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Paul Henry knocks back a return to politics

The veteran broadcaster says he’ll only take work that fits with the lifestyle he “intends to have”.
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Paul Henry won’t be stepping back into the political arena again anytime soon, revealing he’s turned down an approach to run in this year’s general election.

The controversial broadcaster, 56, ended his career last year after resigning from his television and radio commitments with Mediaworks.

While Henry hasn’t revealed who approached him to consider standing in the September 23 election, he told Stuff he wasn’t “even remotely interested”.

Henry stood for National in 1999, running for a seat in the Wairarapa electorate. He lost by 3000 votes to Georgina Bayer, who became the first transsexual MP in the world.

Stuff reports both National and Act have denied they’ve recently approached Henry to ask him to stand.

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In his interview with Stuff Henry said he’d only consider coming out of retirement if his former employer, Mediaworks, offered him a new project that didn’t encroach to heavily on his new life.

“The only thing that I would countenance would be a great idea for MediaWorks. It would have to fit in with the lifestyle that I intend to have.”

Henry made the announcement that he was leaving his popular breakfast show, The Paul Henry Show, late last year.

During an emotional final episode, the often-polarising broadcaster said the time was right for him end his career.

When asked earlier by viewers what was next for him, Henry said: “I’m calling it quits. I’m semi-retiring with emphasis on the ‘semi’.”

At this stage it’s understood Mediaworks are in talks with Henry about future programmes and have confirmed Henry will be appearing this Thursday on TV3’s new 7pm show, The Project.

A Mediaworks spokeswoman said that Henry was “absolutely still part of the MediaWorks family.”

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