‘The Press’ – Kiwi Hits Big Time on Canadian Television article

Published on Saturday, February 22nd, 2003, under Media

The Press, February 24, 2003. KING, David

A Cheviot man is quietly carving out a television career in Canada.

Ellis Emmett (30) had always loved the outdoors, adventure and somehow wanted to incorporate filming as a career. He left North Canterbury in 2001 after struggling to set up his own television production business.

“Nobody took me seriously”, so he decided to travel the world to get the experience he needed to put his adventure show together.

His break came from a chance meeting in Cambodia with the makers of Canadian travel show ‘Don’t Forget Your Passport’. The host of the show being filmed had been hurt in a motorcycle accident and the Kiwi filled in.

“When they put the camera on me I just talked about what I knew – Cambodia is such an amazing country with so much character and culture it almost doesn’t matter where you point the camera you find something interesting to film” .

Since then Ellis Emmett has traveled extensively with the film company and has worked on shows featuring Tasmania, South and Central Australia, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, China and at home here in New Zealand.

The one-hour adventure travel shows are produced by husband and wife team Gordon Sivell and Penny Moore. They are syndicated to 80 countries with an estimated audience of 65 million viewers.

The production company has just been in New Zealand filming a series as part of Tourism New Zealand’s international media programme.

Ellis Emmett fronts the South Island show, which will feature many adventure activities as well as going off the beaten track.

He hosts the shows when and where he is needed, and in the meantime is building a home in Cheviot. His long-term aim is to set up his own production business based within New Zealand.

“I’m passionate about New Zealand and its beauty and diversity,” he said.

“There are so many young New Zealanders out there who just don’t know what we’ve got.”