Fresh-faced at 49, Melodie Robinson slides into shot with her hair in a tumble of curls and the family's German shepherd Basil Brush darting around.
"Woo, I thought it was a phone call, not Zoom," she laughs, although she needn't have worried. The Black Ferns legend is effortlessly gorgeous without the help of make-up - quite possibly like her late mother Patricia Long, who Mel gleefully tells me was known as "Trish the Dish".
Mel is bursting with energy during our interview and clearly not one to let the grass grow under her feet. She sports an impressive CV- as well as having been a fiercely competitive flanker for our national women's rugby team, she's scored a Bachelor of Physical Education, majoring in Sociology of Sport, and later went on to complete her MBA.
She is also a journalist and worked the Parliamentary Press Gallery for Mana News, before becoming rugby's first female commentator - perhaps the thing she's most proud of. Right now, as well as serving on numerous boards, she is the General Manager of Sports and Events at TVNZ.
A self-confessed workaholic, Mel finds it hard to say no, although she's trying to rein herself in with the help of her mates. "My friends tell me off," she confesses.
However, they didn't succeed in stopping her from throwing her hat in the ring for the new season of Celebrity Treasure Island. In the press kit, Mel's quoted as saying, "I hate camping, so that's going to suck." Yeah, good luck with that!
She's joining, among others, Dame Susan Devoy, comedian Mike King, former Shortland Street star Lynette Forday and All Blacks legend Ron Cribb. "But why?" I ask.
Esta historia es de la edición October 2022 de Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 2022 de Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
BATTLE FOR THE THRONE
As word of a judgement leaks from the courtroom where the Murdochs have been tussling for power, those close to the throne suggest that the battle for the world’s most powerful media empire has only just begun.
AFTER THE WAVE
Twenty years ago, the Boxing Day tsunami tore across the Indian Ocean, shredding towns, villages and holiday resorts, and killing hundreds of thousands of people from Indonesia to Africa. Three survivors share their memories of shock, terror and loss with The Weekly.
Escape to the country
Raised in New Zealand, design icon Collette Dinnigan opens the doors to her family homestead, where treasures from her travels rest side by side with the sights, sounds and style of her Australian life.
Ripe for the picking
Apricots are at their peak sweetness now, take inspiration from our savoury and sweet ideas.
Grill-licious
The backyard barbecue has come a long way from the days of chargrilling some snags. Try our fresh batch of recipe inspiration for your next cook-up.
Reclaim your brain
Perimenopause made me realise that our brains need looking after.
Long and the short of it
If youre considering a chop and change, this is how to nail a hair transformation.
Have we lost the art of conversation?
In a world of thumbs-up emojis and one-way voice memos, are we forgetting how to converse? The Weekly engages in an experiment in listening and genuine two-way chatting.
Farewell, 1936-2024 Maggie T
At Lhe Weekly Maggie labberer was and remains our guiding light the epitome of elegance with a whip-smart intellect, naughty sense of fun and innate kindness. She was a one-off.
MEL SCHILLING Cancer made me look at myself differently
One year on from going public with her bowel cancer diagnosis, Mel Schilling reveals where she's at with her health journey and how it's changed her irrevocably.
