Life is bags of fun! SUZY'S NEW PASSIONS

The TV favourite gets her kicks from a whole new audience

- Catherine Milford 

Catching up with Suzy Clarkson feels like chatting with a dear friend. The television personality, newsreader, author, and fitness inspiration was a regular in our homes for more than 20 years, hosting shows including Blind Date, aerobic videos New Zealand Fit Kit, and the iconic game show It’s in the Bag.

Her diary looks different these days as Head of Communications at retirement living company Metlifecare. But she has fond memories of the TV career that brought her – and thousands of New Zealanders – so much joy.

“I was so lucky,” says Suzy, 55, who was known by her maiden name Suzy Aiken. “I’d studied as a physiotherapist for three years before cohosting Blind Date in 1991. My life took a major right-hand turn into television and that was that.”

Suzy worked on New Zealand Today in 1992 and her four fitness videos were very successful. But her role alongside Nick Tansley in the third iteration of It’s in the Bag is arguably one of her favourites.

“I was so humbled to be asked to co-host this huge, popular show,” she says. “Selwyn [Toogood] was such an institution. Who doesn’t hear that voice saying, ‘What will you do, Te Awamutu? Is it the money or the bag?!’ It was such a cool programme. Nick was so kind and funny. He had so much experience, which made it easy for me.”