Polly Gillespie

21/10/2025

I never read the comments on clickbait stories about me online. BUT tonight at pub quiz a friend told me (unsolicited) about a comment on a recent story about me in/on The Herald, which was completely weird post anyway, based on a panel comment I made on ZB about possibility of running for office next year. Someone commented that I left my old shoes at a she store when buying a new pair. Of any disparaging comment anyone could make, that really p*ssed me off! I have NEVER left a pair of shoes anywhere. Well not on purpose anyway. 😆

Well my som said,

“Gee Mini! Let it go! People say waaaay worse things about you!”

I replied,

“No. It’s shoes!”

He’s right though. I should let it go. But who leaves their old shoes at a shoe shop? Ok….I feel better now. Thanks for listening.

21/10/2025

Had the best weekend as M.C for The Industry Insiders. Beautiful people can be beautiful inside and out. 🩷🩷🩷

15/10/2025

The joy of family..

Growing up I was fortunate to have a close extended family. I grew uo with my cousins. We were either at My Aunty Heather and Uncle Joe Avisons,roaming around the school grounds at Mangatangi school. Where my hilarious Uncle Joe was headmaster. Or hanging out at our place in Hamilton . At Christmas the entire family would gather at Nana and Pops in Aramoho Whanganui or Uncle Graeme’s up on St. John Hill. I loved our big family get togethers. The Nile Joe made amazing Asian meals that were ever so novel in the 70’s and 80’s. All but one of my cousins were boys, and so I got used to rough and tumble, and becoming a master of cheating at Monopoly. Then feuding with cousin Peter. One of us wandering off in a huff for all of ten minutes.

My daughter’s partner is from Northern Island. His family similarly gather to eat drink and be merry. Last week one of his uncles was here on a work trip. Well, what a time! It was beautiful feeling that warm extended family hilarity and warmth. We now live in a time where we all need connection, but since Covid, for a lot of us the ‘safe places’ have become home. Where going out and meeting new people has become a little trickier. Where the circle has become our own little immediate family. It was truly wonderful to laugh and talk with extended whanau. Delightful to stay up late telling stories, discussing genealogy, and asking new questions of new people. It reminded me of my dad’s family all laughing and talking late in to the night.

I don’t want to be the person afraid to step outside my immediate family circle. How truly blessed was I to find myself swept up in an evening of learning about the bigger family in a much bigger circle? So blessed.,

My genealogy is kinda wild. English,Irish,North Asian, Portuguese,Norwegian and Romani Gypsy. There’s a big old world of family to explore and enjoy. I just need to keep saying ‘Yes’ and boldly going forth.

Sometimes it’s the small steps that lead us to big leaps!

(The gypsy explains a lot!!)

15/10/2025

The further glamorous adventures of me!! 🤦🏻‍♀️

14/10/2025

No cheese! NO CHEESE!!!!

So this is possibly the most contentious debate in NZ. (Other than Vegemite vs Marmite.)

“To cheese? Or not to cheese? That is the question.”

I love cheese, but not in a classic kiwi meal mince pie. I love to lift the lid and have that thin moist (Sorry about the moist) pastry skin delciously exposed . It’s all about the mnce!!! Who the heck added the cheese? HEATHENS! Also…Is it really cheese? So I’m now asking the loaded question. “Should a great kiwi pie be pure mince or adulterated with weird synthetic cheese?”

Do not let me down pie purists! 😂

14/10/2025

Congrats Claire! I got a veryones name put in a hat, and my daughter picked this one!! Thanks so much to everyone who entered. Claire I’ll send you a message and get your details for 🩷😎🩷

10/10/2025

Love these lads!!! 😆

(Yes I talk to birds!) love

08/10/2025

My good friend, and father to my 3 babies, Grant Kereama is now ‘The Coast’ 3-7pm host. He really is so good, and without doubt, The best voice on the radio!! Go Granty!!

08/10/2025

07/10/2025

Tough talking cop and reluctant TV star Graham Bell has died at 78.

I loved Police Ten 7. I guess now that we have so much crime, the show would be impossible to make, or at least 2 hours long 7 days a week. But back when we were all a little more naive, and before we’d heard of ram raids, Police Ten 7 allowed us, as armchair voyers, to sit in a weird wonderment at the darker side of New Zealand. A time when meth was referred to as ‘P’. A time when it was unlikely we knew anyone who would feature in the , “Have you seen this wanted criminal?” Section. (Though Granty and I always watched just in case.)

Graham will be remembered as the towering tōtara with the gravelly voice who referred to the wanted ‘baddies’ as scum,morons,gutless bozos, and dirt bags. Tough, but effective! Did you realise that none of his dialogue was scripted? That is extraordinary. Just ask anyone who works in TV!

He was in the police force for over 3 decades, and was involved in so many of this countries hugest criminal cases. He was our father if our father had no filter, and regularly battled monsters. I’m not sure about you, but he made me feel safe.

What a hell of a character..

Sending much awhi to his family, police mates, TV mates and friends. Indeed a mighty tree has fallen. I hope he’s having a nice cold beer in the police club on the other side..

(Thank you to 1News for the use of the picture)

07/10/2025

Instructions on how to win a free pair of amazing designer sunglasses of your choice in the video! And check out which ones you want at:

www.happytositonyourface.nz

Not a colab. The designer is just a sweetheart. Go on. Stop messing about and just do it!! 😎

04/10/2025

My rather fabulous son, Tom Kereama, is about to star as Gatsby in The Great Gatsby.

“There was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life – it was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person.”
The Great Gatsby opens at the end of this month - and 2 shows have already SOLD OUT. Have you got your tickets? Book now: https://tinyurl.com/TheGG-WRT
Photograph by Alex Rabina.