Kiwi breaks into Chinese reality TV
WELLINGTON lawyer Patrick Rosevear took time out three years ago to go travelling in China, and to study Mandarin.
But after appearing on a Chinese TV dating show, and translating a Flight Of The Conchords song on national television, he has been cast in a travel show with a film crew of 120.
Now the former Wellington College and Victoria University student is planning to use his unexpected celebrity to make a show promoting New Zealand tourism to Chinese tourists.
‘‘It’s quite a novel life over here,’’ he said. ‘‘I guess I’m sort of used to it now, but it was quite strange to see myself on television at first.’’
He moved to Shanghai after visiting on a whim in 2012, falling in love with the city, and deciding he wanted to learn Mandarin.
‘‘I had that instinct like so many other New Zealanders that I needed to get into the world and challenge myself and learn about other people, so I went to Shanghai for a short holiday and sort of fell in love with the city.’’
He immersed himself in the culture, living with Chinese flatmates and taking two-hour Mandarin lessons seven days a week.
His break in TV came after he returned to China after doing a short stint at an Auckland law firm that works with many Chinese clients.
His Auckland boss suggested he go on the Chinese dating show Fei Cheng Wu Rao, known in English as If You Are the One, which is the most-viewed dating show in the Chinese-speaking world with up to 50 million viewers an episode.
Despite being ‘‘very nervous’’ about his Chinese language skills on the show, he regaled the girls with a guitar song and Chinese conversation, and ended up winning a date.
From there he was asked to be on a chat panel of foreigners where he busted out a Chinese translation of the Flight of the Conchords song Jenny, about a case of mistaken identity, on national television.
That led to him being shouldertapped for a travel show that took foreigners all around China and filmed their reactions, which he has just completed.
It has given him the idea of doing something similar with Chinese tourists in New Zealand.
‘‘I’d love to do a travel show so we can introduce New Zealand to Chinese people in the Chinese language. New Zealand and China have so much more to offer each other outside of trade.
‘‘I hope more New Zealanders get over here and get more involved with China. I feel like there is so much more to gain than going somewhere comfortable like London.’’