Holmes poised for TVNZ comeback

Paul Holmes. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

Paul Holmes returns to TV One this month.

TVNZ confirmed yesterday that Holmes, with TVNZ political editor Guyon Espiner and political analyst Therese Arseneau, will front a new Sunday morning show, Q & A, which begins on March 22.

The political show - which will initially run for 17 episodes - replaces the current affairs political show Agenda, killed off by TVNZ in December.

"Holmes' style and approach and contacts would make politics attractive to a wider audience," said TVNZ head of news and current affairs Anthony Flannery.

"He was not the only person we considered, but when we saw him he shone and he was keen to keep his hand in," said Flannery, an Australian who was not at TVNZ from 2003-2005, when TVNZ news and current affairs was run by Bill Ralston.

Each hour-long Q & A episode will be shown live and feature interviews and a panel debate.

"The panel will include high profile kiwis from all sectors – industry, community, business, welfare, unions, religion, education, charity – basically the people who are actively involved in New Zealand and make decisions that influence our lives rather than sideline commentators or observers," a press release revealed.

Holmes left TVNZ when the knives were out for veterans like Judy Bailey and Richard Long. Only Holmes has come back.

Back in 2004 Ralston described Holmes' resignation to join Prime TV as "Paul's suicide mission". In ratings terms that is what it turned out to be, as TV One viewers did not follow him.

When Holmes left TVNZ, there was ill-feeling between him and Ralston, but the two are now friendly.

Holmes continued to dominate talk radio and made excursions into light entertainment TV.

Earlier this year Mike Hosking took over his Newstalk ZB breakfast show.

Friends say it has been hard handing over the Newstalk ZB show he held for 22 years.