Although many new homeowners are eager to grab a paintbrush and get to work renovating, 3 News sports presenter Michelle Pickles couldn’t be further removed from her tool belt. While her husband of nine years, Trevor (46), is living in the thick of DIY mayhem in their newly purchased do-up in Titirangi, Auckland, Michelle (45) will be in London covering the Olympic Games.
With the living room currently an empty shell, the challenge ahead of Trevor is huge. But while many spouses might question whether their partners are shirking their tasks, Michelle thinks Trevor might be relieved. “I think Trevor will be quite happy I’m not here moaning,” jokes Michelle, who says she’s easily flustered by renovations.
The couple moved into their new home, a three-bedroom 1950s bungalow, only seven weeks ago. Meeting with the Weekly before she jets off to London, Michelle is excited about her trip, which she says The TV presenter swaps her tools for the Olympic torch is a “career highlight”.
While she’s away, Trevor, an engineer, is project managing the house’s overhaul – leaving Michelle apprehensive about what she might come back to. “I’m worried it’ll turn into a ‘man cave’ while I’m away,” laughs Michelle.“Trevor loves his fish. He has a mounted marlin and I’m not sure where that will be hanging when I get back.”
While at the Olympics, Michelle will spend the first week of the games at Eton – Princes William and Harry’s old school – reporting on New Zealand’s medal hopefuls, such as rowers Mahé Drysdale, Hamish Bond and Eric Murray. “When you see the joy on an athlete’s face, nothing compares to that,” says Michelle, who had her own taste of representing New Zealand competitively at the world roller skating championships in the 1980s.
When Michelle met Trevor in 1993 she was living in Vancouver, Canada. Although there wasn’t an immediate spark between them, the pair became friends. “When I first met Trevor he had the long blond hair and a black jersey – he was a real westie,” jokes Michelle.
Three years later, the pair fell in love. On their return to New Zealand, they decided to live in West Auckland and Michelle now calls herself an “honorary westie”. The couple share a love of sports. As well as game fishing, Trevor is passionate about motorsport and muscle cars. But with 10 years on the 3 News sports desk behind her, Michelle still has him trumped when it comes to sporting know-how. “We’re not like most households where the man wants to watch sport and the woman doesn’t. I usually want to watch it more than he does,” she says.
When she returns from the Olympics, Michelle is set to report on the world roller figureskating championships to be held in Auckland in September. She also hopes most of the renovation work will be completed as she’s still haunted by the couple’s last effort, restoring their first home four years ago. After that, Michelle swore she’d never touch tools again. “[The house] drove me mad and I drove Trevor mad,” says Michelle.“He’s quite laid back, and so am I, but I wanted it done and it took so much longer than I thought it would.”
When their new home came on the market, Michelle was initially reluctant. The house had barely been changed since its original construction – it had no insulation and the fireplace needed to be removed. But after some arm twisting from Trevor, it was the view over French Bay that won her over. “Trevor said to me, ‘You can change the house, but you’re never going to get this view again,’ so I was sold,” she says.
Michelle and husband Trevor
“You wake up every day, look out the window and it feels like you’re on holiday.” Michelle says they’ll be staying in their house until they are “wheeled off into a retirement home”. Meanwhile, once their kitchen is revamped, it’ll be Trevor’s turn to cook. “Because I don’t get home until after 7pm, when we have a dinner with friends, Trevor has to do it. He’s a better cook anyway.”
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