Noel’s new life in NZ... serenading pot plants!
NOEL EDMONDS last year branded claims that he was moving to New Zealand because of disappointment at his early exit from I’m A Celebrity as ‘absolute disgusting lies’.
After such a strong rebuttal, it’s perhaps something of a surprise to see Noel popping up in – wait for it – New Zealand. His new business ventures there include a radio station, and another surprise is that his audience will be pot plants and pets.
The 71-year-old presenter has moved to a new home just north of Auckland with his wife Liz and her 16-year-old son, after gaining permanent residency status just before the Covid-19 lockdown.
Noel is on a new mission down under, setting up a ‘positivity’ radio network which includes one station playing music designed for houseplants, another broadcasting ‘healing frequencies’ and one that plays soothing tunes for cats and dogs.
Explaining the logic behind his Positively Plants radio station (which is available online, your begonias will be thrilled to hear), he said: ‘We ran an experiment with two plants, one of which we neglected and the other we played Positively Plants to.
‘The difference was absolutely amazing, and then we played those tones – because it’s all about tones – we played those tones to the plant that didn’t look so good, and it perked up again.’ Well there you have it!
Noel also confirmed to me that he has quietly retired from broadcasting. He said: ‘Kiwis can rest easy. I’m not going to inflict myself upon this proud nation. I’m not bringing Mr Blobby over. I’m here to behave.’
His spokesman assured me that his denial last year was taken out of context, that he had never refuted his plans to move to New Zealand and that he also still retains a European base in the South of France.
Addressing the ‘disgusting lies’ comment, Noel said: ‘[It had been] suggested in the most horrible terms that I had suffered some form of mental breakdown after I was voted out of the jungle.’