JEREMY'S LITTLE JOKERS Comedy runs in our family

IF HE WANTS A FUN TIME, THE TV HOST JUST STAYS AT HOME!

- Fleur Guthrie

Once dubbed the Godfather of New Zealand Comedy, it’s no surprise that Jeremy Corbett likes a good laugh. The 7 Days host confesses he tried “serious” drama as a youngster – and it went down like a lead balloon!

“When I performed, I didn’t know if the silence from the audience was because they were engrossed or bored,” recalls the dad-of-two. “In comedy, it’s so much easier to know if things are going well. Generally, silence is not good.”

There are, of course, no such dilemmas on 7 Days, where every week the country’s top comedians pit their wits against each other.

“Getting to talk nonsense about the week with your mates is fun whenever you do it,” says Jeremy. “And to get it filmed and be paid is pretty much the best job in the world!”

When the Weekly visits Jeremy, his wife Megan, 45, and their daughters Charlie, 10, and Billie, eight, at their Auckland abode, one-year-old golden retriever Cookie greets us at the gate, keen to see what’s in the make-up artist’s kit.

“I’m surrounded by girls,” laughs Jeremy, 58, with his arm around Charlie, who is cuddling into her dad.

Which begs the question, do they gang up on him?

“No, weirdly, I think Mum gets ganged up on,” he replies.

Megan quickly interjects, “Our daughters are at an age where they still think he’s funny. But with Charlie starting intermediate school next year, that might change.”