Noel Edmonds, the veteran British television presenter known for shows like Deal Or No Deal and Noel's House Party, has returned to the small screen with a new ITV docuseries, Noel Edmonds' Kiwi Adventure, offering a candid and sometimes bewildering glimpse into his life in New Zealand. Premiering on June 20, 2025, the three-part series has left viewers scratching their heads, wondering if they are watching a genuine documentary or an elaborate mockumentary.
At 76, Edmonds relocated to New Zealand in 2019 with his third wife, Liz Davies, a former make-up artist on Deal Or No Deal whom he married in 2009. The couple purchased an 800-acre estate near the village of Ngatimoti on New Zealand's South Island, which they have transformed into a sprawling hospitality venture named River Haven. This estate boasts a vineyard, restaurant, pub named The Bugger Inn, general store, coffee cart, wellness centre featuring crystals, and a sheep farm. The ambition doesn’t stop there; Edmonds aims to create New Zealand's first energy garden on the property.
Throughout the series, Edmonds shares his unconventional wellness routine, which includes "tranquil power" weightlifting—a slow and controlled form of exercise—ice baths, hyperbaric oxygen chamber sessions, meditation, and lying beneath beds of quartz crystals surrounded by "orgone," which he claims help connect him to "the bigger matrix, the universal energy system." He also drinks "structured water," which he believes bypasses the liver and kidneys for better health. "I'm rocking. I am rocking!" Edmonds enthusiastically declares, a sentiment echoed by viewers astonished at his youthful appearance. Many social media users remarked that he looks closer to 46 than his actual 76 years.
Yet, the series has sparked a wave of confusion and amusement among audiences. Some likened Edmonds to fictional comedy characters such as Alan Partridge and David Brent from The Office. Tweets flooded platforms like X (formerly Twitter), with comments like, "This is a mockumentary isn't it?" and "Noel Edmonds is a real life Alan Partridge. Even when he's meant to be himself he's still like he's at Crinkly Bottom." The pervasive question remains: is Edmonds in on the joke, or is this an earnest portrayal of his life?
Adding to the intrigue is Edmonds' giant statue of a praying knight, created by Weta Studios—the special effects company behind the Lord of the Rings films. The statue symbolizes his personal battle to reclaim losses after the bankruptcy of his production company. Edmonds explained, "The knight is not kneeling in defeat. He's praying before he gets up and defeats the Dark Force, the enemy." This deeply personal symbol reflects a darker chapter in his life when he contemplated taking his own life, an experience he shared with surprising candor during the show.
Edmonds’ emotional moments extend beyond the statue. In one poignant scene, he and Liz take a helicopter ride to the mountains, where he struggles to hold back tears while reflecting on their journey. "It was meant to be, undoubtedly it was meant to be," he says, before telling his wife, "We did all right dear, we did good." Such vulnerability contrasts with the show's often surreal and humorous tone.
Despite the charm and eccentricity, Edmonds’ arrival in New Zealand has not been without controversy. Reports surfaced that he dismissed 17 staff members with only a day's notice, a claim he attributes to seasonal winter closures. He acknowledges that locals were initially wary of the "bloke off the telly" settling in their community. "There were a few people not being very kind," Edmonds admits, though the series glosses over these tensions.
The show also features moments of lighthearted absurdity, such as Edmonds comparing a nail gun to a "sex toy," and the pub serving beers with cheeky names like "Old Git" and "Boring Bastard," alongside a cider called "Dickens," which he claims is popular with the ladies. The tone is often droll, enhanced by comedian Rob Brydon’s narration, which adds a layer of ironic distance.
Edmonds himself has drawn comparisons between his series and Jeremy Clarkson's popular farming show, Clarkson's Farm. However, he insists the two are fundamentally different. "When we were filming our show, some people who knew about Clarkson's Farm said to me, 'Oh, is it like Clarkson's Farm?' And I said, 'No, it couldn't be more different.'" He praises Clarkson's show for its production values, its sharp portrayal of bureaucratic challenges faced by farmers, and the spotlight it shines on the difficulties of farming life. Edmonds, who has farming experience dating back to the 1980s in Devon, clearly respects Clarkson's work, even joking that his pub could wipe out Diddly Squat in a pub quiz.
Viewers’ reactions to Noel Edmonds' Kiwi Adventure have been mixed. While some are baffled and amused, others are charmed by his return to television and his unabashed eccentricity. "Just binged on the 3 episodes of Noel Edmonds in New Zealand. The guy is a hoot. Great TV. Quite a surprise," one fan tweeted. Another simply declared, "Don't care what you say, I love Noel Edmonds!"
At its heart, the series reveals a man seeking peace and purpose after decades in the limelight. Edmonds shares, "I feel very at peace here, excited by it," and reflects on the boldness of moving across the planet. "It was not easy moving across the planet, it really wasn't. But we were bold to do it, the purpose of life is to give life purpose."
With Edmonds himself credited as the series consultant, the show blurs the line between reality and performance, inviting viewers to decide how much is genuine and how much is playful self-mythologizing. Regardless, Noel Edmonds' Kiwi Adventure offers an intimate, sometimes surreal portrait of a television icon navigating a new chapter far from the UK’s spotlight.
The series continues on ITV1 at 9pm on Fridays, with the next episode airing on June 27, 2025.
