Grant Kereama

Last updated

Grant Kereama
Grant Kereama, Jonah Lomu.jpg
Kereama (left) and Jonah Lomu in 2007
Born (1967-05-30) 30 May 1967 (age 56)
New Zealand
Spouses
(m. 1989;div. 2016)
Lisa Brockelsby
(m. 2017)
Career
Show The Polly and Grant Show
Station(s) ZM, The Hits, More FM, Gold FM, Coast
Network NZME
MediaWorks New Zealand
Style Disc Jockey
CountryNew Zealand

Grant Rodney Hokowhitu Kereama (born 30 May 1967) is a New Zealand radio host, formerly on The Polly and Grant Show on the ZM and More FM network. Kereama co-hosted his morning show with his ex-wife Polly Gillespie.

Contents

Kereama began in radio in 1987 on ZMFM The Music Leader in Wellington. His first full time show was the 7 to midnight slot from 1988 to 1990. He then was promoted to the ZMFM day show until 1991. Kereama moved north to Auckland to host the 9 to 12 show on 89FM for six months, then returned to Wellington where he became the anchor of the "ZMFM Morning Crew" alongside his wife, Polly Gillespie, and Nick Tansley. The Morning Crew was hugely successful in the 1990s taking the number one ratings spot in 1995. In 2001, the ZM Morning Crew became a nationally syndicated show broadcasting throughout New Zealand.[ citation needed ]

From February 1992 to November 1996 Kereama was a lottery host alongside Hilary Timmins.[ citation needed ]They presented the weekly live Lotto draw every Saturday night.

In 2014, Kereama and Gillespie left ZM and launched a morning show on a new radio station called The Hits, which replaced the previous Classic Hits stations. [1]

Kereama and Gillespie left The Hits in 2017, and later moved to More FM. [2] In mid-2020, MediaWorks New Zealand restructured More FM and laid off Kereama and his co-host. [3]

Kereama has acted in two feature films. In 2019 he played Tohunga Makutu in High Octane Pictures' Killer Sofa . [4] In 2020, he played Dean in the New Zealand Film Commission's Lowdown Dirty Criminals. [5] In 2022, Kereama co-starred as Myles in the New Zealand web production Self Help, produced by Wrestler.

Kereama currently broadcasts weekends on NZME's Coast and Gold FM. [6]

Kereama competed in amateur bodybuilding from 2004 to 2007. He won the 80 kg to 90 kg open men's category at the IFBB Wellington Championships in 2005, and finished in second place in the same category at the IFBB New Zealand championships later that year. In 2006 Kereama placed 3rd in the 80 kg to 90 kg category in the IFBB Wellington championships, and again placed second at the New Zealand championships.[ citation needed ]

Personal life

In 1989, Kereama married Polly Gillespie, who would become his longtime co-host.[ citation needed ] They have three children together.[ citation needed ]

They split in 2015, with the divorce concluding in 2016.[ citation needed ] Kereama married Lisa Brockelsby in 2017. [7]

In 2004, it was revealed that Kereama was the donor of a kidney for former All Black rugby player Jonah Lomu, who died in 2015. [8] [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

Radio broadcasting began in New Zealand in 1922, and is now dominated by almost thirty radio networks and station groups. The Government has dominated broadcasting since 1925, but through privatisation and deregulation has allowed commercial talk and music stations to reach large audiences. New Zealand also has several radio stations serving Māori tribes, Pasifika communities, ethnic minorities, evangelical Christians and special interests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newstalk ZB</span> New Zealand talk radio network

Newstalk ZB is a nationwide New Zealand talk-radio network operated by NZME Radio. It is available in almost every radio market area in New Zealand, and has news reporters based in many of them. In addition to talkback, the network also broadcasts news, interviews, music, and sports. The network's hosts include Kate Hawkesby, Mike Hosking, Kerre Woodham, Simon Barnett, James Daniels, Heather du Plessis-Allan, Marcus Lush, Andrew Dickens and Jack Tame. Wellington and Christchurch have a local morning show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZM (radio station)</span> New Zealand contemporary hit radio network

ZM is a New Zealand contemporary hit radio network owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment. It broadcasts 19 markets throughout mainland New Zealand via terrestrial FM, and worldwide via the Internet. The network targets the 15–39 demographic specialises in a chart-music playlist of pop, rock, hip hop and dance music. It reaches approximately 486,800 listeners weekly, making it the fifth largest commercial radio station in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coast (radio station)</span> New Zealand radio network

Coast is a New Zealand radio network playing a mix of "feel good" hits predominantly from the 1970s and 1980s. The network includes stations in 21 major cities and provincial centres broadcasting from studios in central Auckland, owned and operated by New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hits (radio station)</span> Radio station in markets

The Hits is a Hot adult contemporary music radio network, broadcasting to 26 markets across New Zealand. It was set up by Government broadcaster Radio New Zealand in 1993 by consolidating existing stations into a single brand and has been privately owned since 1996. The Hits has had the broadest broadcast reach of any radio network in the country since 1996, and is now available on 40 full-power FM frequencies and 18 iHeartRadio streams.

Scenicland FM was a New Zealand radio station broadcasting on the West Coast of the South Island.

Radio Nelson was a New Zealand radio station in Nelson. The station was started by Radio New Zealand in 1932.

Bay City Radio was a radio station in Napier, New Zealand.

Marcus Lush is a politician and television and radio presenter in New Zealand.

Pauline "Polly" Gillespie is a New Zealand radio presenter. She co-hosted on The Polly and Grant Show Saturday mornings from 6-10am and the All-Day Breakfast show on Rova with her ex-husband, Grant Kereama.

2ZB was a radio station based in Wellington, New Zealand. This station was run by Radio New Zealand and eventually spawned a second FM station called B90FM. Today 2ZB and B90FM are part of a nationwide networks Newstalk ZB and The Hits respectively.

Polly & Grant was a radio breakfast show on New Zealand radio network More FM, and an internet-only radio station on Rova. The show was presented by Polly Gillespie and Grant Kereama. It was previously produced by Marc Peard, known as "New Hot Guy", and previously aired on ZM and The Hits.

4ZB was an adult contemporary radio station in Dunedin, New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radio Taranaki</span> Radio station in New Plymouth

Radio Taranaki was a radio station in New Plymouth and Hawera.

95 BOP FM was a radio station in Tauranga, New Zealand.

3ZB was a radio station based in Christchurch, New Zealand. This station was run by Radio New Zealand and eventually spawned a second FM station called B98FM. Today 3ZB and B98FM are part of a nationwide networks Newstalk ZB and The Hits

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZM Wellington</span> Radio station

ZM Wellington is a hit music radio station in Wellington, New Zealand. It is a station of the ZM network, and is owned and operated by New Zealand Media and Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZM Christchurch</span> Radio station

ZM Christchurch is a hit music radio station in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is a station of the ZM network, and is owned and operated by New Zealand Media and Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZM Auckland</span> Radio station

ZM Auckland is a hit music radio station in Auckland, New Zealand. The station is the host of the ZM network, and is owned and operated by New Zealand Media and Entertainment.

References

  1. "Polly and Grant leaving ZM". The Dominion Post . Stuff. 15 April 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  2. "Polly Gillespie and Grant Kereama leave The Hits after contract ends, but say they're not retiring". Stuff . 25 March 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  3. "MediaWorks redundancies: More FM's Polly Gillespie, Grant Kereama confirm job losses". The New Zealand Herald . 7 June 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  4. Donato, Matt (18 September 2019). "Movie Review – Killer Sofa (2019)". Flickering Myth. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  5. "Lowdown Dirty Criminals". FilmAffinity . 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. "Andrew Dickens to host Newstalk ZB Drive during Heather du Plessis-Allan's maternity leave". Newstalk ZB . 22 November 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  7. "Radio star Grant Kereama marries new partner in Brackenridge, Martinborough". The New Zealand Herald. 30 September 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  8. "Lomu Donor Identified As Grant Kereama". Scoop . 2 August 2004. Retrieved 14 July 2009.
  9. "Lomu and Kereama recovering well". Television New Zealand. 2 August 2004. Retrieved 14 July 2009.
  10. "Jonah Lomu death hits Polly Gillespie and Grant Kereama hard: 'There are no words'". The New Zealand Herald. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2022.