Noel Edmonds, the former host of Deal or No Deal, is set to make a television comeback with a new reality show based on his sprawling New Zealand estate. The 75-year-old presenter has reportedly signed a £1 million deal with ITV after a ten-month bidding war for the series, provisionally titled Noel's Haven.
The three-part programme will follow Edmonds as he manages his 11-hectare River Havern estate, including tending to vineyards and pulling pints in his 17th-century pub, which he has named The B*gger Inn. The estate also features a radio station where the former DJ broadcasts 'positivity' music for his plants and pets. A source described the venture as 'TV gold'.
Edmonds emigrated to New Zealand with his wife, make-up artist Liz Davies, in 2019 during the coronavirus pandemic. The station and his rural lifestyle have drawn local criticism, with some accusing him of 'taking over' the small community of around 2,500 people. Nevertheless, producers hope the show will boost tourism, akin to Jeremy Clarkson's Clarkson's Farm.
The presenter's career began on BBC Radio 1 before he became a household name on television, most famously hosting Deal or No Deal for a decade until its cancellation in 2016. He later participated in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here in 2018, making headlines as the highest-paid contestant but being voted out first.
Edmonds has faced personal challenges, including a suicide attempt in 2005 after the collapse of his production company due to fraud. He has four daughters from a previous marriage and has been married three times.
