Radio With Better Pictures

Freshly reclaimed from radio, John Campbell returns to old-school, solid TV storytelling.

- Diana Wichtel

John Campbell is back on mainstream television. It’s his natural element. In fact, it’s hard to picture him away from the camera’s gaze, wandering in his immaculate suit, with hair that hasn’t moved for decades, making lonely presenter hand gestures to himself. So, we will no longer be #cookingwithJohn while he broadcasts Checkpoint as no-frills radio, with pictures, from RNZ National.

In television, what goes around keeps going around. Campbell’s mate Hilary Barry wept on 3 News when he left Three after the cruel spectacle that was the annihilation of Campbell Live. Now, she’s hosting Seven Sharp and he’s got some sort of roving brief at TVNZ that may include, who knows, filling in with Hilary on Seven Sharp.

For his first item, he roved to Q+A, where he got an awkward welcome from host Corin Dann. Campbell cracked jokes and put his hand up, possibly hoping for a high five. Dann, instead, lurched back, leaving him hanging. They covered the confusion by making presenter hand gestures at each other. It was like some arcane Masonic ritual.