TV’s ‘Phil Dunphy’ puts NZ on wish list
Ty Burrell is itching to get to New Zealand.
The Modern Family actor was recently in Sydney to promote his latest film Finding Dory, in which he voices Bailey the beluga whale.
Speaking from a hotel room Sydney, Burrell said he had planned to head to New Zealand following the Australian press tour to do some fishing, but plans fell through at the last minute.
Burrell was rumoured to be one of the stars heading here when he was given a voucher to an exclusive Lake Taupo luxury lodge as part of his Emmy awards goodie bag in September last year.
‘‘I was really was looking very long and hard at that, I think it expires soon, but that place looks incredible,’’ Burrell said.
It looks like the actor is still in luck.
Navigate Oceania’s Karine Thomas, a spokeswoman for The Kinloch Club, has said the voucher is valid for a year.
She said being part of the Emmys promotion had been a ‘‘fantastic’’ thing for the lodge, situated at the Kinloch Club golf course, and its sisterlodge, Treetops, in Rotorua.
Thomas would not disclose the name of any celebrities that had stayed at the lodge.
‘‘Yes, there have been recipients of those vouchers who have taken advantage of receiving the vouchers in their Emmy awards gift bag,’’ Thomas said.
Vouchers offering fee accommodation at the lodge, were among the prizes at actor Ben Affleck’s charity poker tournament in Las Vegas in January.
They will also be included as prizes in an upcoming charity poker game hosted by The Bill Clinton Foundation.
Another prize at the invitationonly affair is two tickets to Elton John’s annual Oscar party.
Having opened in January this year, The Kinloch Club lodge is said to be a modern, 21st century take on a Scottish castle, designed by leading Kiwi architect Andrew Patterson.
The golfcourse was designed by retired, American professional golfer Jack Nicklaus.