As a journalist for more than 20 years, Hilary Barry has proven herself to be pretty fearless.
Live TV? No worries. Travelling to war zones? All in a day’s work. Facing off with Paul Henry? Piece of cake. But there was one assignment that had the TV3 star shaking in her boots – the chance to interview the queen of daytime TV, Oprah Winfrey.
“It was a little bit terrifying, to be honest,” the longtime news anchor says of the anticipation around her exclusive chat with the small-screen legend, which aired last night.
“But the moment you meet Oprah, you become consumed by her warmth and generosity of spirit. She is very much the person she is on screen – captivating and entertaining.”
A fan for years, Hilary counts Oprah, who is about to embark on her very first trip to New Zealand next month, as one of her heroes.
“Her style of broadcasting is one I’ve always admired,” she says.
“Plus, she’s one of the most famous people on the planet. Who wouldn’t be intimidated by that?”
During their interview, Oprah revealed what she was most excited about for her upcoming visit to our shores. As it turns out, the media mogul is more than happy to get down and dirty in Kiwi soil!
“I am a woman who loves land the way a lot of women love shoes. If I had a choice between a great piece of land and a great pair of shoes, I’d choose the land,” she told Hilary.
“So I love what I think is the topography – when I have just been looking at the visuals – of New Zealand.
“And I can’t wait to experience my hands in the dirt and feet in the land.”
Oprah also opened up about her extensive career on TV and the early years of her hugely popular talk show.
Watch the clip below:
