Former All Black Andy Ellis is used to his two worlds colliding – his past as a top-class rugby player, and his present as a passionate lover of design and architecture.
Chatting to the Weekly over Zoom from his local Christchurch park, Andy, the new host of TVNZ 1’s hit show Moving Houses, has to excuse himself for a second as a rugby fan wants to snap a selfie with the star.
“Sorry about that,” laughs the 40-year-old, who is a longtime fan favourite of Crusaders rugby. He made 154 appearances for the team between 2006 and 2016, alongside his 28-test career for the All Blacks.
As well as being a legendary rugby player, Andy is also an author and an award-winning gardener, so he’s no stranger to working in the great outdoors. But he admits his latest challenge, picking up the presenting mantle from former Moving Houses host Clarke Gayford, has been one of the most challenging roles he’s had in his time.
“I’ve never presented a TV show before and I’ll tell you, it’s different gravy, man,” he says, shaking his head. “I’ve done bits and bobs before for New Zealand Rugby, as well as social media and stuff. But, that’s all authentic and off the cuff.
“This is learning lines, being prepped and learning so much new stuff. It’s been a steep learning curve and very far outside my comfort zone.”
“I’m so lucky we had a patient crew,” he admits. “My first-ever piece to camera was a walk along a gorgeous cliff face. It was only about two paragraphs, but it took me 65 takes!
“I felt so bad. I memorised the script, but then you’re out there with a camera, a sound guy holding a boom, a producer and a director. And on top of that, I’m trying to walk and figure out what to do with my hands. Then I’ve got some bloke out the back with a beer yelling to me, ‘Hey Andy, what are you up to these days?!’
“I mean, it was hard.”
Clarke, the show’s previous host, who is married to former prime minister Jacinda Ardern, was a longtime television presenter. He brought his own individual style to the popular show, which captures the unique stories around houses being relocated to new sites. It also gives viewers insight into the challenges that brings to both the people and the homes.
However, the former athlete and winner of the Supreme Award at the Ellerslie Flower Show managed to pick up the secrets to presenting success quickly, and he’s now excited – and a touch nervous – for the country to see the finished product, as well as his wife Emma and their two kids, Scarlett, 15, and 10-year-old Arthur.
“The kids are used to me coming up with big ideas and doing projects,” he says with a laugh. “But I think when they see the show, they’ll really enjoy it. I’m actually looking forward to watching it with them.”
The Ellis’ are enjoying an extended period in New Zealand after Andy’s rugby playing career took them around the world. They went to places such as New York and Japan, where Andy played for six seasons. And while he and Emma still have an itch to travel, Andy says they’re happy to stay put for the next wee while.
“We have such a great group of friends and family in Christchurch. We really love being at home,” he enthuses. “The kids have the grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins. But we will travel again, I’m sure.”
Andy, who is also the managing director of .kiwi, a company that provides New Zealand websites with the .kiwi domain name, has never been one to shy away from a challenge or the unknown.
“I just love learning,” he says. “That’s all it is – learning and hard work.”
And his latest television job is no different. In fact, he got so passionate about the stories, logistics and journeys of the families who have taken part in the show that he almost found himself the subject of an episode after he very nearly bought his own house to move.
He explains, “There was a beautiful homestead we saw while filming that I fell in love with. It was probably a step too far and it didn’t line up in the end, but I did get excited!
“Moving Houses is such a cool thing. You get to follow the journey from the old house that’s sometimes in pieces, through the moving, the relocation and the finished product. I still keep in touch with the families because I want to see how it’s all going.”
Andy also really enjoyed his time in the cabs of the moving trucks, loving the banter with the drivers – “It probably helped I played a bit of rugby” – and the drives to some of Aotearoa’s most beautiful spots, even when he found himself being driven around hairpin bends with 300-metre drops.
“Yeah, that freaked me out a bit!” he admits. “But it was such a cool process with the ingenuity and problem- solving. I absolutely loved it.”
Enjoying his time on the road proved to be one the most important aspects of his new role. Former host Clarke warned him of this, who Andy called for advice before accepting the job.
“I rang him up and asked what it was like. All he said to me was, ‘Mate, you’d better like trucks!’” laughs Andy. “Luckily, it turns out I do!”
Moving Houses screens Sundays at 7.30pm on TVNZ 1 and is streaming on TVNZ+.
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