Renowned British broadcaster Noel Edmonds has now made New Zealand his home. On Bookmarks today he shares some of his favourite books, movies and music and talks about a community project he's set up here in Aotearoa.
Noel Edmonds Photo: Noel Edmonds
Edmonds has spent over fifty years presenting and producing television and radio shows in the UK.
From Top of The Pops to Noel's House Party he's brought his personal enthusiasm to everything he touches.
He now lives in New Zealand and he joined Jesse Mulligan from his new home in Matakana to talk about some of his favourite things, and to pick the music.
Edmonds has launched 100 online radio stations in New Zealand and says the initiative is entirely self-funded.
The purpose of the stations is to support businesses and enhance the spirit of local communities, affected by Covid-19.
"The stations are running and playing music now," he says.
So why did he settle here?
“I’ve got a funny feeling the decision wasn’t really mine or my wife’s, in 2015 we were becoming increasingly unsettled by life in Europe. I’d never been solely living in the UK … I lived for a long time in France as well.
"By 2015 there were elements of life in Europe that were unsettling us and independently Liz and I both came to the conclusion that it was the place on the other side of the planet, in the southern hemisphere, that we knew nothing about other than we’d met Kiwis, we’d heard the stories and we thought we’d come and explore.
"And we did in 2016 and we felt like we’d come home. It was a very emotional, very brief three-week holiday. We went back, slightly unsettled by how settled we had felt. Then we came back for the Christmas of 2018 with our 16-year old Harrison and that was it, we decided to make the big move which we completed last year.
“And we are so happy, so happy to be here and so grateful.”
He says it’s people of New Zealand that have made him enjoy his new life here the most.
“I love the attitude, I love the can-do attitude. I love the fact that if you say to a Kiwi ‘can you play the piano?’, he might say ‘no but I’ll give it a go’.
“I like the fact that when we invite Kiwis round to our house for a meal or a drink or whatever they always say, ‘what can I bring?’ And that has had a fundamental impact on Liz and myself.”
Noel’s music picks
“I always feel a bit of a fraud when it comes to music as there is a perfectly logical assumption that because I was a radio disc jockey for over 10 years, I would also be an expert on music.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. I think I have what may be called an eclectic musical taste ranging from classical music through country to jazz. Most of the time however I couldn't tell you what I'm listening to with the exception of these:
Cavalleria Rusticana
“Possibly the most beautiful piece of music I've ever heard and it was played at our wedding in 2009 accompanied by photographs of Liz and I chronicling our journey from the cradle to us meeting and there was not a dry eye in the room.
Finally Found Someone – Barbara Streisand and Bryan Adams
“At 11:06 on October 6, 2006 Liz walked into my life and I took one look at her and thought at last there you are. I had finally found the one.”
W.O.L.D – Harry Chapin
“This track became synonymous with my day hosting the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show with an audience of 14 million. It's not that the lyrics are particularly appropriate - thankfully! But it sums up my passion for radio which was ignited by the pirate ships moored off the coast of Essex where I grew up.
“I actually recorded a show with Harry for the BBC and I have a rather poignant story around lending him a taxi fare.”
Daniel – Elton John
"In the early days of his career I had a wonderful friendship with Elton and spent a lot of time with him and recorded radio shows with him.
“I went round to his house a few times and on one occasion I was in his house in Weybridge and he cooked Sunday lunch for my first wife, Jill and I and he then said I’ve got this song and the record company don’t think it’s right to release as a single.
“He played it on his Steinway piano there, he played it to the two of us as I’ve seen him subsequently play it to tens of thousands of people in different stadia around the world.
“He played this song and at the end he put the lid of the piano down and said do you think we ought to release it as a single?
“And I couldn’t speak it was just so wonderful.”
Books:
James Lovelock-The Vanishing Face of Gaia
Gregg Braden-The Divine Matrix
Prof James L Oschman-Energy Medicine
Peter Wohlleben-The Hidden Life of Trees
Viktor Schauberger-The Water Wizard
Douglas Murray-The Strange Death of Europe
