Coast lauded on American tv

07 May 2024
Greymouth Star
Reefton has been received a big plug on American television on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert thanks to guest, New Zealander Phil Keoghan.

Keoghan, who fronts the long-running television show The Amazing Race, was born near Christchurch. He has previously revealed he has strong memories of the time he spent with his grandparents in Westport.

On Friday, he was on the Late Show talking about Reefton, the West Coast, and his upcoming new show Buckit, where he traces his family roots back to the West Coast.

Keoghan described Reefton as “like the last true town of New Zealand”.

“You’ve got to come up with a promotional tag,” he laughed.

Having traced his family roots, he discovered his ancestors came to Buller to escape the Irish potato famine. His greatgreat grandfather started off with a farm there. Keoghan was in Reefton and Buller recently and had “the best time”.

“I have been to the most incredible places on earth and been bored … New Zealand (though) is home, family, kindred spirit.”

Host Colbert, who has visited previously, said he was smitten with New Zealand. “They make everyone else in the world seem like complete jerks. I’ve been several times, and would go back in a minute.”

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