THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WE GET GOOD SHOTS. TIME NOW FOR SEVEN SHARP, AND AN INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF OUR MOST COLOURFUL RADIO STARS? YES, POLLY GILLESPIE WAS ON THE AIRWAVES WHEN I WAS JUST A SCHOOLGIRL IN WELLINGTON ` SO SHE'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE. YEAH, THERE AREN'T MANY PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN ROUND LONGER THAN YOU. THAT'S COMING UP SHORTLY. FIRST THOUGH, WE'RE CELEBRATING THE TRANS-TASMAN BUBBLE, A CHANCE FOR FAMILIES, FINALLY, TO BE REUNITED. FOR DONNA HEDLEY, TODAY'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. IT FEELS UNREAL. IT FEELS FANTASTIC THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO GO AND SEE THEM AFTER 15 MONTHS AND GIVE THEM A HUG. HER THREE BROTHERS, CHILDREN, AND GRANDCHILDREN ARE ALL ACROSS THE DITCH. SHE'S THANKFUL FOR THE WONDERS OF MODERN COMMUNICATION. IT'S MEANT SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO STAY IN TOUCH AND SEE HER FAMILY, VIRTUALLY. BUT AS THE OLD SAYING GOES, 'BEING THERE IS EVERYTHING'. MILESTONES HAVE BEEN MISSED. SO TODAY, FINALLY SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. AND DONNA'S WITH US ALL THE WAY FROM HUNTLY. DONNA, HOW MANY FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE YOU GOT LIVING IN AUSTRALIA? MY THREE CHILDREN AND FOUR GRANDCHILDREN, THREE BROTHERS, NIECES, NEPHEWS, IN-LAWS. BASICALLY YOUR WHOLE FAMILY. THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU'VE SEEN YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR GRANDCHILDREN? WELL, I'VE JUST GOT A NEW GRANDDAUGHTER WHO I HAVEN'T MET. SHE'LL BE FIVE WEEKS OLD. AND IT'S BEEN 15 MONTHS SINCE I'VE SEEN MY CHILDREN AND MY OTHER GRANDCHILDREN. DONNA, THAT IS SO TOUGH. I JUST THINK IT MUST BE THE HARDEST THING IN THE WORLD WHEN YOU'RE A GRANDMOTHER NOT TO SEE YOUR GRANDCHILDREN. IT IS VERY HARD. I WANNA CRY AGAIN. (CHUCKLES) AW, DONNA! AW, I KNOW! IT'S HORRIBLE. AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU MUST HAVE HAD HAPPY TEARS TODAY, THOUGH, WHEN YOU HEARD THE ANNOUNCEMENT? I DID. I DID. HAD A FEW OF THEM. (CHUCKLES) AND DONNA, HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU NORMALLY GO OVER AND SEE THEM? OH, TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR. OH, WOW, QUITE A LOT. YEAH, WELL, YOU'RE ONLY ALIVE ONCE, AREN'T YA? YEAH, WELL, YOU'RE ONLY ALIVE ONCE, AREN'T YA? SO TRUE, DONNA. SO TRUE. AND WHEN ARE YOU PLANNING ON GOING OVER NOW? WELL, I WAS JUST TALKING TO MY DAUGHTER AND SHE SAID, 'WILL YOU BE HERE, YOU KNOW, ONE MINUTE PAST 12 ON THE 19TH?' I SAID, 'NOT QUITE.' BUT IT DEPENDS ON WHEN I CAN GET A FLIGHT. I'LL BE THERE AS SOON AS I CAN. WELL, NOW YOU KNOW THAT IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, AND VERY SOON YOU'LL GET TO GO, ON, LIKE, THE 19TH OR 20TH. HOW LONG DO YOU PLAN TO GO FOR, DONNA? AND TELL US, WHAT ELSE DO YOU PLAN TO DO WHILE YOU'RE THERE? WELL, I'LL BE JUST VISITING THE FAMILY. BY THE TIME I GO AROUND THE THREE KIDS AND MY BROTHER AND SOME IN-LAWS, WELL, COULD BE A WHILE. IT COULD BE. YOU MIGHT NEED A COUPLE OF MONTHS. NOT TOO SURE YET. YEAH, WELL, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. RETIRED, SO I DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK. OH, DONNA, LOOK, WE REALLY FEEL FOR YOU AND WE'RE SO PLEASED THAT YOU'RE FINALLY GONNA GET TO SEE YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR GRANDCHILDREN. YOU LAP UP EVERY MOMENT THAT YOU HAVE OVER THERE. WE'LL BE THINKING OF YOU. OH, I WILL DO. NO WORRIES ABOUT THAT. (CHUCKLES) CAPTIONS BY STEPHANIE PHAN, JADE FERNANDES, AND ELLEN SINCLAIR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 BLESS GRANDMA DONNA. SHE MUST BE EXCITED, THERE MUST BE A LOT OF GRANDPARENT OUT THERE, PARENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS, WHO ARE VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE FAMILY MEMBERS ACROSS THE DITCH. I EXPECT THERE WERE A LOT OF TEARS ARE SHED TODAY. I CAN IMAGINE BEING A GRANDPARENT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE YOUR NEWBORN GRANDCHILD. I WAS WONDERING, WHETHER WE SHOULD SEND OTHER LITTLE DUTY-FREE ORDER TO DONNA? SHE CAN BRING US BACK SOME TOBLERONE AND BITS AND PIECES? MAY BE A CROCHET PIGGY SQUARE RUG. DID YOU SEE THAT? WELL, PUT AN ORDER AND. IT SEEMS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO ` DUMPING YOUR BAGS AT CHECK-IN, PASSPORT AT THE READY. HIGH-TAILING IT TO THE DEPARTURE LOUNGE, EXCITED FOR THAT OVERSEAS TRIP. AND AFTER TODAY'S BUBBLE ANNOUNCEMENT, OUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS CAN FINALLY LIFT THE DUST COVERS OFF THE BAGGAGE CAROUSELS AND START WELCOMING PASSENGERS. SINCE COVID CLOSED OUR BORDERS, THIS PLACE HAS BEEN A GHOST TOWN ` PLUMMETING FROM 1200 PASSENGER FLIGHTS A WEEK TO JUST 100. BUT TODAY, THE REVELATION THAT US AND THE AUSSIES ARE JUST DAYS AWAY FROM THE BUSTLE OF THE CUSTOMS QUEUE, THE PRE-FLIGHT WINE AND DINE, DUTY-FREE DEALS CALLING OUR NAME, AND THE ALMIGHTY VOICE ON THE INTERCOM TELLING US WE'RE 20 MINUTES SHY OF TAKEOFF. YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR THE WHIR OF THE ENGINES WAITING ON THE TARMAC AND CATCH A WHIFF OF THE SWEET SMELL OF FREEDOM. ADRIAN LITTLEWOOD, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS HERE WITH US NOW. YOU MUST BE PRETTY EXCITED BY TODAY'S NEWS? HERE, ALONG WITH A LOT OF NEW ZEALANDERS. HOW PREPARED IS THE AIRPORT FOR AN INFLUX OF AUSSIES? OTHER THAN MAKING SURE IS WE HAVE GOT GOT VBs IN THE FRIDGE, WHERE MAKING SURE THE CLEANING AND SANITATION PROTOCOLS ARE ALL RIGHT. MANY PEOPLE WILL BE WORRIED ABOUT POTENTIALLY MIXING WITH TRAVELLERS FROM NON-BUBBLE COUNTRIES. HOW ARE YOU MAKING SURE THERE S NO CHANCE OF THIS HAPPENING? CAN YOU GUARANTEE THEIR SAFETY? WE PUT ALL THE PARTS IN PLACE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND TRIAL THEM, SO WE ARE ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT AND A PLAN. WE PHYSICALLY SEPARATED THE TERMINAL INTO TWO SEPARATE AREAS, SO WHEN PEOPLE TRAVEL IN THE TRANS-TASMAN, THEY WILL NOT COME INTO CONTACT WITH PEOPLE TRAVELLING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES GOING INTO MANAGED ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE. THE WHOLE AVIATION SYSTEM, AIRPORTS AND AIRLINES, ARE TO GO. CHRIS HIPKINS MENTIONED IT COULD TAKE SOME TIME TO GET THOSE RED AND GREEN ZONES? WE ARE SET UP NOW, WE ARE READY TO GO. WE'VE GOT SOME PROCESSES WE WANT TO GO THROUGH WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH IS TO FINALLY SIGN ALL OF THAT OFF, BUT THOSE HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR SOME TIME, THAT FINAL SIGN OFF PROCESS TO GO THROUGH. LOOKING BEHIND YOU, THE AIRPORT HAS BEEN PRETTY QUIET THIS MORE THAN A YEAR NOW. HOW IS THE AIRPORT TEAM FEELING ABOUT A BIT OF LIFE BEING INJECTED BACK IN? HAS BEEN A BIT OF TUMBLEWEEDS OVER THE LAST WEE WHILE, TO GET TO AUSTRALIA TO WEIGH IT HAS BECOME AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR A VERY LONG TIME. FOR A LOT OF KIWIS AND AUSSIES, BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL TO SEE FRIENDS AND FAMILIES WILL BE THE FIRST THING THAT WILL HAPPEN. TOURISM WILL HAPPEN AFTER THAT, BUT WE ARE REALLY PLEASED AT OUR TEAM IS WORKING VERY HARD, SO OUTSIDE BUT FINALLY GETTING IT GO AGAIN AND STARTED TO LOOK FORWARD TO SOME KIND OF NORMALITY POST COVID. THE BIG QUESTION ` WHAT ABOUT DUTY-FREE? WOULD IT BE BACK UP AND RUNNING? ABSOLUTELY. IT WILL BE A PERIOD WHERE SOME OF THE RETAILERS TAKE A WHILE TO SET UP EVERYTHING, EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN WORKING HAS BEEN IN HIBERNATION FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW, SO IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO SIT UP AGAIN AND GET BACK TO NORMAL, BUT UTV WILL BE READY ON THE FIRST DAY FOR THOSE TRAVELLERS. THANK YOU, AND ADRIAN. IT IS SO WEIRD SEEING THE AIRPORT LOOK LIKE THAT. THIS CROWD CONTROL THINKS THAT YOU HAVE TO QUEUE UP AROUND, AND JUST LOOK AT IT, AND IT IS JUST ALSO EMPTY AND SO AIRY. AS IS THE BEGINNING? AS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE START OF SOMETHING AGAIN? I HONESTLY DO THINK IT IS. WE ARE ALL VACCINATED, THE BUBBLE IS OPENING UP, NEXTEP, PACIFIC ISLANDS. WE CAN DREAMING ABOUT IT NOW. WE HAVE DONE THE MAHI, NOW WE GET THE TREATS. DO LIFT UP THE THING AND GO THROUGH? WHAT YOU WIND YOUR WAY AROUND? I WOULDN'T LIFT UP THE THING, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY SLIDE UNDERNEATH. THERE IS NO ONE IN FRONT OF YOU, AND YOUR WEAVING IN AND OUT AND IT, AS A MODEL CUT IN FRONT OF YOU. YOU JUST DUCK DOWN? WE'VE JUST HAD FOUR LAZY, HAZY DAYS IN OUR OWN BACKYARD ` ONE LAST CHANCE TO TAKE IN THE SUN BEFORE WINTER DRAWS US INTO ITS COOL EMBRACE. AND AMONG ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY, WERE GATHERINGS OF CAR LOVERS, PAYING HOMAGE TO THEIR OWN PARTICULAR BRAND OF WHEELS. HERE'S MICHAEL HOLLAND AT THE VOLKSWAGEN NATIONALS, DUBBED 'DUBS IN KAPITI.' (RAGTIME MUSIC) IF YOU'VE GOT THE BUG, YOU'VE GOT IT BAD. THE ENGINE IN THE BACK. BUT MAYBE NOT ALL IS CUTE WHEN IT COMES TO THE 22ND AND 23RD AND LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET COME THIS WAY. I'VE GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU. OH, GOOD. (RAGTIME MUSIC CONTINUES) WHAT I SEE IS A DISGRACE. YOU'LL TELL ME THAT'S PATINA? YEAH, NO, I'M QUITE HAPPY TO SAY IT'S NEGLECT. THIS BABY HASN'T SEEN LOVE FOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVEN'T HAD A SHAVE. NO, NO, EXACTLY. EXACTLY. WE'RE THE SAME, YOU SEE? IT'S HAD A TOUGH LIFE, BUT IT'S A GOOD OLD TRUCK. IT'S A LOT OF FUN. (RAGTIME MUSIC CONTINUES) (RAGTIME MUSIC CONTINUES) HIS REDEMPTION, THOUGH, TURNING OUT TO BE AS CLOSE AS NEXT DOOR. WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU AND THE DUBBY, OR YOU AND THE WIFE? ME AND THE DUBBY. ME AND KIM HAVE BEEN TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT LONGER. (RAGTIME MUSIC CONTINUES) I GREW UP WITH THESE THINGS, DRIVING AROUND IN THEM, GOING SURFING IN THEM, AND IT'S JUST A REALLY NEAT LITTLE SLICE OF LIFE THAT'S BEEN WITH ME EVER SINCE MY TEEN YEARS. THIS IS A KIWI INNOVATION ON A GERMAN MACHINE. THAT'S IT. BUILT BY A KIWI DAIRY FARMER. YOU? ME. THAT'S A SENSATION. YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD, BUT IT'S GOOD. YEAH, WE HAD THE MATTRESS MADE FOR US, YOU SEE? WHERE'S YOUR MATE THIS WEEKEND? SHE'S OVER THERE SELLING SOME BUG STUFF. BUG PARTS. YEAH, YEAH. YOU'RE TRYNA MAKE A QUID. I AM. THE OLD BOY'S IN THE VAN. YES. SNOOZING IT UP. I BELIEVE THAT. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT. (LAUGHS) DO YOU LIKE THE VAN? I LOVE THE VAN. HE'S A CLEVER BOY. HE IS. WHEN HE'S CONSCIOUS. (BOTH LAUGH) JOHN MASSEY'S BEEN A VOLKSWAGEN MECHANIC ALL HIS WORKING LIFE, AND CAN THANK HIS DISCERNING LATE GRANDMOTHER... HER NAME WAS ZENA PEAT. ...FOR HIS LITTLE 1966 BEAUTY. SHE BOUGHT IT OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR. IT COMES OUT TWICE A YEAR FOR A WARRANT OF FITNESS AND BACK INTO STORAGE. I CAN'T TEMPT YOU? NOPE. IT'S NOT FOR SALE. ISN'T THERE A SONG ` 'TOOT TOOT, CHUGGA CHUGGA, BIG RED CAR'? HERE IT IS. WITH A VERY RELAXED DRIVING POSITION. IT IS VERY MUCH ABOUT THE DRIVE. BECAUSE YOU GENUINELY ARE DRIVING IT. YES, EXACTLY. NO MOD CONS DOING IT FOR YOU. NAH, THERE'S NOTHING HELPING ME OUT AT ALL. BOP, BOP, BOP. BOP, BOP, BOP. (ENGINE REVS) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT? GROUSE. HER NAME'S TRIXIE. AND CLEARLY, SHE'S UP TO NEW TRICKS. SHE'S DEFINITELY UP TO NEW TRICKS. I'M SURE YOU'VE RUFFLED A FEW FEELERS. OH, YEAH, NO DOUBT I HAVE. YOU'VE HEARD LITTLE MUTTERS OVER THE DEAFENING SILENCE. YES. YEAH. YOU KNOW, 'OH, HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO A BEETLE?' BUT HONESTLY, IT IS SO MUCH FUN TO DRIVE. WHAT WOULD HERBIE THINK? WELL, HERBIE'D BE WAY BACK THERE, COS THESE THINGS REALLY DO TRUCK ALONG NICELY. (ENGINE REVS) YOU CAN SNEAK UP ON PEDESTRIANS REALLY EASILY, SO JUST TO GIVE THEM A GENTLE WARNING, I HAVE THIS. (BELL CHIMES) (LAUGHS) IT'S VERY MUCH A PART OF ME. IT'S VERY MUCH A PART OF ME. IT'S THAT CRAZY BEARDED GUY WITH THE DREADLOCKS AND THE OLD VOLKSWAGEN TRUCK, AND THE CRAZY GREEN VAN, YOU SORT OF GET KNOWN AS THAT GUY. HAPPILY SO. HAPPILY SO, HAPPILY SO. SUCH A BEAUTIFUL VEHICLE. THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS AT VOLKSWAGEN, YOU COULD WIN UP TO $15,000 TOWARDS YOUR LABOUR OF LOVE. IT COULD BE ANYTHING ` FROM A CAR MAKEOVER TO A RUGBY CLUBHOUSE REFRESH, OR MAYBE A RE-DO OF NAN'S BACKYARD. WHATEVER IT IS, WE WANT TO HEAR ALL ABOUT IT. HEAD TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE TO ENTER. THE COMPETITION CLOSES THIS FRIDAY, AND WE WILL BE DRAWING THE WINNER ON FRIDAY 16th APRIL. COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` THE MISADVENTURES OF ONE OF NEW ZEALAND'S BEST KNOWN RADIO HOSTS REVEALED IN A NEW TELL-ALL BOOK. AND IT'S A BIT SPICY... IN PLACES. I'M VERY HONEST ` REALLY HONEST. WELCOME BACK. LOVELY TO HAVE YOU WITH US. THE NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE HAS JUST HAD A VERY BIG VICTORY ` AND IT'S A FIRST. THE FINAL RESTING PLACE OF A NEW ZEALAND ARMY CAPTAIN, WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR 1 HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED. ERNIE PARRY DIED AT THE BATTLE OF PASCHENDAELE. AND AS CAROLYN ROBINSON REPORTS, 103 YEARS LATER, HE'S BEEN FOUND. (EMOTIONAL MUSIC) (EMOTIONAL MUSIC) PAPER AND INK ` THE ONLY CLUES LEFT IN THE HUNT FOR A KIWI SOLDIER. ERNEST PARRY WAS A PAINTER AND DECORATOR FROM PAEROA. HE WORKED FOR A MR TOWERS. HE WAS MARRIED TO MARY OKARO PARRY, AND THEY HAD TWO LITTLE BOYS. PARRY LEFT PAEROA AND HIS YOUNG FAMILY IN 1915. HE'S THERE FOR THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME IN 1916. QUICKLY PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN, IN 1917 HE FOUND HIMSELF AT PASCHENDAELE. IT WAS A LARGE ATTACK. IT WAS EXTREMELY HIGH RISK. PARRY SURVIVED, AND THEN VENTURED OUT ONCE MORE TO MAKE SURE HIS MEN WERE ACCOUNTED FOR ` HE DIDN'T RETURN. THERE'S A RECORD OF A TELEGRAM BEING SENT THAT RECORDED HIS DEATH ON OCTOBER THE 6TH, 1917. WHEN THE GRAVES CONCENTRATION UNITS SWEPT THROUGH AFTER THE WAR COLLECTING REMAINS, PARRY'S INSIGNIA IDENTIFIED HIM ONLY AS AN UNKNOWN NEW ZEALAND CAPTAIN. NOBODY HAD ACTUALLY RECORDED WHERE HE WAS BURIED. BACK IN PAEROA, THE NEWS HIT MARY HARD. READS: I WAS LEFT WITH TWO SMALL SONS AND HAVING NOTHING OTHER THAN HIS WAR PENSION TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR UPBRINGING, I WAS FORCED TO SACRIFICE A GREAT DEAL. THOUSANDS OF OUR WORLD WAR ONE CASUALTIES HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE, CAPTAIN PARRY A MYSTERY AMONG MYSTERIES. BUT THEN, THE FILE LANDED ON MATTHEW BUCK'S DESK. WE HAVE TO BE SKEPTICAL. IF WE'RE WRONG, WE'VE ROBBED ANOTHER FAMILY OF A RESULT FAMILY LIKE THAT. # WE WON'T FADE AWAY. # BUCK BEGAN POURING OVER MAPS, SERVICE RECORDS AND FIELD DIARIES. AND THEN FINALLY, A NEW CLUE ` A LETTER SENT TO MARY PARRY IN 1917 AND PRINTED IN OHINEMURI GAZETTE LOCAL NEWSPAPER. IT WAS FROM AN UNKNOWN COMRADE TALKING VERY, UM` WARMLY ABOUT ERNIE, SAYING WHAT A BRAVE OFFICER HE WAS. IT TIED CAPTAIN PARRY TO A SERGEANT DONALD MCLEAN, WHOSE BATTLEFIELD BURIAL HAD BEEN MAPPED. THIS PARTICULAR CORRESPONDENT HAD JUST REJOINED THE BATTALLION HAVING BEEN AWAY FROM IT AFTER THE ATTACK. AND GONE LOOKING FOR HIS FRIEND. WHAT HE REPORTS IS WHAT THE PATROL SAID THEY FOUND, WHICH WAS THAT PARRY AND THE SERGEANT WERE LYING TOGETHER DEAD, KILLED BY SAME SHELL. READS: WE HAVE REASON TO BE PROUD OF ERNIE. I'M TOLD BY HIS BROTHER OFFICERS HE ACTED GLALLANTLY THROUGHOUT. SADLY, THERE WAS MORE TO COME FOR MARY PARRY. CAPTAIN PARRY'S TWO BOYS GREW UP AND JOINED THE AIR FORCE. ONE OF THEM, JOSEPH, WAS KILLED WHILE FLYING A BOMBER COMMAND IN 1941. HE WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN. HE HAS NO KNOWN GRAVE EITHER. MARY NEVER GAVE UP HOPE HER SON WAS ALIVE. READS: WHEN I RECEIVE THE CHEQUE FROM YOU I WILL PAY IT INTO MY POST OFFICE ACCOUNT, AS I STILL HOPING MY SON WILL BE FOUND SAFE SOMEWHERE. JOSEPH WAS NEVER FOUND. BUT NOW, HIS FATHER, HAS BEEN. HE LIES IN A VERY LITTLE PRETTY CEMETERY CLOSE TO THE TOWN OF YPRES. A 103-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY SOLVED. I RECKON ERNIE WOULD BE GIVING YOU QUIET PAT ON THE BACK FOR YOUR WORK. THAT'S VERY KIND OF YOU TO SAY SO. # LET OUR TEARS WASH AWAY. # HOW BRAVE HE WAS IN A VERY ORDINARY WAY. # LET OUR TEARS WASH AWAY. # GOOD ON HIM. I WENT TO LIBYA, AND WENT TO AN ANZAC GRAVESITE, AND I FOUND IT INCREDIBLY MOVING TO BE OVER THERE, AND ANOTHER COUNTRY, VERY HOT, THESE GUYS WERE GOING OVER THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME, DIFFERENT WAR, BUT STILL, IT IS VERY MOVING. AND SO MANY DO NOT HAVE NAMED GRAVES. AMAZING WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING THEIR. POLLY GILLESPIE IS ONE OF NEW ZEALAND'S BEST KNOWN RADIO HOSTS, WHO, ALONGSIDE HER EX-HUSBAND GRANT KEREAMA, FASHIONED A LONG-RUNNING BREAKFAST SHOW ON ZM AND THE HITS. LAST YEAR SHE DROPPED THE MIC AND STARTED WRITING AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, AND IN TYPICAL POLLY STYLE, CREATED AN EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER OF SELF-REFLECTIVE HONESTY. JULIAN LEE REPORTS. DIAMOND DELI, WELLINGTON'S LYALL BAY - A BOHEMIAN SANCTUARY FROM THE PERSISTENT COOK STRAIT BREEZE, POLLY'S NECK OF THE WOODS. SO I WAS TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT GENRE THE BOOK IS. OH, DID YOU FIND A ` ? WELL, I, YOU KNOW, IN THE LIBRARY YOU'VE GOT ` IT COULD BE SOCIAL ISSUES, IT COULD BE FASHION, IT COULD BE SOMETHING. BUT THEN I DECIDED, IT'S ACTUALLY A REFERENCE BOOK. OH! YOU KNOW, LIKE AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA. YES, YES, IT'S QUITE BARRY CRUMP-ISH IN THAT RESPECT ` LIKE LOTS OF INDIVIDUAL STORIES. THERE'S NO KIND OF, LIKE, ONGOING THING. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS A REFERENCE BOOK. A REFERENCE BOOK WHICH DOESN'T HAVE DATES. LET'S START WITH 'SOME VAGUE POINT IN THE PAST'. I AUDITIONED FOR RADIO BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAID I HAD A GOOD VOICE. THE GIRL THEY LIKED BETTER THAN ME GOT MUMPS, AMD SO THEY SENT ME A LETTER THAT BASICALLY SAID, 'WELL, YOU WERE THE SECOND CHOICE, BUT OUR FIRST CHOICE HAS MUMPS, 'SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.' THEY USED 'MUMPS' IN THE LETTER? THEY DID USE 'MUMPS'. AND HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHERE MC HAMMER, ICE T, L.L. COOL J GOT THEIR NAMES? POLLY AND THEN HUSBAND GRANT KEREAMA HIT THE BIG TIME IN THE '90s WITH THE FIRST SYNDICATED BREAKFAST SHOW IN THE COUNTRY. I THINK I WAS THE FIRST FEMALE IN RADIO NOT TO BE THE SIDEKICK. OH. (LAUGHS). YEAH, SO, UP UNTIL THEN, WOMEN GIGGLED AND LAUGHED AND WENT, 'OH, YOU'RE SO FUNNY.' I WOULD GET UP AT 4AM, BREASTFEED, THEN GO TO WORK, EXPRESS DURING THE NEWS ` IT WAS CONSTANT. I DON'T KNOW HOW I DID IT. NOW I FEEL IT DIFFICULT TO FEED THE CAT. IT'S THE LONGEST RADIO PARTNERSHIP IN NEW ZEALAND HISTORY, RIGHT? YEAH. THAT'S CRAZY. IT IS CRAZY. WHO HAVE I INTERVIEWED? OH, GOD. MUSIC STARS ` RIHANNA, LADY GAGA, KATY PERRY, CHRIS MARTIN FROM COLDPLAY, MUMFORD AND SONS, JAY-Z, USHER, ALL OF THE KARDASHIANS. WHAT WERE THE KARDASHIANS LIKE? KRIS RUNS THOSE GIRLS LIKE A COMPANY. KRIS RUNS THOSE GIRLS LIKE A COMPANY. REALLY? AND THEY ALL JUST SAT THERE IN THE BACK ROW AND DIDN'T SAY A WORD. THAT'S BIZZARE. IT IS RUN BY` KRIS IS THE PUPPET MASTER IN THAT FAMILY. OH LOOK, YOU DOG-EARED A PAGE! (LAUGHS) I'VE DOG-EARED A FEW. SOMETHING ABOUT CAUSING AN 80S BUS CRASH? I WAS WEARING A MINI-SKIRT, IT WAS IN WHANGANUI. AND I WAS WEARING A MINI-SKIRT, I HAD BRIGHT PURPLE MAKEUP ON AND SHORT BLACK PUNKY HAIR ` WHANGANUI IN THE 80S WASN'T READY FOR THAT. HERE WE GO ` WHICH SUPERSTAR ASKED YOU TO BE A PERMANENT PHONE SEX GIRL? OOH, CAN I TELL YOU? I CAN TELL YOU. SIMON COWELL. I INTERVIEWED HIM, AND AT THE END, HE SAID 'COULD YOU STAY ON THE LINE A BIT LONGER?' SOMEONE AS COLOURFUL AND COMPLEX AS POLLY IS GOING TO ATTRACT ATTENTION ` BOTH GOOD AND BAD. MEDIAWORKS LET HER, GRANT, AND 130 OTHERS GO IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR, BUT LIKE SHE SAYS, SHE'S NOWHERE NEAR DONE. POLLY CONTINUES TO STIR THE POT. ON HER LIVE BREAKFAST SHOW, PODCAST POLLY 24/7, OR IN HER NEW FOUND WRITING CAREER. HER BOOK IS LIKE HER ` TO THE POINT. I THINK IT MIGHT HELP SOME PEOPLE FEEL NORMAL. DOES THAT HELP? IT DOESN'T REALLY GIVE A GENRE, DOESN'T IT? THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. IT'S A BIT SPICY IN PLACES AND VERY HONEST, REALLY HONEST. SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THE BOOK OF COURSE, BUT SHE'S ACCIDENTALLY DESCRIBED HERSELF IN A WAY - A BIT SPICY IN PLACES, AND VERY HONEST. DIDN'T HER AND JULIAN GET ON WELL? WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. TOMORROW NIGHT ON THE SHOW ` NEW INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE, AS A NATION, ABLUTE. TURNS OUT YOU MAY HAVE BEEN DOING IT INCORRECTLY ALL THESE YEARS. CAN'T WAIT TO BRING YOU THAT. THOSE WERE OUR PEOPLE TODAY. THAT WAS SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT. DOG SQUAD PUPPY SCHOOL IS NEXT. WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. CHEERIO. CAPTIONS BY STEPHANIE PHAN, JADE FERNANDES AND ELLEN SINCLAIR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021