and the network which, if proved true, could be debilitating for the ratings of the consumer affairs show. But enter Kane. As a reporter, she has a broad appeal that can speak to the less traditional Fair Go audience and introduce a more youthful feel to the show. An online spinoff segment targeting that younger market could be credible.

Nicola Grigg

The recently departed Radio NZ journo, who's making a new home as press secretary for Simon Bridges, is using the position, well-informed sources say, to learn the political ropes from the inside before a possible run at the next election in a safe National seat. Several months back, Grigg, denied to this column that she was contemplating a run at this year's election, but admitted she had political aspirations. Sources say she's waiting three years. Grigg, who counts Nikki Kaye as a close chum, would certainly bring a marketable face to the Tory line-up.