Paul Henry (broadcaster)

Paul Henry
Born	(1960-08-04) 4 August 1960 Auckland, New Zealand
Residence	Balmain, Sydney, Australia[1]
Ethnicity	Romani
Occupation	Journalist, TV anchor
Employer	Ten Network Holdings, Mediaworks New Zealand
Known for	Controversies, Political incorrectness, Quick wit
Spouse(s)	Rachael Hope (Divorced)
Partner(s)	Linzi Dryburgh
Children	Lucy, Sophie, Bella
Parents	Olive

Paul Henry (born 4 August 1960) is a New Zealand radio and television broadcaster who is the host of the late night show The Paul Henry Show on New Zealand's TV3, in place of the former long-running Nightline, which has ceased to air.^[2] For nine months in 2012, he also co-hosted an Australian television show, Breakfast, which ceased production on 30 November 2012, due to low ratings.^[3][4][5]

Early life

Paul Henry Hopes was born in Auckland, New Zealand.^[6] 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.^[7] Henry says that when he was 25 he discovered that his grandmother was a "Gypsy".^[7]

Television and radio career

New Zealand

Henry has been a radio and television presenter in New Zealand, where he was born and has spent the majority of his career. Henry has been a backup host for current affairs show Close Up. After numerous controversies on morning talk show Breakfast which he hosted between 2004 and 2010, Henry was involved in a high profile scandal in October 2010 involving his pronunciation and ridicule of the name of Indian politician Sheila Dikshit. The scandal culminated in Henry's resignation from TVNZ and subsequent employment from rival company MediaWorks owners of TV3 and Radio Live. Henry is currently working on numerous high profile projects for the company.

Paul Henry started his broadcasting career working for the BBC, 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.^[8] On radio, Henry worked as a breakfast host on 2ZD Radio Wairarapa 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 later became 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.^[9] Moving into television, 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. He was also the 2007-2008 host of the New Zealand version of This Is Your Life and was also supposed to host the 2010 series of This Is Your Life but after numerous controversies was replaced by Paul Holmes.^[10] Paul won the People's Choice Award, Best Presenter at the 2010 Qantas NZ Film and Television Awards.^[11] His outrageous acceptance speech has attracted more than 300,000 views on YouTube.^[12]

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.^[13][14][15] TVNZ also released a statement that he had resigned.^[13][14] Paul Henry was forced to apologise.^[16] 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.^[17]

On 1 April 2011, MediaWorks New Zealand, rival of TVNZ, announced Henry was rejoining the MediaWorks stable, replacing Maggie Barry on Radio Live, and returning to his drive-time slot.

Henry was also reported to be working across several high profile projects on TV3.^[18] In October 2011 it was announced Henry was to start his own show airing in 2012 every Sunday at 7pm with the working title The Paul Henry Show,^[19] though it was yet to have a format. It was announced that Henry's show would be a New Zealand edition of the British comedy show Would I Lie to you?.^[20] Following the axing of Close Up in 2012, Henry was offered the central anchor position on the primetime 7pm current affair programme to air in 2013, however his contractual obligations with MediaWorks prevented him from accepting the role.^[21]

In late 2013 it was revealed that from 2014 Paul Henry would be hosting a late night current affairs show called The Paul Henry Show, which would replace the long-running Nightline, which will cease to air.^[2]

In 2011 Henry published an autobiography,^[22] What Was I Thinking. The book was a bestseller upon release.^[23] In 2013 he released another book, called Outraged.^[24]

Australia

In February 2012, Henry moved to Sydney, Australia to join Network Ten's morning show Breakfast as co-host.^[25] The show debuted on 23 February 2012 and was axed on 30 November 2012 due to low ratings.^[26][27]

More than 100 staff at Network Ten lost their jobs as a result of the show's cancellation. A newspaper reported other staff at the network resented Henry, claiming many wouldn't look at him when he walked in the room, and were planning to boycott the Christmas party.^[28]

The axing fueled speculation Henry would relocate to New Zealand and TVNZ to host a revamped edition of Close Up^[29] However Henry has stated he will not return to TVNZ and instead honour his contract with Mediaworks New Zealand.

Since moving to Australia, Henry maintains work in New Zealand media as an Australian correspondent for Radio Live and as the host of Would I Lie to you? on TV3^[30]

Henry was also front-runner for a second TV gig in Australia as the host of the second series panel show Can of Worms, replacing Ian Dickson, who hosted series one before resigning. However, the role went to Chrissie Swan^[31][32]

Henry has also made guest appearances on Network Ten programs The Project and The Circle

He caused controversy in May 2012 when he suggested asylum seekers could stay in people's linen cupboards, and implied they were "dirty".^[33]

Personal life

Henry has divorced his first wife Rachael Hope, with her he had three children, Lucy, Sophie & Bella.^[34]

In 2009, in celebration of her 79th birthday, Henry's mother Olive jumped off Auckland's Sky Tower. The stunt was recorded and aired on Breakfast.^[35]

Political career

Henry ran as the National Party 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.^[36]

Controversies

Female facial hair

In March 2009, Henry caused offence by pointing out the facial hair of female guest anti-nuclear campaigner and Greenpeace 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."^[37]

Views on homosexuality

In August 2009, Henry referred to homosexuals as "unnatural", prompting a complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority, which regulates broadcast radio and television content within New Zealand. In February 2010, the Broadcasting Standards Authority declined to uphold the complaint.^[38]

Susan Boyle

In November 2009, Henry sparked controversy over comments he made about singer Susan Boyle and his on-air use of the term 'retarded' to describe her. His comments led to almost 200 complaints to the Broadcasting Standards Authority and an apology from Television New Zealand.^[39]

Governor-General of New Zealand Sir Anand Satyanand

In October 2010, Henry was again the subject of complaints, after questioning the prime minister John Key - on live television - whether the Governor-General, Sir Anand Satyanand, was "even a New Zealander'. Henry 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?"^[16][40] 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.^[16][41] After initially expressing its support for Henry, TVNZ announced the following day that it had suspended the presenter for two weeks without pay.^[42]

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 Delhi's chief minister Sheila Dikshit during the 2010 Commonwealth Games 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."^[43] 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.^[44] Following at least four complaints against this video, TVNZ channel removed it from the "Video extras" section of their website.^[44] 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.^[45]

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.^[46]

Henry broke his silence appearing in an interview on popular Australian breakfast program Sunrise, a program he now rivals in December 2010.^[47]

Asylum seekers

On 16 May 2012, Henry was criticised for comments made on Breakfast regarding asylum seekers. When commenting on a newspaper article, about the Australian Government offering families money to house asylum seekers, Henry suggested that the idea could be "broadened out" saying: "I mean if this is all about saving money you could broaden it out. Why not criminals? Not murderers, but low level criminals. You could - the jails could be smaller and you could put them in homestay situations. The mentally ill". He later suggested the asylum seekers could be housed in linen cupboards. His remarks were featured on Media Watch.^[48]

Henry caused further controversy on 27 August 2012 by suggesting on the programme that Asylum Seekers should "starve to death" following reports that they would be conducting a hunger strike over plans to shift them to Nauru. He issued an apology the following morning following public backlash on Twitter.^[49]

References

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External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paul Henry (broadcaster).

• Paul Henry RadioLIVE host page
• Moustache gate
• Timeline of Paul Henry controversies
• Would I Lie to You?