Photography: Babiche Martens.
Two years on from their idyllic beach wedding, life has been a whirlwind for Helen Castles and Andrew Saville as they balance a new home, a new business and two very busy households.
Last year, the media power couple bought a spacious family home in Mairangi Bay on Auckland’s North Shore, a move largely driven by the needs of Andrew’s 14-year- old twin sons Harry and Alex, who were running out of space in his Auckland apartment, explains the 1News sports presenter, who’s affectionately known as “Sav’” “The boys were getting squashed!” he smiles. “When Helen and I got together, I only had four plates, knives, forks and spoons, so it’s great to have lots more room for everyone now – and a few more plates!”
Helen says the home has delivered exactly what they hoped for – a proper family base.
“The boys have bigger bedrooms, there’s a rumpus room and plenty of space for the multiple kids who come to stay,” she explains.
“It’s such a great area too, with the beach just around the corner, and most importantly for the boys, a corner dairy, a pie shop and the supermarket close by!”
Northland adventures
When the boys are with them during the school holidays, they all head to Helen’s home on the Karikari Peninsula in Northland, where the couple said “I do” in 2024.
“The boys thrive up there,” Helen enthuses.
“They’re both addicted to fishing and are pretty good at catching dinner! They’re always out on the water and you can guarantee every Christmas they’re asking for more fishing gear.”
Andrew, 56, loves the different pace of life in Northland, away from the structure of work, school and sport, and especially seeing the twins “outside and off their devices”, he adds.
Following in their footsteps
Some of the boys’ passion has been sparked by Helen’s 22-year-old twin sons Jayden and Xavier, who have taken the younger boys under their wings, passing on their own love of the outdoors, doing activities like fishing off the rocks, camping and spotlighting.
For Helen, 43, it’s a full-circle moment.
“I love doing it all over again, watching Andrew’s boys do the same things my boys did.”
From newsroom to new beginnings
Before they got together in 2022, Andrew and Helen were longtime colleagues at TVNZ. Then last year, Helen’s redundancy after 13 years with the state broadcaster turned her world upside down.
“It was a wrench and I couldn’t watch the news for quite a while afterwards,” admits the former Northland reporter.
“But on reflection, it was the push I needed to do something different.”
Building her own empire
Combining her reporting experience, contacts and skills, Helen pushed aside her fears to start her own business, Castles Communications. Over the past year, she has delivered a range of exciting projects for high-profile clients. Her passion for politics has led her to carve out a niche in lobbying and supporting political campaigns.
“I had a surreal moment last year when I was with a client at Parliament and found myself sitting around a table with several high-ranking politicians, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters,” Helen grins.
“I know Winston well from my days as a reporter and he said, ‘What are you doing here?!’”
Her biggest supporter
Helen’s supportive husband says he’s “very proud” of her and the success she’s making of her business.
“I couldn’t do it,” Andrew admits.
“I’d be scared of leaving the safety of a full-time job. But Helen’s got incredible drive. She backed herself, put herself out there and is doing an amazing job.”
These days, Helen continues to commute regularly between Auckland and Northland for work, but now it’s on her own terms. The couple loves the balance they strike between full-on family time, quiet couple time and time apart.
Next adventure ahead
In August, Andrew is off to South Africa to report on the All Blacks tour, his first big overseas assignment since the Rugby World Cup, when he and Helen had a “pre-honeymoon” in Greece. Helen reveals the lovebirds’ two-year anniversary celebration in Northland was low-key, including “flowers, a card and dinner at our favourite Thai restaurant”.
The down-to-earth couple keeps it simple for date nights too, with a drink at their local, heading to a live gig or watching a good TV show together topping the list.
“We love documentaries, especially true-crime shows, although Andrew is still always pushing for sports, but I push back!” laughs Helen.
After navigating some big changes in their work life and living arrangements over the past year, the couple is happy and settled.
Helen enthuses, “Life is good. It turns out you just have to take a leap of faith sometimes and don’t look back!”
