Photography: Petra Mingneau
If Ali Pugh thought life might slow down after her stint hosting Breakfast earlier this year, she was quickly proven wrong – because back home in Christchurch, mum life is every bit as full-on as one of TV’s most high-profile roles.
“There are so many moving parts with three kids,” saysAli, talking to Woman’s Day at the home she shares with husband Jo Barus and their daughters, Thea, 10, Heidi, seven, and Jemima, five. “Every day, there’s a lot on the go. It’s great fun and always hilarious but very busy!”
Stepping-in on Breakfast
It’s been two months since Ali, 40, returned home after eight weeks hosting Breakfast alongside Chris Chang, stepping in to fill the gap between presenters Jenny-May Clarkson and Tova O’Brien. While she once thought her live TV presenting days were behind her, the opportunity came as a welcome surprise – and one she grabbed without a second thought.
“I’ve always had a real soft spot for the show, but after having three kids and living down country, I never really thought I’d be in a position to do something like that again,” she admits. “So it came at the perfect time.”
While it was a big deal leaving her family behind each week to commute to Auckland, knowing it was a temporary assignment made the prospect much more appealing. Reuniting with Chris, whom she first met 10 years ago when they worked on Breakfast together, was also a huge drawcard.
“It felt like a really natural transition. I know the show, I love working with Chris and I pretty much just couldn’t wait to get started.”
She also enjoyed a week working with Tova when Chris was on leave, her final week before returning to Christchurch.
And with her girls out of the baby and toddler phase, Ali knew husband Jo – a musician who plays with Kiwi legend Sir Dave Dobbyn – would have no trouble holding down the fort. “The girls have all got busy lives with school and activities, and while they knew I was gone, of course, it wasn’t unsettling for them at all. They just rolled with it.”
Juggling family life and career
With Jo working most weekends, the couple didn’t see each other a lot over that period – Ali would fly home on a Friday just as Jo was heading off. Sometimes they would wave out to each other as
they passed in the airport. “It felt a bit like a custodial arrangement at times,” she laughs.
Ali’s mum Helen is also an integral part of the family’s life and the devoted grandmother was delighted to help even more than usual with Ali working in Auckland.
“I made a joke on my last day of Breakfast,” recalls Ali. “I said, ‘I have to leave – I have to go home and mind my mother’s grandchildren.’
“Honestly, she’s just so involved with all of their lives. She sees us almost every day, and she goes to every single school assembly and all the kids’ sport – she’s like a guardian angel to us.”
Help from Paul Henry
While Ali, who works three days a week as a reporter in TVNZ’s Christchurch newsroom, confesses to some initial nerves about stepping back into the hot seat, she called upon advice handed to her as a young reporter from broadcast legend Paul Henry.
“He said to me once that if you’re going to worry about what people think, you’re in the wrong job. And I’ve always remembered that.
“The only option was to go out there and be myself, and people are either going to like me or they’re not. There is just no point fretting over saying the right thing or being the right kind of person.”
And Ali’s girls loved watching their mum on TV while they ate their breakfast each morning.
Their most exciting moment came when Ali interviewed Hairy Maclary author Dame Lynley Dodd and showed her a photo of Peter, the family’s beloved pooch.
“Lynley said he was a ‘splendid’ dog and so my girls thought that was thrilling – not only was Peter on the TV, but Lynley called him splendid! Apparently they were screaming up the hallway, saying, ‘Dad, Dad! Peter’s on TV!’”
Back at home
Now settled back into the juggle of family and work, Ali is happy to be home with Jo and the girls, simply relishing the day-to-day business of being mum. She loves seeing her kids grow and watching how they interact together.
“The girls are all quite different,” she says. “Thea is definitely the boss of the family – she pretty much decides what everyone’s going to wear, what we’re going to do each day and where we’re going to go. Then there’s Heidi, who is very sweet and kind-natured. She’s a real gentle soul.
“And Jemima is just hilarious! She dances to the beat of her own drum – everything is a million miles an hour. She would never walk to the kitchen if she could instead do six cartwheels to get there!”
The best part of motherhood, says Ali, is experiencing the world through her children’s eyes.
“They’re just so funny,” she shares. “We laugh all day. We dance a lot. They’re always doing little performances and shows. They’re just a real hoot and I feel so lucky to be their mum.”
Ali recently turned 40 but didn’t make a big fuss about the day itself – instead, she’s looking forward to August, when the family will spend a month in Indonesia.
“I feel 100% fine with turning 40,” she says. “And perhaps that’s because I just feel very fortunate with all that I have. I have happy and healthy kids… What more could you want?”
