Photography: Emily Chalk
Almost every morning, often before the sun has risen, Wendy Petrie laces up her sneakers and heads out the door of her Auckland home for a run. Some days, it’s an easy 5km; other days, she’ll push herself a little harder. She has kept this ritual for as long as she can remember. Each time she’s struck by the same feeling – the fresh air clears her head, the quiet streets and steady rhythm spark her best ideas, and she returns home energised and ready for whatever the day brings.
It’s a routine that’s been more important than ever these past five years. The long-standing 1News presenter’s world was turned upside down in July 2020, when she lost her job in the midst of the Covid pandemic. Losing work is tough in any circumstance. But for Wendy, who’d been a fixture alongside co-host Simon Dallow at TVNZ for 14 years, the experience was not only deeply personal but also very public, all while the world itself was facing its own storm of uncertainty. Life, she admits, has never quite returned to what it once was.
“I think we’d all love it if we could say, ‘Oh, look, everything’s back to normal, we’ve all got our jobs back and everything’s fine,’ but that’s not been the case for so many of us. I don’t think life feels particularly comfortable at all still. There is so much going on in the world, so much uncertainty with the economy and the job market … There’s the cost-of-living crisis. There are still so many challenges coming our way.”
“For me, the biggest learning from the past five years is that you have to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. It’s about letting go of what you can’t control. We can’t control the future or how the world is going to look, so instead I choose to focus on all the little things that make me happy or that I’m achieving in a day. I’ve found that celebrating the small wins can bring lots of joy.”
Wendy, 54, might have managed to carve out a successful, fulfilling and varied new career as a freelancer. But she puts this reinvention down to necessity rather than some special strength or innate resilience. While the media industry continues to face challenges with shrinking newsrooms and tough cost-cutting measures. Back when Wendy was made redundant, she was one of the first big names to go.
In a bizarre twist, almost as soon as her redundancy was announced, New Zealand went back into another Covid lockdown. Wendy was asked to stay on to anchor what would be one of our biggest-ever news events. She almost can’t believe that five years have passed since that extraordinary time.
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt so useless and useful all at the same time,” she reflects.
“I was delivering the daily briefing updates and rolling television news updates all while knowing that I had lost my job. It was really bizarre. It still feels fresh.”
Ultimately, though, Wendy says leaving the comfort and security of the role she held for so long was the shake-up she didn’t know she needed. Losing that long-held newsreader identity forced her to step outside her comfort zone and while it hasn’t been easy, it has opened the door to something of a rediscovery. In the years she’s rebuilt her professional life, Wendy has also been on a very personal journey. Menopause, a fast-approaching empty nest and the natural shifts that come with this stage of life have brought with them some deep reflection on who she is now. She has been thinking about what truly matters and how she sees the future.
“When change is forced upon you, you have no choice but to step outside your comfort zone and that has been great,” she says.
“It forced me to really think about what I wanted to do, what I want out of life and figure out what I’m capable of.”
And it turns out the broadcaster, who started her career in radio, is capable of quite a lot. When she chats with The Weekly, Wendy is juggling an eye-watering number of gigs. She filled in as newsreader on 1News at the weekend, is covering the afternoon newsreading slot on Newstalk ZB, is preparing for some big MC and hosting roles. She has just flown back from Queenstown, where she drove “very fast on an icy road” for a story on TVNZ current affairs show Seven Sharp.
The power of yes
Saying yes to any and every offer of work that comes along has been the hard-working mum of three’s mantra since day one.
“Everyone says to me, ‘Oh, you’ve got the freedom to make so many choices.’ But it’s not entirely freedom – it’s more a case of say yes to everything and figure it out later!”
As any contractor will know, uncertainty goes with the territory and Wendy, who this year celebrated 20 years of marriage to TV producer Ross Peebles, admits she can’t help but have a small panic when she hits a quiet patch. But if work doesn’t come along, she’ll go out looking for it.
“The minute I’m not busy, I’m thrown. I’m like, ‘Oh, no, this is it – you’re never going to get another job ever again!’ But I’m very big into being the squeaky wheel. I’ll just call around or send a few emails and see if anyone needs me. I literally have no shame – you can’t when you’re a contractor. You’ve got to put yourself out there.”
What Wendy appreciates most about this new season of life is the chance to simply be herself. For 14 years, she delivered the nation’s biggest stories with professionalism and composure. It was a privilege, she says, and a role she treasured, but it also left little room for the lighter side of her personality to shine through.
“It’s been fun to bring out a little bit more of my personality because for so many years, I had to put on a professional front as a serious news anchor. But I’m not really a serious person at all. So it’s been refreshing to take the hair and make-up off, and just be me.”
And then there’s the most important role of all, being mum to Addison, 21, Olivia, 19, and Zach, 15. These days, that job is a little less hands-on, with her talented daughters now based in the US on sporting scholarships, but as any mother will tell you, parenting doesn’t end when your children leave home. It’s been three years since she and Ross waved goodbye to Addie when she left for the University of San Diego on a rowing scholarship. Then, last August, Liv headed to the same uni on a swimming scholarship.
Wendy admits she’s still adjusting to the idea of an empty nest. The house certainly feels quieter with just her, Ross and Zach, who is also a talented rower, but she’s finding her footing. And knowing the girls are thriving and close by each other in the same city has been a huge comfort. “It certainly makes it easier for visiting too.”
Both Addie and Liv recently returned to Aotearoa for the university holidays, and Wendy relished having a full, lively household again. It also meant daily reminders from her driven athlete daughters about nutrition and fitness!
“Addie’s got us eating much more protein,” laughs Wendy.
“She’s switched us on to Greek yoghurt and when we sit down to dinner, she’ll say, ‘We should be having more of this or that.’ We all work out a lot, so she knows what we need to stop our muscles from wasting away. It’s pretty amazing when you realise your child is more mature than you are!”
Finding motivation
Snapchat is the family’s main form of contact and Wendy is in touch with her girls daily, which means they never feel too far away. In fact, Liv has just sent through photos of a new bedside table she’s bought from Ikea for her dorm room and a snap of the inside of her fridge in the kitchen she shares with a group of other top swimmers.
“We’re definitely still involved in daily life,” smiles Wendy.
While Addie, who has recently completed an internship at a large US insurance firm, and Liv will often call their mum for practical reasons – “like asking how to cook rice” – they also turn to her when they’re worried or stressed. Wendy’s grateful they seem comfortable talking to her about anything.
“I had my birthday recently and Addie wrote in a card that after she’s talked to me, she feels calm and centred, and that she doesn’t worry about the things she was worrying about before we talked,” shares Wendy.
“I guess, as a mum, I can help put things in perspective for them because when you’re a young person, you tend to think things are worse than they are. It helps to have experience to know that usually nothing in life is really that bad.”
Filling the space left by her kids has been an important part of redefining her place. Her children no longer need her in the same hands-on way.
“All of a sudden, it’s a defining moment and you no longer feel useful, so you need to be remembering what your dreams are and what motivates you. You need purpose as your children need you less and less, and to prioritise yourself and what you’re doing.”
That’s where running comes in, says Wendy. She couldn’t imagine a life without those soul-lifting morning jogs.
“I just find everything is better with a run,” she says.
“All my worries, all my stress, everything is made better by exercise. I get home and my body is flooded with endorphins, and that really sets me up for the day.”
And setting big, physical challenges is also something that continues to drive her. In May, Wendy completed a 1km ocean-swim event over three consecutive days in Fiji. She struggled as she’s not a natural swimmer, but finishing gave her a sense of achievement that inspired her to pursue another goal. In November, Wendy will take on the Queenstown Marathon, with Ross signing up for the half marathon. Training is well underway and Wendy, who has completed two marathons in the past, says her aim at the moment is remaining injury-free before the big day.
“The worst thing now would be a sore hip or a bung knee, so I have to take it slowly,” she tells.
Keeping well at this stage of life isn’t just about the physical side, she says. Wendy has surprised herself by embracing mindfulness and breath work. While she used to sneak out of her yoga class before the meditation session at the end, now she’s relishing the chance to take a moment for calm.
She explains, “One of my friends told me that the way she did this was by sitting out somewhere in the sun for a few minutes each day, closing her eyes and just thinking about the things in life that she’s grateful for. It sounded a bit silly, but I tried it and wow! It actually works and makes you happier throughout your day.”
New adventures
Prioritising this small practice has been a big switch for the woman who has always lived life at a fast pace. Now, each day, she’ll try to make time to stop, focus on her breathing and remind herself of all she’s grateful for.
“As women, we tend to put everything else ahead of looking after ourselves,” she muses.
“Making the school lunches, vacuuming, doing the dishwasher, hanging out the washing … But really, what is more important than taking a moment to yourself and prioritising yourself just for a few moments? “So now, I really try to fit that in and it’s helped a lot. It’s a chance to let go of those worries that creep in and it has been incredible. It’s helped me remember what’s important because at the end of the day, it’s the people around you and your relationships that matter most.”
Hormone replacement therapy has also been a game-changer, says Wendy. She admits she was late to the party when it came to seeking help for perimenopause symptoms, such as hot flushes and mood changes. She only started using patches a couple of years ago. The difference in how she felt was almost immediate.
“I saw a specialist who said, ‘Did you know the hot flushes and all that can go on for another six years after menopause?’ I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, slap that patch on!’ And it really has been life-changing. I can see now I was having all those menopausal symptoms during the Covid years and through losing my job, which I expect exacerbated how I handled things.”
But now, Wendy feels fit and well, both physically and mentally. More than anything, she has a renewed confidence in her ability to take on whatever comes her way.
“I feel like anything is possible,” she enthuses.
“Women are so much more capable than we believe sometimes and we should be feeling confident because we’ve got so much experience. We’ve been through things, which gives a great sense of perspective and we know what’s important.”
Wendy’s a hard worker, unafraid of putting herself out there. She is always open to new challenges, even the ones that might feel a little daunting at first. She recently signed up to host a women’s tour to Saudi Arabia with Viva Expeditions in February next year. This role that perfectly combines her love of travel, people and storytelling.
“I saw Hilary Barry was leading a tour to Africa and I thought, ‘Wow! I’d love to do that.’ So I got in touch and here we are – I’m off to Saudi Arabia! It’s pretty exciting because I’ve always liked an adventure and this is a place I’ve never been.”
And in another unexpected pivot, Wendy and Ross have recently stepped into the world of business ownership. The couple is now the proud owners of Speedy Signs in Albany, on Auckland’s North Shore. It’s a signage company that Ross will run day to day, with Wendy lending a hand when she can. They never imagined taking this path for themselves. But after riding the ups and downs of the media industry, and with a good dose of realism about the future of the industry, the pair had been quietly on the lookout for the right opportunity. When this one came along, it just felt right.
“It’s a totally new direction, but we’re excited because we see it as an extension of what we already do,” she tells.
“We understand communication and storytelling, and that customers need great signage and great branding. We wanted something that Ross would enjoy and it’s perfect for him because he’s very creative but also practical.”
As she reflects on where she is in life, Wendy admits she can’t quite believe she’s hit her mid-fifties. She’s not fighting the process of getting older, though. In fact, she feels comfortable in her own skin. She actively embraces vulnerability. She acknowledges that life can be daunting and to accept that some things will always be beyond her control.
“I don’t feel any older, but then I’ll look in the mirror and think, ‘Oh, yes, definitely older,’” she laughs.
“That’s why I keep signing up for things that take me outside my comfort zone. I think it’s so important as you get older to push yourself, to meet different people from all walks of life, to keep exercising and continue to live life to the fullest.”
At this stage, Wendy’s biggest takeaway is simple but powerful: Whatever life throws at you, dust yourself off and keep going.
“That’s how I live my life,” she asserts.
“Whether it’s a good day or a bad day, just keep turning up and put a smile on your face.”
Game On screens 7.30 Tuesdays on Three and streaming on ThreeNow.
