TONIGHT ` FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPION JOSEPH PARKER LOSES A LONG-RUNNING LEGAL BATTLE BUT ISN'T PUNISHED. AND AFTER TWO VERY LOPSIDED RACES ON DAY TWO, THE AMERICA'S CUP REMAINS DEADLOCKED. AND SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE IN AUCKLAND AT LAST, AS THE GOVERNMENT COMES TO THE LEVEL-PLAYING FIELD PARTY. CAPTIONS BY ANNIE CURTIS AND SOPHIE PEARCE CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION JOSEPH PARKER HAS LOST HIS LONGEST-RUNNING FIGHT ` A LEGAL BOUT INVOLVING OUR HIGHEST COURT. IN A HIGH COURT TRIAL THAT DIDN'T INVOLVE HIM, THE FIGHTER WAS LINKED THROUGH EVIDENCE TO DRUG TRAFFICKING. BUT WE COULDN'T TELL YOU UNTIL NOW BECAUSE HE'D BEEN BATTLING TO KEEP HIS NAME SECRET. NOW, JUST DAYS AFTER PARKER LEFT THE COUNTRY TO TRY AND REVIVE HIS CAREER IN THE UK, THE SUPREME COURT'S NOW REJECTED HIS FINAL LEGAL AVENUE FOR PERMANENT NAME SUPPRESSION. KIM BAKER WILSON REPORTS. IN THE WORLD OF HARD KNOCKS, JOSEPH PARKER'S A STAR. BUT NOW WE CAN REPORT ON WHAT COULD BE A BIGGER BLOW. IT CAME TO LIGHT ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO. IN THE HIGH COURT TRIAL OF THREE MEN LATER JAILED FOR A STRING OF METH CHARGES. HIS COMMENTS TODAY MADE THROUGH HIS LAWYER. HE SAID, 'I HAVEN'T BEEN CHARGED WITH ANYTHING, 'AND IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT THAT MY NAME WILL BE CONNECTED 'TO MATTERS I'VE HAD NO CHANCE TO DEFEND MYSELF AGAINST.' WHAT HE DOES NEXT IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT. A TEXT FROM ONE OF THE GUILTY MEN PRODUCED IN EVIDENCE ALLEGED THE PRIZE FIGHTER CHANGED CURRENCY FOR ONE OF THE MEN WHO USED IT TO PAY A CALIFORNIA DEALER. MR PARKER, AS YOU KNOW, HAS DENIED, ON OATH, ANY INVOLVEMENT WITH METHAMPHETAMINE OR ANY INVOLVEMENT WITH THE IMPORTATION OF DRUGS. THERE WERE ALSO MESSAGES FROM AN ACCOUNT ON ENCRYPTED MESSAGING APP WICKR CALLED JOEBOXERPARKER AND ANOTHER OF THE GUILTY TRIO. PROSECUTORS ALLEGING THAT IN LATE 2017... THE USER OF THE ACCOUNT WAS ARRANGING FOR THE PURCHASE OR SUPPLY OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF DRUGS OVER FOUR DAYS. AND THE WORDS USED ` ROUND ONE ` THE COURT CONCLUDED PROBABLY REFERRED TO METH. UH, LOOK, IT OBVIOUSLY REFERS TO HIM, BUT BEYOND THAT AGAIN HE HAS HAD NO CHANCE TO TEST ANY OF THAT EVIDENCE. POLICE WANTED TO INTERVIEW JOSEPH PARKER, BUT IN KEEPING WITH HIS RIGHTS, HE EXERCISED HIS RIGHT TO SILENCE. A SEARCH WARRANT WAS OBTAINED, BUT NEVER EXECUTED. IF THERE WAS RELEVANT RELIABLE CREDIBLE EVIDENCE THAT THERE WAS OFFENDING BY MR PARKER, THEY WOULD HAVE CHARGED HIM. OUR HIGHEST COURT'S RULED THERE'S NO DISPUTING THAT PARKER'S NAME BEING PUBLIC WOULD CAUSE UNDUE HARDSHIP, BUT IT SAYS IT WASN'T SATISFIED IT WAS IN THE INTERESTS OF JUSTICE TO CONSIDER HIS CASE AND DISMISSED IT. HIS REPUTATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HIM. ULTIMATELY, IT'S THE ONE THING HE HAS ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE, SO TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT WILL HAVE MADE A DENT. WE OBVIOUSLY ALL KNEW IT WAS THERE, BUT ONE OF THOSE THINGS, I GUESS, HE'S GOT TO, KIND OF, COME OUT AND TALK ABOUT. A BIG NAME IN THE BOXING ARENA ` ONE HE WANTED TO KEEP OUT OF THE PUBLIC ARENA. THIS IS A FIGHT JOSEPH PARKER DIDN'T WIN. KIM BAKER WILSON, 1 NEWS. DESPITE LIGHT WINDS AND SPECTATOR CRAFT GETTING IN THE ROAD, IT WAS ALL GO ON DAY TWO OF THE AMERICA'S CUP FINALS IN THE HAURAKI GULF. TEAM NEW ZEALAND AND LUNA ROSSA BOTH SCORED VERY ONE-SIDED WINS, WHICH MEANT THE CONTEST IS STILL ALL LOCKED UP AT 2-ALL, AND THE DEFENDING CHAMPS ADMIT THEY STILL HAVE WORK TO DO. ABBY WILSON REPORTS. TWO MORE RACES, AND THIS IS STILL ANYONE'S GAME, AND FOR OUR FAVOURITE AUSSIE SAILING ENEMY, THAT'S GOOD NEWS. YOU DON'T WANT A ONE-SIDED, YOU KNOW, SPORTING CONTEST. YOU WANT TO SEE A GOOD FIGHT AND A GOOD BATTLE, AND BOTH TEAMS PREPARED FOR A FIGHT AND PREPARED FOR A REALLY GOOD BATTLE. LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT THAT ON OUT HANDS. IN THE DAY'S FIRST RACE, THINGS LOOKED EVEN ENOUGH OFF THE LINE, BUT AT THE FIRST TURN THE ITALIANS SHOWED THEIR HAND, MOVING AHEAD AND INTO CONTROL ON THE FAVOURED SIDE OF THE COURSE. PUT LUNA ROSSA INTO A VERY STRONG POSITION DOWN TO LEEWARD. LUNA ROSSA PROVING THEIR LIGHT WIND SET-UP WORKS. THEY HAVE PUT 100M ON TEAM NEW ZEALAND. THEIR LEAD GROWING AS THE RACE WENT ON. IN THE END, THEY CROSSED THE LINE 37 SECONDS AHEAD OF THE KIWIS TO BREAK THE DEADLOCK FROM DAY ONE. THIS IS A STAND UP AND TAKE NOTICE PERFORMANCE. WITH THE PRESSURE NOW ON TEAM NEW ZEALAND, THEY HAD TO GET THE START RIGHT, BUT FOR A WHILE IT ALL LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING VERY WRONG. IT IS BELLY IN THE WATER FOR EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND. BUT THEY PROVED STRONGER IN THE EARLY TACKING DUEL, AND JUST BEFORE GATE TWO, LUNA ROSSA MADE THE KIND OF MISTAKE THAT CAN SPELL GAME OVER IN THESE RACES. BAD GYBE. AND THAT IS INCREDIBLY COSTLY. ALL IT TOOK WAS A MISSED BUTTON. LUCKILY WE WERE BEHIND AT THAT MOMENT, I MUST SAY, BECAUSE I WOULD FEEL EVEN WORSE NOW. EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES. IT WAS` IT WAS UNFORTUNATE, BUT I TELL YOU, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. IT WON'T BE THE SAME BUTTON. THE KIWIS ABLE TO CRUISE HOME, WINNING BY OVER A MINUTE, BUT CRUCIALLY KEEPING THE SCORES LEVEL. WE'RE DEFINITELY, I THINK AS A GROUP, FEELING MORE AND MORE COMFORTABLE THE MORE RACES WE GET, AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO BOUNCE BACK IN THAT SECOND ONE AND GET A WIN ON THE BOARD TODAY. FOUR RACES IN, MANY KIWI FANS PROBABLY THOUGHT TEAM NEW ZEALAND WOULD BE IN A MORE DOMINANT POSITION, BUT WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS RACING IS INCREDIBLY CLOSE, AND THE MARGIN FOR ERROR MINUTE. WITH LIGHT WINDS AGAIN FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND, THE KIWIS' CHALLENGE ISN'T ABOUT TO GET ANY EASIER. ABBY WILSON, 1 NEWS. BUSINESSES CATERING TO AMERICA'S CUP FANS WILL BE MAKING THE MOST OF IT THIS WEEKEND WITH THE CITY BACK DOWN TO LEVEL 1. BUT CAFE AND RESTAURANT OWNERS HAVE CRITICISED THE DECISION TO HOLD OFF THE ANNOUNCEMENT TILL LATE THIS MORNING. LAURA JAMES REPORTS. AUCKLAND'S WATERFRONT HEAVING. THE CITY FULLY BACK IN BUSINESS. SO GOOD. SO GLAD. WELL DONE, AUCKLAND. IT'S GREAT NEWS FOR THE COUNTRY. EVERYONE HOPEFULLY COME OUT AND ENJOY BEING FREE TO MOVE ABOUT. AFTER THIS NEWS,... JACINDA CABINET HAS AGREED TO MOVE AUCKLAND OUT OF COVID ALERT LEVEL 2 AS OF MIDDAY TODAY. ...THERE WAS DEFINITELY A SHIFT IN THE AIR. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, LIFTED THE SPIRIT AND THE MOOD OF THE CITY. AUCKLAND DESERVES THAT. ONCE AGAIN, THE CITY HAS STEPPED UP AND DID WHAT IT NEEDED TO DO IN THE FACE OF THESE COMMUNITY CASES. AND FOR THAT, WE ALL SAY THANK YOU. THE MOVE TO LEVEL 1 GOOD NEWS FOR SAILING FANS PACKING OUT THE WATERFRONT THIS AFTERNOON. GO, TEAM NEW ZEALAND! THIS AFTERNOON, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THE SCREENS BACK ON. DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES ALSO RELIEVED. THIS IS AN EVENT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS. IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE RELIED ON LOOKING FORWARD. WE'RE READY TO MAKE THE MOST OF THIS WEEKEND. OTHER BIG GIGS CELEBRATING TOO. WE'RE UNBELIEVABLY DELIGHTED TO BE BACK IN BUSINESS. IT HAS BEEN A FRUSTRATING COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT'S BEEN A FINANCIAL CRUSH FOR THE FESTIVAL. WE CAN'T DO ANY OF OUR PUBLIC ACTIVATION SPACES AT LEVEL 2, SO LEVEL 1 REALLY MEANS THAT ALL OF OUR FREE EVENTS CAN GO. CABINET MADE A PRELIMINARY DECISION YESTERDAY, BUT WAS WAITING ON MORE TEST RESULTS. WE SAID, IF TOMORROW WE HAVE THESE ADDITIONAL PIECES OF INFORMATION, INCLUDING OUR WIDER COMMUNITY TESTING, NOW THAT WE'VE GONE THE 14 DAYS, WE'LL FEEL CONFIDENT TO LIFT OUT. THE SHORT NOTICE WAS A SCRAMBLE FOR MANY. WE'VE HAD TO ARRANGE STAFF AND EXTRA STOCK AND SO FORTH. WE'RE HAVING FURNITURE DELIVERED TOMORROW SPECIFICALLY FOR LEVEL 1, WHICH WE COULD HAVE HAD IN TODAY, SO WE'VE LOST QUITE A LOT OF BUSINESS. YOU CERTAINLY WANT TO KNOW AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY, SO YOU CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY. WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TURN AROUND ONE OF OUR VENUES BACK FROM LEVEL 2 TO LEVEL 1 IN TIME. IF WE'D FOUND OUT LAST NIGHT, WE COULD HAVE PROBABLY MADE IT WORK. BUT THE MOVE BETTER TODAY THAN TOMORROW. MANY AUCKLANDERS ALREADY MAKING THE MOST OF IT. AMATEUR, SILLY AND STUPID IS HOW A BUSINESSMAN DESCRIBES HIS OFF-SIDERS EFFORTS TO PERSUADE A MAN TO DROP HIS POLICE COMPLAINT. THE BUSINESSMAN IS ACCUSED OF BOTH INDECENT ASSAULT AND OF INSTRUCTING OTHERS TO TRY AND COVER IT UP. LOGAN CHURCH IS COVERING THE TRIAL AT THE HIGH COURT IN AUCKLAND. REPEATED DENIALS. THIS PROMINENT RICH-LISTER TAKING THE STAND IN HIS OWN TRIAL. HE'S ACCUSED OF INDECENTLY ASSAULTING THREE MEN ` ONE MAN TWO DECADES AGO, ANOTHER IN 2008, WHO ACCUSES THE BUSINESSMAN OF DRUGGING HIM, AND A THIRD, WHO WAS STAYING AT THE BUSINESSMAN'S HOUSE IN 2016. WHEN YOU WERE IN HIS ROOM, DID YOU EVER GET INTO OR ON TO THE BED? HE DENIES ALL THE ALLEGATIONS, AND SAYS HE DOESN'T EVEN REMEMBER MEETING TWO OF THE MEN. DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF THIS PERSON, (BLEEP)? THE BUSINESSMAN ALSO DENIES BEING INVOLVED IN ANY ATTEMPTS TO GET ONE OF HIS ACCUSERS TO DROP HIS COMPLAINT, INSTEAD BLAMING ALL THE ANTICS ON OTHERS, INCLUDING A PROMINENT AUCKLAND ENTERTAINER, WHO HAS ALREADY PLEADED GUILTY. YOU SAY HE DID IT WITHOUT ANY ENCOURAGEMENT FROM YOU OR ENDORSEMENT FROM YOU IN ANY WAY? A PR AGENT WAS ALSO HIRED BY THE ACCUSED AND PAID $56,000. THE BUSINESSMAN TOLD THE COURTS THAT WAS FOR REPUTATIONAL MANAGEMENT. THE MONEY WAS SPENT IN A SECOND EFFORT TO CONVINCE THE WITNESS TO WITHDRAW HIS STATEMENT, THIS TIME AT THE PALAZZO VERSACE HOTEL ON THE GOLD COAST. THE PR AGENT AND AN ASSOCIATE HAVE ADMITTED THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE PLOT. YOU SAY THAT THEY ESSENTIALLY WENT ROGUE, DID THEY, WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE? THE TRIAL IS SET DOWN FOR TWO MORE WEEKS. LOGAN CHURCH, 1 NEWS. THE POLICEMAN ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF MURDERING AN ABDUCTED LONDON WOMAN HAS BEEN BEATEN UP WHILE IN CUSTODY. THE DIPLOMATIC PROTECTION OFFICER HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO HOSPITAL AFTER SUFFERING HEAD INJURIES. MEANWHILE, THE FAMILY OF SARAH EVERARD (33) HAS BEEN PAYING TRIBUTE TO HER. THE BBC'S LUCY MANNING HAS MORE. HOW DO YOU ENCAPSULATE 33 YEARS? SARAH EVERARD'S FAMILY TRIED. 'BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL, 'A WONDERFUL DAUGHTER AND SISTER TAKEN FROM US', THEY SAID. IN A STATEMENT, THEY ADDED,... THEY PLEADED FOR THE PUBLIC TO HELP WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO SARAH AFTER SHE DISAPPEARED LAST WEEK WALKING TO HER HOUSE IN SOUTH LONDON. IN KENT, POLICE OFFICERS BROUGHT FLOWERS TO THE GATES, AS ANOTHER POLICEMAN SITS IN CUSTODY, STILL BEING QUESTIONED ABOUT KIDNAP AND MURDER. THE FLOWERS FROM THE PUBLIC AN ATTEMPT TO GIVE SOME COMFORT TO SARAH'S FAMILY. HOW COULD THE SIMPLE ACT OF A WOMAN WALKING HOME BRING A MASSIVE POLICE INVESTIGATION TO THE REMOTE COUNTRYSIDE OF KENT, WHERE HUMAN REMAINS WERE DISCOVERED YESTERDAY. THIS QUIET RURAL ROAD IN ASHFORD NOW THE SCENE OF INTENSE POLICE ACTIVITY, FORENSIC TEAMS SPREAD OUT ACROSS A WIDER AREA. DIVERS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT WERE BROUGHT IN IN THIS TRUCK TO HELP THE SEARCH, AND PORTABLE OFFICERS BROUGHT IN, SUGGESTING A LENGTHY INVESTIGATION. THE SUSPECT LIVES 30 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE POLICE ARE SEARCHING, A POLICE DIPLOMATIC PROTECTION OFFICER IN HIS 40S ` AN ARREST THAT HAS SENT SHOCKWAVES THROUGH THE FORCE. WE NOW KNOW JUST THREE DAYS BEFORE SARAH DISAPPEARED, POLICE RECEIVED A REPORT ALLEGING HE HAD EXPOSED HIMSELF IN A RESTAURANT. OFFICERS TODAY ALSO SEARCHED AN OLD GARAGE IN DOVER WHERE HE USED TO WORK AND THAT HIS FAMILY USED TO OWN. THE POLICE ARE DETERMINED TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO SARAH EVERARD FROM THE MOMENT SHE WENT MISSING, NOT JUST FOR HER FAMILY'S SAKE, BUT FOR ALL THE WOMEN WHO FEEL UNSAFE WALKING ALONE AT NIGHT. IT IS A DISAPPEARANCE THAT HAS TOUCHED MANY. THE PRIME MINISTER SAID HE WAS SHOCKED AND DEEPLY SADDENED, AND THAT ALL THE ANSWERS MUST BE FOUND. THE QUESTION FOR MANY IS WHY THEY STILL FEEL SO UNSAFE. A PRIVATE AMBULANCE CAME ON TO THE SEARCH SITE. REMOVING THEIR CAPS, THE OFFICERS GAVE THEIR UTMOST RESPECT. FOR SARAH'S PARENTS, SISTER, BROTHER AND PARTNER, IT IS, AS THE HEAD OF THE METROPOLITAN POLICE SAID, EVERY FAMILY'S WORST NIGHTMARE. STILL TO COME IN SPORT ` THE BREAKERS RENEW THEIR BASKETBALL RIVALRY WITH THE HIGH-FLYING PERTH WILDCATS AND COME UNSTUCK IN NEUTRAL MELBOURNE. AND A GOOD NIGHT FOR THE KNIGHTS AS THEY OPEN THEIR NRL SEASON IN NEWCASTLE. (ALL CHANT) - The planet doesn't know which stuff you're doing just because you can't say no. So start at the bottom of your list and cross a few things off. PRINCE WILLIAM HAS DEFENDED THE ROYAL FAMILY AGAINST ACCUSATIONS OF RACISM LEVELLED BY HIS SISTER-IN-LAW, THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX. MEGHAN MARKLE'S CLAIMS IN THE OPRAH WINFREY INTERVIEW HAVE THROWN THE WINDSORS INTO DAMAGE CONTROL. HERE'S THE BBC'S NICHOLAS WITCHELL. IT IS AN ALLEGATION WHICH STRIKES AT THE VERY CORE OF AN INSTITUTION, THE PURPOSE OF WHICH IS TO UNIFY. WHAT? AND SO ON A VISIT BY THE CAMBRIDGES TO A SCHOOL IN EAST LONDON, PRINCE WILLIAM TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY, GENTLY, TO PUSH BACK. SIR, HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO YOUR BROTHER SINCE THE INTERVIEW? NO. NO, I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO HIM YET, BUT I WILL DO. AND CAN YOU JUST LET ME KNOW, IS THE ROYAL FAMILY A RACIST FAMILY, SIR? WE'RE VERY MUCH NOT A RACIST FAMILY. 'WE ARE NOT A RACIST FAMILY.' THAT IS THE MESSAGE THE FAMILY WANTS AND NEEDS TO BE HEARD. AND THE EVIDENCE ACROSS DECADES OF WORK BY THE QUEEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COMMONWEALTH AND BY, IN PARTICULAR, THE PRINCE OF WALES HERE IN BRITAIN, SUPPORTS THE PROPOSITION THAT EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY ARE IMPORTANT TO THE ROYAL FAMILY. EVEN THOSE WITH RESERVATIONS ABOUT THEIR RECENT PERFORMANCE ACCEPT THAT GOOD WORK HAS BEEN DONE. IN TERMS OF THE PRINCE OF WALES, HIS PREVIOUS WORK THAT CAN'T BE DENIED. WE ABSOLUTELY, YOU KNOW` WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE'S DONE SOME EXCELLENT WORK WITH COMMUNITIES. THE QUEEN BELIEVES THIS IS A MATTER FOR THE FAMILY TO SORT OUT. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER BIG CHALLENGE FOR THEM ` TO UNDERLINE TO THE WATCHING WORLD THAT, AS WILLIAM SAID TODAY, THIS IS NOT A RACIST FAMILY THE BREAKERS HAVE BEEN HUMBLED BY THEIR RIVALS, THE PERTH WILDCATS, IN MELBOURNE. WITHOUT GUARD COREY WEBSTER, THE BREAKERS BLEW THEIR HALF-TIME LEAD, LOSING 85-75. THE RESULT LIFTING THE WILDCATS TO THE TOP OF THE NBL TABLE. TO THE OPENING ROUND OF THE NRL, WHERE NEWCASTLE HAS MADE A DREAM START, EVEN WITHOUT SUPERSTAR KALYN PONGA. DESPITE THE SOGGY CONDITIONS, THE KNIGHTS OUTCLASSED THE BATTLING BULLDOGS, WITH PROP DANIEL SAIFITI SCORING TWO OF THEIR FIVE TRIES. THE 32-16 ROMP TAKING THE KNIGHTS TO THE TOP OF THE TABLE FOR NOW. THERE WAS A KIWI CONSOLATION FOR THE DOGS, WITH SKIPPER DALLIN WATENE ZE-LEZNIAK SCORING THE FIRST AND LAST TRIES IN THEIR SEASON OPENER. JUST AHEAD ` THE WEEKEND WEATHER AND OUR FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT WITH ROCKIN ROD STEWART AND BRITISH COMIC BILL BAILEY. AND IF YOU SAY SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND COOL LIKE THAT, THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF PRESSURE ON YOU TO DIE QUITE SOON AFTER THAT. BRITISH ROCK ICON ROD STEWART HAS SPOKEN OF HIS FONDNESS FOR NEW ZEALAND AND JACINDA ARDERN'S SMILE. HIS COMMENTS CAME AS PART OF A ZOOM CALL WITH CLARKE GAYFORD, WHICH IS BEING AIRED DURING AMERICA'S CUP FESTIVITIES TOMORROW. HOW'S THE MISSUS? ALL RIGHT? SHE IS` SHE IS GOOD. WE'VE` WE'VE HAD A YEAR. I HAVE TO SAY, SHE HAS GOT THE MOST GORGEOUS SMILE IN THE WHOLE WORLD. ALL RIGHT, WILL YOU TELL HER THAT FOR ME, AND WE'LL HAVE A DRINK TOGETHER WHEN I GET DOWN THERE? (LAUGHS) I CAN` I'LL TEXT HER RIGHT NOW. WHERE'S MY PHONE? (LAUGHTER) WHAT A MAN! FANS OF THE SINGER WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN A GLOBAL SING-A-LONG TO HIS 1975 HIT 'SAILING' AHEAD OF TOMORROW AFTERNOON'S RACE ON AUCKLAND'S WATERFRONT. FINALLY ` WHEN YOU'VE BEEN TOLD YOU'VE ONLY GOT 10 MINUTES TO INTERVIEW BILL BAILEY, WHERE DO YOU START? OVERACHIEVER WOULDN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE TOURING 55-YEAR-OLD COMEDIAN, ACTOR, MUSICIAN AND DANCE CHAMP. HE'S HERE FOR HIS ONLY TOUR SINCE THE PANDEMIC, KICKING OFF TOMORROW IN WELLINGTON. JENNY SUO TOOK THOSE 10 MINUTES AND TURNED IT INTO A HALF HOUR CHINWAG. ARE YOU A HANDSHAKER OR AN ELBOW BUMPER? I THINK WE DO THIS. YEAH, WHY NOT? OH, NICE TO MEET YOU. YOU'VE ONLY GOT 10 MINUTES, JENNY. DON'T GO OFF TRACK. WE'VE GOT SOME RESCUE DOGS AND RESCUE PARROTS. FROGS, LIZARDS, MONKEYS, TAMARINS. THE ARMADILLO'S JUST HAD A BABY. DO THEY GET ALONG? WELL, THEY DON'T` THEY'RE NOT ALL IN ONE DOME. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) THAT'S WHAT I'M IMAGINING, THAT THEY'RE JUST CRAWLING AROUND THE CARPET. YOU JUST PUT 'EM IN ONE. BILL BAILEY'S LISTING THE EXOTIC ANIMALS HE AND HIS WIFE ARE CURRENTLY TAKING CARE OF IN HIS LONDON HOME. A LOT OF THESE ANIMALS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AFTER HAVE BEEN IMPOUNDED, HAVING BEEN ILLEGALLY IMPORTED. A LOT OF THE TIME, THEY GET SENT TO ZOOS OR LOCAL COLLECTIONS, BUT BECAUSE OF COVID, A LOT OF THIS THING IS SHUT DOWN, SO WE'VE ENDED UP WITH A LOT OF THESE. IRONIC GIVEN THE ILLEGAL TRADE OF A CERTAIN EXOTIC ANIMAL'S BEEN BLAMED FOR THE COVID PANDEMIC. BUT WHAT'S A NATURE LOVER TO DO? NO PANGOLINS, HOPEFULLY. NO, NO PANGOLINS. BILL BAILEY ESCAPING BOTH THE UK LOCKDOWN AND A HOME ZOO LOCK IN. TOMORROW, HE'LL PERFORM TO AN AUDIENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A YEAR. THE REVERED COMEDIAN KNOWN FOR HIS WIT AND MUSICAL TALENT. THE MAJOR KEY ` TOO EAGER TO PLEASE. SINGS: LIKE ME. LIKE ME. LIKE ME. LIKE ME. BACK OFF! HOW MANY AMOEBAS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHTBULB? ONE. NO, TWO. NO, FOUR. NO, SIX. NO, EIGHT. (LAUGHTER) NO, 32. NO, 64. 128. 250. STOP! AN OLD HAND DEALING WITH SOME NEW NERVES. I PREDICT IT WILL BE QUITE EMOTIONAL. IT'S, YOU KNOW, SEEING THAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE, BEING ON STAGE, SO IT'S TAKEN ME A WHILE TO, SORT OF, RE SOCIALISE MYSELF INTO WHATEVER NORMALITY IS. WELL, YEAH. TRYING TO GET EN ROUTE TO NORMAL, I SUPPOSE,... WELL, THAT'S IT. WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE NAME OF YOUR SHOW,... THAT'S THE SHOW, YEAH. ...WHICH WAS NAMED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC? YES. THE CHAOTIC SITUATION, THE POLITICAL SITUATION THAT THERE IS IN EUROPE, PARTICULARLY WITH BRITAIN LEAVING EUROPE, WITH AMERICA, AND THEN WE ENTERED THIS GLOBAL CRISIS. LOOKING AT THE POSITIVES, SEEING WAYS WE CAN FIND A WAY OUT OF ALL THIS. CHAOS LAYERED UPON CHAOS UPON CHAOS. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT THIS POIGNANT MOMENT WHERE WE CAN EITHER GO DOWN IN FIRE OR ASSESS AND REINVENT OURSELVES AND COME OUT BETTER, RIGHT? YEAH. DO WE GO BACK TO THE WAY WE WERE DOING THINGS? OR HAVE WE ACTUALLY, IN THIS STRANGE TIME, FIGURED OUT A BETTER WAY OF DOING SOMETHING? THE WHOLE PLACE IS A COMPLETE MESS. YOU CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. RIGHT NOW, I'M EATING SCRAMBLED EGG WITH A COMB FROM A SHOE. IT'S BEEN 17 MINUTES AND I HAVEN'T HIT HALF THE TOPICS, SO HERE IT GOES. BILL BAILEY RECENTLY WON THE UK STRICTLY COME DANCING ` TOLD YOU HE WAS AN OVERACHIEVER ` # SAY UP JUMP THE BOOGIE TO THE BANG BANG BOOGIE. # AND HE'S ALSO HERE FILMING COMEDY SHOW PATRIOT BRAINS, DETERMINING ONCE AND FOR ALL WHO'S THE BEST ` KIWIS OR AUSSIES. THERE'S REALLY NOT MUCH BETWEEN YOU. (LAUGHS) THERE REALLY ISN'T. OH, DON'T SAY THAT. ONE'S JUST SLIGHTLY BETTER THOUGH. WE'VE GOT THE EXOTIC BIRDS. THE KERERU, THEY WERE UP FOR BIRD OF THE YEAR. THEY WERE. THEY LOST OUT TO THE KAKAPO. THEY WON LAST YEAR. OH, DID THEY? YEAH. BUT APPARENTLY IT'S RIGGED. OH, NO (!) DON'T TELL ME THAT. 27 MINUTES, AND NOW THIS REALLY ISN'T MY FAULT. IT'S HARD TO STOP BILL TALKING ABOUT WILDLIFE. OH, YOU CAN SEE KEAS. THEY COME TO THE CAR PARK. I PULL MY BINOCULARS OUT AND SAY, 'THEY'LL BE AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE.' AND I OPENED THE CAR DOOR AND ONE JUST HOPPED INTO THE CAR. WE HAD, LIKE, A PACKET OF, YOU KNOW,... I DON'T KNOW. IT WAS, LIKE, A PACKET OF DORITOS OR TORTILLA CHIPS OR SOMETHING. AND THIS BIRD JUST GRABBED THE BAG AND JUST TOOK IT OUT, CHUCKED IT ON THE FLOOR AND ALL HIS MATES CAME, AND THAT WAS IT. SO WHAT I NEED TO DO IS SMUGGLE A KEA THROUGH TO HEATHROW, GET CAUGHT,... YEAH. ...AND IT WILL END UP IN YOUR ZOO. YEAH. YEAH. THAT'S REALLY QUITE A RADICAL (LAUGHS) WAY INTO IT. 34 MINUTES, AND OUR TOPSY-TURVY INTERVIEW COMES TO AN END, BUT AS BILL BAILEY SAYS, OUT OF CHAOS, CAN COME SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. JENNY SUO, 1 NEWS. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER, WITH ITALIAN DJ BENNY BENASSI AND 'SATISFACTION'. (BENNY BENASSI'S 'SATISFACTION') THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. PO MANAHAU, GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY ANNIE CURTIS AND SOPHIE PEARCE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.