Paul Henry (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
Paul Henry is a New Zealand
broadcaster. He is both a radio and television presenter. He gained national recognition as the co-host of TVNZ
's breakfast television programme Breakfast for 7 years, the 2007-2008 host of the New Zealand version of This Is Your Life
and the backup host for current affairs show Close Up
.
After numerous controversies on morning talk show Breakfast, Henry was involved in a high profile scandal in October 2010 involving his pronunciation and ridicule of the name of Indian diplomat Sheila Dikshit
. The scandal culminated in Henry's resignation from TVNZ and subsequent employment from rival company MediaWorks. Henry is currently working on numerous high profile projects for the company.
, New Zealand. His parents separated when he was 11, and in 1971 he moved with his English-born mother to Bristol
, United Kingdom
, where he finished his education and won a drama school scholarship.
Paul and his mother Olive lived in a council flat. Olive worked triple shifts in a plastic bag factory to make ends meet. Henry says that when he was 25 he discovered that his grandmother was a "Gypsy".
, as a studio assistant and in the mail room. He worked as a projectionist in the natural history unit, where, according to the Sunday Star Times, “David Attenborough would come in and Henry would play the rushes”. Henry returned to New Zealand when he was 19 and worked as a producer on National Radio.
with a fictitious chook called "Gungadin" from 1986 to 1990.
Henry left 2ZD to set up his own radio station, 'TODAY FM 89.3' in 1991, and worked as the breakfast host along with local identity Rick Long, and former 2ZD station manager John (Johnnie) Shearer. Notable employees of TODAY FM included Hilary Pankurst
(now Barry), current co-host of 3 News, and Georgina Beyer
, who would later become the world's first openly transsexual mayor and MP. The radio station had a unique local format including morning talkback with Rick Long. Henry hosted the breakfast show with his former manager, John Shearer. The breakfast show gave Henry free licence to shamelessly promote his radio station. His co-host Shearer was often at the receiving end of Henry's jokes. Henry would famously say he doesn't want to hurt his feelings and every morning when Shearer signed off, Henry would warn listeners to "take care on the roads now John Shearer's on the roads". At one time the station even flew a helicopter through the breakfast show with Shearer reporting from the air.
Henry hosted six breakfast shows per week and often worked late at night and right across the weekend at the station, with outside live broadcasts. In 1992, Henry sold the station, which later became HITZ 89FM and now exists as More FM 89.5, 105.5 Wairarapa. For a time there were three radio stations in Wairarapa, TODAY FM, Radio Wairarapa and Radio Pacific. Henry had hosted or co-hosted a breakfast show on each of the stations.
Henry went on to be a foreign correspondent for Radio Pacific and weekend talkback host.
Paul Henry presented Radio Pacific's Breakfast - "The Morning Grill" with Arch Tambakis, then Pam Corkery
in the mid 1990s. Later he was the drive host on Radio Pacific
, then later Radio Live
when the station launched in 2005 and again in 2007.
On 1 April 2011, it was announced Paul Henry was taking over the Radio Live Drive show effective July 2011, following him signing with Mediaworks.
Paul won the People's Choice Award, Best Presenter at the 2010 Qantas NZ Film and Television Awards.
His outrageous acceptance speech has attracted more than 100,000 views on YouTube in one day alone.
On 10 October 2010, following Henry's controversial comments about the New Zealand Governor General, Sir Anand Satyanand, and the Delhi chief minister, Sheila Dikshit
, TVNZ announced that Henry had resigned. TVNZ also released a statement that he had resigned. Paul Henry was forced to apologise.
In an interview the following month, Henry claimed that TVNZ, in particular chief executive Rick Ellis, had "capitalised" on him by encouraging him to be controversial on-air, adding that he believed it was wrong for the New Zealand Government to apologise to India for his remarks.
on Radio Live
, and returning to his drive-time slot.
Henry will also be working across several high profile projects on TV3
.
In October 2011 it was announced Henry was to start his own show airing in 2012 every Sunday at 7pm and has the working title The Paul Henry Show. Though it was yet to have a format.
's morning show Breakfast
.
candidate for the Wairarapa electorate
in the 1999 general election
. He lost to former radio colleague and New Zealand Labour Party
candidate Georgina Beyer
by a majority of 3,033 votes.
worker Stephanie Mills. TVNZ stated that it had received a "handful" of complaints. Henry stated to the Sunday Star Times: “I certainly have no intention of apologising to people who have written in and complained. The key thing to me is what a fortunate life they must have that they can afford time and energy to complain about such an insignificant thing.”
, which regulates broadcast radio and television content within New Zealand. In February 2010, the Broadcasting Standards Authority declined to uphold the complaint.
and his on-air use of the term 'retarded' to describe her. His comments led to almost two hundred complaints to the Broadcasting Standards Authority and an apology from Television New Zealand.
, Sir Anand Satyanand
, was "even a New Zealander". He went on to ask "Are you going to choose a New Zealander who looks and sounds like a New Zealander this time ... are we going to go for someone who is more like a New Zealander this time?" Sir Anand, who is of Indian descent, was born and raised in Auckland. Henry attracted criticism from public figures including Prime Minister John Key
, whom Henry was interviewing when he made the remarks, Labour's leader Phil Goff
and New Zealand's race relations commissioner Joris de Bres. Henry later issued a statement of apology for his comments. After initially expressing its support for Henry, TVNZ announced the following day that it had suspended the presenter for two weeks without pay.
's chief minister Sheila Dikshit
as "the dip shit woman" and "Dick Shit", going on to state that "it's so appropriate, because she's Indian, so she'd be dick-in-shit wouldn't she, do you know what I mean? Walking along the street... it's just so funny." New Zealand Indian Central Association president Paul Singh Bains said the fact that TVNZ was still promoting the clip on its website showed it had "totally lost the plot" and was insensitive to the offence Henry had caused.
Following at least four complaints against this video, TVNZ channel removed it from the "Video extras" section of their website. Henry's resignation polarised the New Zealand public, with supporters claiming he was a victim of political correctness
, and critics accusing him of pandering to the lowest common denominator
.
India summoned New Zealand's high commissioner Rupert Holborow to protest Henry's "racist and bigoted" comments, and Holborow expressed his regret for the deep hurt they had caused.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
broadcaster. He is both a radio and television presenter. He gained national recognition as the co-host of TVNZ
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
's breakfast television programme Breakfast for 7 years, the 2007-2008 host of the New Zealand version of This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life (New Zealand TV series)
This Is Your Life is a New Zealand television documentary show based on the American show of the same name, in which the host surprises guests with a show documenting their lives, with audience participation from their friends and family....
and the backup host for current affairs show Close Up
Close Up
Close Up is a half-hour long New Zealand current affairs programme produced by Television New Zealand. The programme airs at 7.00pm weeknights on TV ONE and is presented by Mark Sainsbury with Paul Henry as the back up supporting host.The show remains the country's most watched night news and...
.
After numerous controversies on morning talk show Breakfast, Henry was involved in a high profile scandal in October 2010 involving his pronunciation and ridicule of the name of Indian diplomat Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit is the Chief Minister of Delhi. She is from the Indian National Congress. Dikshit was sworn in as the Chief Minister for a third consecutive term of the Government of Delhi state in January 2009 after pulling a victory in November 2008 state elections...
. The scandal culminated in Henry's resignation from TVNZ and subsequent employment from rival company MediaWorks. Henry is currently working on numerous high profile projects for the company.
Early life
Henry was born in AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand. His parents separated when he was 11, and in 1971 he moved with his English-born mother to Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where he finished his education and won a drama school scholarship.
Paul and his mother Olive lived in a council flat. Olive worked triple shifts in a plastic bag factory to make ends meet. Henry says that when he was 25 he discovered that his grandmother was a "Gypsy".
Career
Paul Henry started his broadcasting career working for the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, as a studio assistant and in the mail room. He worked as a projectionist in the natural history unit, where, according to the Sunday Star Times, “David Attenborough would come in and Henry would play the rushes”. Henry returned to New Zealand when he was 19 and worked as a producer on National Radio.
Radio
Henry worked as a breakfast host on 2ZD Radio WairarapaRadio Wairarapa
Radio Wairarapa was a radio station in Wairarapa, New Zealand that began broadcasting on 840AM in 1958, at this time the station was known as 2XB and in 1968 became 2ZD when the stations call sign was changed. In 1978 the station moved to 846AM when AM frequency spacing in New Zealand was adjusted...
with a fictitious chook called "Gungadin" from 1986 to 1990.
Henry left 2ZD to set up his own radio station, 'TODAY FM 89.3' in 1991, and worked as the breakfast host along with local identity Rick Long, and former 2ZD station manager John (Johnnie) Shearer. Notable employees of TODAY FM included Hilary Pankurst
Hilary Barry
Hilary Barry is a TV3 personality in New Zealand who currently presents the 6 pm 3 News with Mike McRoberts.-Education:Barry completed a BA in Linguistics and a Certificate of Journalism....
(now Barry), current co-host of 3 News, and Georgina Beyer
Georgina Beyer
Georgina Beyer was the world's first openly transsexual mayor, as well as the world's first openly transsexual Member of Parliament, and from 27 November 1999 until 14 February 2007 was an MP for the Labour Party in New Zealand.-Early life:Georgina Bertrand was born and assigned male at birth, and...
, who would later become the world's first openly transsexual mayor and MP. The radio station had a unique local format including morning talkback with Rick Long. Henry hosted the breakfast show with his former manager, John Shearer. The breakfast show gave Henry free licence to shamelessly promote his radio station. His co-host Shearer was often at the receiving end of Henry's jokes. Henry would famously say he doesn't want to hurt his feelings and every morning when Shearer signed off, Henry would warn listeners to "take care on the roads now John Shearer's on the roads". At one time the station even flew a helicopter through the breakfast show with Shearer reporting from the air.
Henry hosted six breakfast shows per week and often worked late at night and right across the weekend at the station, with outside live broadcasts. In 1992, Henry sold the station, which later became HITZ 89FM and now exists as More FM 89.5, 105.5 Wairarapa. For a time there were three radio stations in Wairarapa, TODAY FM, Radio Wairarapa and Radio Pacific. Henry had hosted or co-hosted a breakfast show on each of the stations.
Henry went on to be a foreign correspondent for Radio Pacific and weekend talkback host.
Paul Henry presented Radio Pacific's Breakfast - "The Morning Grill" with Arch Tambakis, then Pam Corkery
Pam Corkery
Pamela "Pam" Corkery is a New Zealand journalist, broadcaster, and former politician.-Private life:Corkery was born in the South Island and grew up in Dunedin...
in the mid 1990s. Later he was the drive host on Radio Pacific
Radio Pacific
Radio Pacific was a New Zealand talkback radio station. The station also broadcast an extensive selection of horse racing commentary.-History:The station was originally started in Auckland in 1978 on 1593am...
, then later Radio Live
Radio Live
Radio Live and Radio Live Sport are nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sports radio networks owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand...
when the station launched in 2005 and again in 2007.
On 1 April 2011, it was announced Paul Henry was taking over the Radio Live Drive show effective July 2011, following him signing with Mediaworks.
TVNZ
Henry co-hosted TVNZ's Breakfast between 2004 and 2010. In 2009, ratings for the show had improved to around 150,000 viewers from a base of around 100,000.Paul won the People's Choice Award, Best Presenter at the 2010 Qantas NZ Film and Television Awards.
His outrageous acceptance speech has attracted more than 100,000 views on YouTube in one day alone.
On 10 October 2010, following Henry's controversial comments about the New Zealand Governor General, Sir Anand Satyanand, and the Delhi chief minister, Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit is the Chief Minister of Delhi. She is from the Indian National Congress. Dikshit was sworn in as the Chief Minister for a third consecutive term of the Government of Delhi state in January 2009 after pulling a victory in November 2008 state elections...
, TVNZ announced that Henry had resigned. TVNZ also released a statement that he had resigned. Paul Henry was forced to apologise.
In an interview the following month, Henry claimed that TVNZ, in particular chief executive Rick Ellis, had "capitalised" on him by encouraging him to be controversial on-air, adding that he believed it was wrong for the New Zealand Government to apologise to India for his remarks.
MediaWorks
On 1 April 2011, MediaWorks New Zealand, rival of TVNZ, announced Henry was rejoining the MediaWorks stable, replacing Maggie BarryMaggie Barry
Maggie Barry, CNZM, is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, first elected in the 2011 general election. She is a member of the National Party...
on Radio Live
Radio Live
Radio Live and Radio Live Sport are nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sports radio networks owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand...
, and returning to his drive-time slot.
Henry will also be working across several high profile projects on TV3
TV3 (New Zealand)
TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
.
In October 2011 it was announced Henry was to start his own show airing in 2012 every Sunday at 7pm and has the working title The Paul Henry Show. Though it was yet to have a format.
Writing
In 2011 Henry published an autobiography, "What Was I Thinking". The book was a bestseller upon release.Network Ten
Henry is to move to Sydney in early 2012 to take a job as a presenter on Network TenNetwork Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
's morning show Breakfast
Breakfast (TV program)
Breakfast is an upcoming Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Network Ten.Originally will air on 16 January 2011 but It is due to launch in March 2012 at 6am to 9am....
.
Political career
Henry ran as the National PartyNew Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
candidate for the Wairarapa electorate
Wairarapa (New Zealand electorate)
Wairarapa is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It was first created in 1859 and existed until 1881. It was recreated in 1887 and has since existed continuously...
in the 1999 general election
New Zealand general election, 1999
The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance...
. He lost to former radio colleague and New Zealand Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
candidate Georgina Beyer
Georgina Beyer
Georgina Beyer was the world's first openly transsexual mayor, as well as the world's first openly transsexual Member of Parliament, and from 27 November 1999 until 14 February 2007 was an MP for the Labour Party in New Zealand.-Early life:Georgina Bertrand was born and assigned male at birth, and...
by a majority of 3,033 votes.
Female facial hair
In March 2009, Henry caused offence by pointing out the facial hair of female guest anti-nuclear campaigner and GreenpeaceGreenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
worker Stephanie Mills. TVNZ stated that it had received a "handful" of complaints. Henry stated to the Sunday Star Times: “I certainly have no intention of apologising to people who have written in and complained. The key thing to me is what a fortunate life they must have that they can afford time and energy to complain about such an insignificant thing.”
Views on homosexuality
In August 2009, Henry referred to homosexuals as “unnatural”, prompting a complaint to the Broadcasting Standards AuthorityBroadcasting Standards Authority
The Broadcasting Standards Authority is a New Zealand Crown Entity created by the Broadcasting Act 1989 to develop and uphold standards of broadcasting for radio, free-to-air and pay television.The main functions of the BSA are:...
, which regulates broadcast radio and television content within New Zealand. In February 2010, the Broadcasting Standards Authority declined to uphold the complaint.
Susan Boyle
In November 2009, Henry sparked controversy over comments he made about singer Susan BoyleSusan Boyle
Susan Magdalane Boyle is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ...
and his on-air use of the term 'retarded' to describe her. His comments led to almost two hundred complaints to the Broadcasting Standards Authority and an apology from Television New Zealand.
Governor-General of New Zealand Sir Anand Satyanand
In October 2010, Henry was again the subject of complaints, after questioning whether the Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
, Sir Anand Satyanand
Anand Satyanand
Sir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, KStJ was the 19th Governor-General of New Zealand. He previously worked as a lawyer, judge and ombudsman.-Early life and family:...
, was "even a New Zealander". He went on to ask "Are you going to choose a New Zealander who looks and sounds like a New Zealander this time ... are we going to go for someone who is more like a New Zealander this time?" Sir Anand, who is of Indian descent, was born and raised in Auckland. Henry attracted criticism from public figures including Prime Minister John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
, whom Henry was interviewing when he made the remarks, Labour's leader Phil Goff
Phil Goff
Philip Bruce Goff is the current Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. During the Fifth Labour Government, he served in a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Defence of New Zealand, Minister of Corrections, Minister of Foreign Affairs and...
and New Zealand's race relations commissioner Joris de Bres. Henry later issued a statement of apology for his comments. After initially expressing its support for Henry, TVNZ announced the following day that it had suspended the presenter for two weeks without pay.
Sheila Dikshit
Following the decision to suspend Henry, it also emerged that TVNZ had continued to promote a recent clip in which Henry referred to New DelhiNew Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
's chief minister Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit is the Chief Minister of Delhi. She is from the Indian National Congress. Dikshit was sworn in as the Chief Minister for a third consecutive term of the Government of Delhi state in January 2009 after pulling a victory in November 2008 state elections...
as "the dip shit woman" and "Dick Shit", going on to state that "it's so appropriate, because she's Indian, so she'd be dick-in-shit wouldn't she, do you know what I mean? Walking along the street... it's just so funny." New Zealand Indian Central Association president Paul Singh Bains said the fact that TVNZ was still promoting the clip on its website showed it had "totally lost the plot" and was insensitive to the offence Henry had caused.
Following at least four complaints against this video, TVNZ channel removed it from the "Video extras" section of their website. Henry's resignation polarised the New Zealand public, with supporters claiming he was a victim of political correctness
Political correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
, and critics accusing him of pandering to the lowest common denominator
Sensationalism
Sensationalism is a type of editorial bias in mass media in which events and topics in news stories and pieces are over-hyped to increase viewership or readership numbers...
.
India summoned New Zealand's high commissioner Rupert Holborow to protest Henry's "racist and bigoted" comments, and Holborow expressed his regret for the deep hurt they had caused.