New lives for TVNZ's leading ladies

Ian Burney and Tati Urale lead Judy Bailey to her farewell dinner. Picture / Paul Estcourt

For two of TVNZ's best-known faces, this week sees the start of something new.

Current affairs host Susan Wood marries fiance Kevin Stanley today while news reader Judy Bailey finishes her 18-year career presenting One News after an official farewell on Friday night.

Wood's hen party was held earlier in the day at SPQR on Ponsonby Rd.

"It was just lovely," she told the Herald on Sunday.

"It was so neat to have girlfriends from so many different walks of life."

Among those at the bash was former One News boss Melanie Jones, dumped by Ralston in August shortly after he wrote her a letter praising her work. Jones and TVNZ are locked in a legal row over her exit package.

Wood was tight-lipped on wedding plans, but said it would be a "very non-traditional, very informal day". "We're going to have a lot of fun and a great time."

The hen party was more traditional, with plenty of champagne and joke gifts including a T-shirt emblazoned with "Trophy Wife", and novelty "Sex Bomb" chocolates.

Wood and Matamata businessman Kevin Stanley's year-long engagement began in Italy and he supportedher at a public hearing before the Employment Relations Authority when she challenged TVNZ over plans to cut her pay by 22 per cent. Wood won, but has yet to sign a new contract with the state broadcaster.

It is the second marriage for both Wood and Stanley, who began dating a year ago. They will have five children in their new family. Two are 14 and the others are 11, 12 and 13.

Bailey's farewell gift from TVNZ was more unusual. She asked for and was given a woodchipper, accepting it with a reference to the movie Fargo, in which a character was fed through one.

She also praised TVNZ as a great company, telling staff it would make it through tough times.

The broadcaster has been embroiled in political rows over presenter salaries and is currently the focus of a parliamentary inquiry.

Jones emerged again, fresh from Wood's hen party, and was pulled onstage by Bailey. She was followed by John Hawkesby, Bailey's former Top Half co-anchor, who spoke fondly of working with Bailey.

The guest list was packed with TVNZ staff and stars but did not include Ian Fraser, who quit as chief executive two months ago, or any board members.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY