‘Real Housewives' bring the drama to our doorstep
Queenstown's taken a starring role in the latest season of reality TV show The Real Housewives of Sydney.
Renowned for their glamour — and drama — the cast, by all accounts, flew under the radar when they visited the resort last winter, staying at Eichardt's — including its 240 square metre penthouse, which runs about $10,000 a night.
While here, some of the women took a scenic chopper ride with Heliworks, including a mountain-top landing and obligatory glass of bubbles, were frequent visitors to Ayrburn — described in the show as "Queenstown's Culinary Playground" — had exclusive access to Tommy's Margarita Bar, got their adrenaline fix at Oxbow Adventures, sampled the fare at The Bathhouse, and a couple partook in tequila shots via Queenstown Ice Bar's "chilly willy".
Former model Krissy Marsh tells Mountain Scene she also "snuck out" on their first night and went to Cowboys.
"I had bull shots and partied with all the crew, and I got on the bucking bull.
"That was a lot of fun — they didn't put that on the show, though."
Marsh rates Queenstown's culinary offering as "the best food that we had basically throughout the whole season", while she's also impressed with our wines and describes the scenery as "breathtaking".
But there were also "huge dramas" while here, something Marsh says she gets sick of.
"When someone is nasty or someone does something to upset you, you still have to confront them and be with them the next day.
"A lot of us are in the same social circles and we have genuine friendships, and that's healing for me."
Now in her third season, though, Marsh says the overall experience has been "nothing but positive" for her.
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Otago Daily Times
05-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Obituary: Jean Marsh, actress
Jean Marsh in a publicity portrait for the British TV drama series, Upstairs, Downstairs, ITV, 1976. Jean Marsh and close friend and collaborator Dame Eileen Atkins created not one but two hit TV series, Upstairs Downstairs and The House Of Eliott. While different in subject matter — the former focused on the servants quarters of an Edwardian home while the latter told the tale of sisters who established a fashion house in the 1920s, each shared female starring roles, great scripts and exceptional acting. Marsh was born in London but raised in Stoke Newington. She left school at 15 to train as a dancer, before building a career in repertory theatre as an actress. Her big break came in 1959 when she appeared on Broadway with John Gielgud in his production of Much Ado About Nothing. That same year she moved into television and during the 1960s appeared in such shows as The Saint and Doctor Who. Marsh had a long association with Doctor Who: as well as being married to the third Doctor, Jon Pertwee, for five years, Marsh played Joan of England in The Crusade; Sara Kingdom, a companion of the First Doctor; and was a villain opposite the Seventh Doctor. Upstairs Downstairs first aired in 1971, and its five series earned two Bafta awards and Marsh won an Emmy for best actress. At its peak, viewership exceeded 18 million. The House of Eliott (1991-94), which the duo produced, proved equally as popular, rating highly and selling worldwide. In 2010 Marsh and Atkins remade Upstairs Downstairs, in which Marsh reprised her role as parlourmaid Rose Buck, but the show was overshadowed by another period blockbuster Downton Abbey. It was cancelled after its second season. Her film credits included Cleopatra (1963), The Eagle Has Landed, Return To Oz and Willow. Jean Marsh was made an OBE in 2012. She died on April 13 aged 90. — APL/agencies
Scoop
01-07-2025
- Scoop
Selina Tusitala Marsh Appointed Inaugural Commonwealth Poet Laureate
Press Release – University of Auckland Notable New Zealand poet and academic Selina Tusitala Marsh ONZM, FRSNZ has been announced as the first Commonwealth Poet Laureate. The professor of English at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland is a former New Zealand Poet Laureate and award-winning writer, known for her three collections of poetry and most recently, her bestselling children's graphic memoir series Mophead. The appointment, the first in the 75-year history of the Commonwealth of Nations, will run until 31 May 2027 and involve Marsh crafting original poems for flagship Commonwealth events, including Commonwealth Day, the Commonwealth People's Forum and Ministerial and Heads of Goverment Meetings. She will also advise on the Commonwealth Foundation's creative programming – the principal agency for Commonwealth culture – and will appear in person at the Commonwealth People's Forum and Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua & Barbuda in 2026. Marsh, who is of Samoan, Tuvaluan, English, French and Scottish heritage, says she is 'deeply honoured' to accept the role. 'In Samoan, we say, O le tele o sulu e maua ai figota. 'The more torches we have, the more fish we can catch'. Poetry is our torch, illuminating paths between our diverse cultures and histories. 'The Māori proverb goes 'He toi whakairo, he mana tangata'; 'Where there is artistic excellence, there is human dignity.' This profound truth guides my vision for this role. Through the elevation of our creative voices, we affirm our shared humanity across the Commonwealth. 'When we honour the artistry within our communities, whether it flows from Samoa, my mother's island, or New Zealand, where I was born and grew up, we recognise the inherent dignity and worth of every person whose story deserves to be told.' She remembers back to the moment in 2016 when she recited one of her poems at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in front of the late Queen Elizabeth II and other dignitaries. 'Her Majesty charged me with fostering unity through verse, and I felt the weight and wonder of words that bridge worlds. Today, I accept this torch with alofa (love) and renewed commitment to amplify the voices that heal, challenge, and unite our Commonwealth family. Together, we will kindle more torches, casting light on the stories that connect us all, celebrating the artistic excellence that affirms our collective human dignity.' University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater is delighted to see one of the University's staff honoured in such a significant way. 'Selina is an absolute treasure in the University of Auckland community. She gives so generously of her creativity and time, both on Campus and in the wider community. We are so lucky to work with her, and we're deeply proud she has been honoured in this way,' she says. 'She will do the University, Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific proud, as well as being a vital voice for the humanities. In times of global uncertainty, it's the humanities that help us make sense of complexity, preserve culture, and imagine better futures.' Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation Dr Anne T. Gallagher, who made the inaugural appointment, says it places creative expression at the heart of the Commonwealth's work. 'It is through poetry that we can learn best about ourselves and each other. Poetry helps us make sense of our fragile world. It is the language of love and dreams, the language of despair and desire, of protest and rebellion.' Gallagher says that at the Commonwealth, they have come to understand that poetry – and creativity in all its forms – is not an embellishment of the Commonwealth story but a catalyst for justice, understanding, and hope. 'Selina Tusitala Marsh embodies that truth. Her poetry travels effortlessly from the smallest community to the global stage: illuminating the concerns and aspirations of our 2.7 billion citizens and challenging all of us to listen more closely. There could be no finer inaugural Commonwealth Poet Laureate.' Selina Tusitala Marsh was the first Pacific person to earn a PhD in English from the University of Auckland. She lectures in Pacific poetry and creative writing in the University's department of English and Drama and is the co-director of the University's Centre for Arts and Social Transformation (CAST), which promotes arts-led approaches to justice, health and well-being. Marsh's three acclaimed poetry collections are Fast Talking PI, Dark Sparring and Tightrope, all published by Auckland University Press, as well as the multi-award-winning graphic memoir series Mophead, which she also illustrated. In 2019, she was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. She was New Zealand's Poet Laureate from 2017 to 2019.
Scoop
01-07-2025
- Scoop
Selina Tusitala Marsh Appointed Inaugural Commonwealth Poet Laureate
Notable New Zealand poet and academic Selina Tusitala Marsh ONZM, FRSNZ has been announced as the first Commonwealth Poet Laureate. The professor of English at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland is a former New Zealand Poet Laureate and award-winning writer, known for her three collections of poetry and most recently, her bestselling children's graphic memoir series Mophead. The appointment, the first in the 75-year history of the Commonwealth of Nations, will run until 31 May 2027 and involve Marsh crafting original poems for flagship Commonwealth events, including Commonwealth Day, the Commonwealth People's Forum and Ministerial and Heads of Goverment Meetings. She will also advise on the Commonwealth Foundation's creative programming – the principal agency for Commonwealth culture – and will appear in person at the Commonwealth People's Forum and Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua & Barbuda in 2026. Marsh, who is of Samoan, Tuvaluan, English, French and Scottish heritage, says she is "deeply honoured" to accept the role. 'In Samoan, we say, O le tele o sulu e maua ai figota. 'The more torches we have, the more fish we can catch'. Poetry is our torch, illuminating paths between our diverse cultures and histories. Advertisement - scroll to continue reading 'The Māori proverb goes 'He toi whakairo, he mana tangata'; 'Where there is artistic excellence, there is human dignity.' This profound truth guides my vision for this role. Through the elevation of our creative voices, we affirm our shared humanity across the Commonwealth. 'When we honour the artistry within our communities, whether it flows from Samoa, my mother's island, or New Zealand, where I was born and grew up, we recognise the inherent dignity and worth of every person whose story deserves to be told.' She remembers back to the moment in 2016 when she recited one of her poems at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in front of the late Queen Elizabeth II and other dignitaries. 'Her Majesty charged me with fostering unity through verse, and I felt the weight and wonder of words that bridge worlds. Today, I accept this torch with alofa (love) and renewed commitment to amplify the voices that heal, challenge, and unite our Commonwealth family. Together, we will kindle more torches, casting light on the stories that connect us all, celebrating the artistic excellence that affirms our collective human dignity.' University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater is delighted to see one of the University's staff honoured in such a significant way. 'Selina is an absolute treasure in the University of Auckland community. She gives so generously of her creativity and time, both on Campus and in the wider community. We are so lucky to work with her, and we're deeply proud she has been honoured in this way," she says. "She will do the University, Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific proud, as well as being a vital voice for the humanities. In times of global uncertainty, it's the humanities that help us make sense of complexity, preserve culture, and imagine better futures.' Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation Dr Anne T. Gallagher, who made the inaugural appointment, says it places creative expression at the heart of the Commonwealth's work. 'It is through poetry that we can learn best about ourselves and each other. Poetry helps us make sense of our fragile world. It is the language of love and dreams, the language of despair and desire, of protest and rebellion.' Gallagher says that at the Commonwealth, they have come to understand that poetry – and creativity in all its forms – is not an embellishment of the Commonwealth story but a catalyst for justice, understanding, and hope. 'Selina Tusitala Marsh embodies that truth. Her poetry travels effortlessly from the smallest community to the global stage: illuminating the concerns and aspirations of our 2.7 billion citizens and challenging all of us to listen more closely. There could be no finer inaugural Commonwealth Poet Laureate.' Selina Tusitala Marsh was the first Pacific person to earn a PhD in English from the University of Auckland. She lectures in Pacific poetry and creative writing in the University's department of English and Drama and is the co-director of the University's Centre for Arts and Social Transformation (CAST), which promotes arts-led approaches to justice, health and well-being. Marsh's three acclaimed poetry collections are Fast Talking PI, Dark Sparring and Tightrope, all published by Auckland University Press, as well as the multi-award-winning graphic memoir series Mophead, which she also illustrated. In 2019, she was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. She was New Zealand's Poet Laureate from 2017 to 2019.
