The former TVNZ Breakfast host will be back on our screens as the host of Three’s new reality show, The Traitors.
After months of speculation and top-secret filming, the 62-year-old is proud as punch to reveal he is the host.
Now back in his second home in Palm Springs, California, Henry tells Spy he has been offered many things since he retired and turned almost everything down, but The Traitors made him sit up and take notice.
Now back in his second home in Palm Springs, California, Henry tells Spy he has been offered many things since he retired and turned almost everything down, but The Traitors made him sit up and take notice.
“When I learned about the format, I said to the executives at South Pacific Pictures, if everything you’re saying about this show is true, I’m in.”
Part of the reason he said yes was the fact the show pits people against each other — in some cases friends against friends. The show encourages deceit, treachery, and lying.
“Lying is one of the most wonderful tools human beings can use,” he says gleefully.
“I’ve always enjoyed using lies and now I’m being paid to do it … to supervise the lies of others and encourage the lies of others.”
In 2010 Henry resigned from TVNZ following a global furore involving Indian politician Sheila Dikshit. In a segment on Breakfast, one of New Zealand’s most-watched shows, Henry laughed at her name.
In the new show, Henry devilishly presides over contestants — some famous, others not — who are divided into “faithfuls” and “traitors” and work with and against each other in an elimination game.
The Traitors is the hottest-growing reality show format in the world.
Since its original launch in the Netherlands in 2021, The Traitors has had 20 global territories acquire the rights.
“We needed a host who could do the NZ version justice,” says Vicki Keogh, Senior Director of Production, Warner Bros. Discovery.
“Paul’s passion and commitment to the game was evident from our first conversations and his natural wit and cheeky sense of humour made him the perfect choice. This is the role he was born to play.
Another reason Henry said yes to the role so quickly is that there is an element of acting he could sink his chops into.
“I’m me but I’m a character of me in the show so I’m allowed to play very heavily into certain traits I have anyway.
“Lording it up over a group of semi-scared individuals for two weeks in an isolated place — that is so me and I relished it.
“It was nice walking around with everyone treating me with reverence and knowing that I had the information that could totally change the game for them … but I was watertight.”
He even admits there were times that he was quite unpleasant to contestants — and he walked away smiling.
Henry has retired his host’s costume and his cane and hat and is enjoying being back in warmer weather. He loves living in the US.
“I’m here and I’m finishing a show for the US market and have a meeting for a documentary I’m hosting.”
After that, he and wife Diane Foreman will head to London for a holiday together.
Henry says he is also introducing a vodka and another gin to complement the gins in his eponymous premium booze range, The Henry, launched last year.
“The great thing about distilling is it won’t run out and I can keep up with demand,” he says.
The Traitors will be screened by Three later this year.
By Ricardo Simich
