Kim Hill Announces New Series and Reveals Aversion to Being Filmed

In a column for 1News published on Sunday broadcaster Kim Hill announced her return to New Zealand listeners with a new series while revealing her deep aversion to being filmed.

“I hate it. With every atom of my being. The reason I’m on the radio is because it didn’t have pictures. And now it’s got pictures,” she told RNZ’s Afternoons, 1News reported.

The former host spent 21 years leading Saturday Morning on RNZ. Now, with her new series Kim Hill Wants to Know, she explores longform conversations without scheduling constraints.

“There’s a broadcaster in Britain, a really good guy called James O’Brien. And he does a podcast, which is basically what I do, only he does it much better,” Hill told 1News.

Hill is well known for her extended interviews with scientists, historians, authors, and public figures.

Reflecting on past contentious encounters, Hill recalled a 1993 interview with British politician and author Jeffrey Archer. “I was shocked. I was shaken… and quite terrorised. I mean, he was a terrible bully,” Hill told RNZ’s Bookmarks, according to 1News.

Another notable interview involved British author Tony Parsons, who hung up partway through their conversation. Hill recounted that when The Listener later showed Parsons a photograph of her, he said that he did not realize she was so old.

Hill said that while she is often convinced by her guests and can change her mind easily, exceptions exist. “Except when it comes to Harry Mowbray, who I think is a complete idiot. There’s no way you’re going to change my mind on that guy,” she told 1News.

Alongside her new audio work, Hill shared her current cultural recommendations. She highlighted Olivia Rodrigo’s track ‘What’s Wrong With Me’ featuring The Cure frontman Robert Smith, observing that Smith looks on the video “like he’s been disinterred.”

Her literary picks include Elizabeth Knox’s memoir Night Ma, detailing family calamities and the routine of caregiving, and Olivia Laing’s The Garden Against Time. She also pointed to Tim Winton’s essay collection Songs from the Firefront, noting the author’s strong stance against the fossil fuel industry. In film and television, she highlighted The One about Mathew Perry on Netflix and Apple TV’s The Morning Show.

Disclaimer: The views and cultural analyses presented in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only. Information regarding legal disputes or financial data is based on available public records.