Hayley Holt's UK Visa Panic

Hayley Holt will be hoping she can put a rush on her visa application to allow her to take advantage of her new role as a professional on Strictly Come Dancing. She needs a work visa to permit her to work in the UK and it can take several weeks for visas to be approved. Word has it she’s hustling to make it happen before she’s due to arrive.

Until then she's based at the Snow Park in Wanaka where she teaches the Snow Girls NZ camps to help train up-and-coming snowboarders. Hayley is a past New Zealand snowboarding slalom champion.

Strictly Come Dancing is expected to kick off in mid-late September 2008, but Hayley will need to have her stilettos strapped on by early August to participate in pre-show publicity and rehearsals with her celebrity partner. She'll be parted from her lover Richie McCaw during her stint on SCD. She might also have to leave her beloved jandals behind in New Zealand if she aims to impress the UK public.


Speaking of publicity… It doesn’t hurt that she’s dating the All Blacks captain, which will be great publicity as the Beeb cranks the promotion mill. The pair have been dating for a year, and recently moved in together.

There has been speculation in message boards in the UK and US that Hayley’s inclusion has more to do with potential showmances than her dancing ability – much to the disgust of loyal Kiwi supporters who believe she’s got the dance and choreography skills to shine. She’s also ultra competitive – as her Treasure Island win proved – and will go the extra mile to win the competition. Hayley beat rugby league and boxing hero Monty Betham proving her prowess in physical and mental contests, and is definitely tough enough to handle the 16 week dancing contest. Monty was runner up in the 2008 season of Dancing with the Stars.

While she may not stray from her hunky rugby lover, Kiwi gals will be praying absence makes the hands wander and puts eligible bachelor Richard (Richie) McCaw back on the market. The pin up is very popular with the ladies, and has a bank balance to match his studliness. The 1.87 metre tall (6'2") hunk has the unlikely nickname of Fluffy. If anyone knows how he got the nickname please satisfy our burning curiosity and post in the comments!

Update: The nickname comes from his hair, which apparently gets "fluffy" if he lets it grow longish.

Richie has turned down opportunities to appear in DWTS, but hasn't ruled out participating in future seasons.

The sporting millionaire is rumoured to earn around NZ$600,000-700,000 per annum as the All Blacks rugby caption and also has a rugby contract with the Crusaders. The minimum payment is $200,000 yearly but McCaw would earn considerably more as a high profile player. Add in lucrative endorsement contracts with the likes of Westpac bank which is thought to be worth around $200,000. Plus he's a nice guy. Sigh. Some girls have all the luck.

See what their children might look like...


Photos: TVNZ

Hayley Holt Confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing + Photos

All Black captain Richie McCaw’s girlfriend Hayley Holt has been confirmed as a professional dancer for the 2008 series of UK celebrity dance show Strictly Come Dancing.



Hayley is a popular pro on the New Zealand version of Dancing with the Stars, not only for her lithe body but also for rumours of romances with Olympic gold medal swimmer Danyon Loader and former Tall Black and morning television host Brendon Pongia.

Hayley partnered muso Peter Urlich in the 2008 season of DWTS, but they were the second contestants to be eliminated from Dancing with the Stars.


Hayley also took out the title on Celebrity Treasure Island: Pirates of the Pacific and has been named New Zealand’s sexiest woman in an online poll.



According to Sunday Star Times, Hayley didn’t make the initial cut in her audition for SCD, and nor did two-time New Zealand Dancing with the Stars winner Stefano Olivieri.

Stefano had been talking grandly about entertaining offers for a UK dance show, but it seems his enthusiasm may have got ahead of the facts. Does that sound familiar to anyone after Stefano claimed to be the only professional to win back to back DWTS titles?

Stefano’s dance partner Natalie Lowe did make the cut, but pulled out, leaving an opening for The H-Bomb. Hayley will be replacing Nicole Cutler, who was unexpectedly dropped from the line up.

Hayley can expect a healthy bank balance at the end of the three month season. The professionals each take home £30,000 (approximately NZ$78,600) for their efforts over the 14 week period.

The UK show screens two nights a week with a separate elimination show where the professionals perform exhibition dances. There is also an opportunity to boost the pay cheque with the Strictly Come Dancing Tour which travels the UK after the television season ends.

Kiwi Brendan Cole is also confirmed for the sixth season of SCD.

Photos: TVNZ

Lovebirds Hayley & Richie to Shack Up

Dancer and pro snowboarder Hayley Holt is moving into boyfriend Richie McCaw’s Christchurch pad.

The lovebirds have been dating since June 2007, when their agents arranged for them to see the premiere of movie Ocean’s 13.


Related Stories:
Check out what Richie and Hayley's children might look like.

Hayley Holt for Strictly Come Dancing

Hayley Holt has set her sights on extending her television career. She told Woman’s Day that she’s been trying out for auditions and taking a presenting course to further her ambitions.

She’s not the first dancer to look to presenting as a career. Brendan Cole has said he’d like to be a television presenter, and has his own reality show set to start next month as he auditions dance partners. Aaron Gilmore does public speaking and MC work and his continued chattiness during this season of Dancing with the Stars gave us the hint that he might like to see more of the limelight, too.

Hayley says,

I’ve done a couple of auditions, so whether they turn up trumps, you never know. I really enjoy being on TV, it’s really cool.

Given that Hayley is blonde, toned, talented and smart, plus backed by powerful agent of Sara Tetro of 62 Management we predict lots of opportunities coming her way.

Botox Bridget reported in last week’s Sunday Star Times that one of those auditions was with the BBC’s production of Strictly Come Dancing, the show that made Brendan Cole a household name. Bridget says that Hayley made a flying trip to London before this season’s Dancing With The Stars and followed it up with a trip to Wellington to catch up with a BBC bigwig visiting our local show. However, she may have competition from Lauren de Boeck who was also seen chatting with Mr BBC.

One show Hayley says she doesn’t want to be part of is the ‘Hayley and Richie show’. She says she’s been blown away by the attention boyfriend Richie McCaw gets, but wants to make her own way “without riding on his coat tails”.



Photos: TVNZ

Peter Urlich and Hayley to Waltz again

Peter Urlich tells this week’s NZ Woman’s Weekly that his wild days of boozing and drugs are behind him. He said he got his first wake up call at the age of 38 when he had a heart attack despite having what he describes as a lean mean body without any fat.

While on the subject of his modesty, metrosexual Peter attributes his youthful looks to his Maori-Croatian genes and daily moisturising. Tina Cross is also Maori-Croatian descent, so there might be something to that.

Peter’s next shock came when his partner Danny Beh, kicked him out after he went out on a bender. She gave him a second chance and he’s been on his best behaviour ever since. They have two children, Joe (5) and Stan (2).

Peter will be back with The H-Bomb to perform their waltz on the final of Dancing with the Stars, but if you’d like to see them live you can catch Hayley Holt and Peter reprising their waltz at Westmere’s Little Day Out on Saturday 5th April 2008 from noon to 6:00pm.

Also performing are Pop’s Ultimate Star judge Jordan Luck, The Darlings (which includes ex NZ Idol judge Jackie Clarke) and Don McGlashan. The Little Day Out is a biennial school fundraising event hosted by Westmere School in Auckland. TV3’s Mike McRoberts will be the MC.


Photos: TVNZ

Peter Urlich Says DWTS Judges Too Harsh

Yet another eliminated Dancing with the Stars is having a serious case of sour grapes, but he does have plenty of nice things to say about his dance partner Hayley Holt and her boyfriend Richie McCaw.

Last week China Girl Geeling Ng complained that the judges were too harsh and stomped on her feelings. This week Peter Urlich is singing from the same song sheet, saying

"I saw the replay and I didn't think it was too bad. It wasn't the best tango in the world but it didn't deserve a three.

I felt a bit harshly treated there.

There's a way of getting people to work with things, as opposed to comparing them to planks and horses." [But it wouldn't be half as much fun for the viewers]

Clearly Peter was imbibing while he watched the replay.

As tangos go it was appalling. The only positive thing you could say about it is that it was in time, but it wasn’t even remotely a tango. It looked more like he was tiptoeing around for fear that Richie McCaw might thump him for being so close to his lovely girlfriend Hayley Holt.

Compared to Rodney Hide and Tim Shadbolt’s efforts it was reasonable but by any objective standard of tango dancing it was a shocker.

Peter went out and partied after the elimination with some of the cast and crew, and Richie tagged along.

Urlich joked he hoped to win some extra votes, thanks to McCaw's front row support.

You needed more than that, Peter. You needed to do a Marty Moobs Devlin and surprise us with an improvement on the previous weeks.

McCaw, Urlich said, was supportive but would leave the dancing to Holt.

"He certainly doesn't want to sign up," Urlich said.

"He'll concentrate on the ruck and maul."

Urlich told TVNZ that doing Dancing With The Stars was a great experience and he did it to challenge himself. Well, hello. Wouldn’t part of the challenge be taking on feedback from international dance experts?

However, he did say that being on DWTS consumed him and in some ways he’s glad to have his life back.

We’re not sure if he was joking, but he followed in Suzanne Paul’s stilettos by suggesting that he did it for the money and to get publicity for an aging rocker. We presume that’s part of his ironic humour.

Asked what sort of chocolate bar Hayley Holt aka The H-Bomb would be he says fruit and nut. He also describes her as a kind, generous, warm-hearted person. Awww.

He said that he was conscious of the fact that he was dancing with Richie McCaw’s girlfriend (especially with him in the audience in the last episode) but that both Hayley and Richie were cool about it.

Peter is picking Temepara George and Miriama Smith to make it to the finals.


Photos: TVNZ

Hayley Holt & Richie McCaw in Love

We've kept you posted on all the gossip on NZ's most gorgeous new couple, Hayley Holt and Richie McCaw, from their first date to their rambles around the country as the loved up twosome were spotted at parties in Auckland, surfing in Raglan and dining out in Queenstown. Now, they've been spotted near Hayley's Auckland home, looking very much in love.

According to the Woman's Day the pair snatched a romantic weekend together at Hayley's apartment a couple of weeks ago, and decided to make the most of their time by staying in. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. They have been spending as much time together as possible in the last eight months, and Hayley and Richie spent Christmas and Richie's New Year's Eve birthday together at his family home in rural Oamaru.

The pair are expected to be apart until mid-March while Richie plays in the Super 14. However, with Hayley's commitments to Dancing with the Stars, and Richie's rugby training commitments, they may still struggle to spend time together. Of course, if celeb partner Peter Urlich waltzes out of the competition in the first couple of weeks Hayley's time may free up...

Check out what their children might look like...

If you enjoy reading this blog, please vote for us in the
Best Blog category of the NetGuide People's Choice Awards

Photos: Woman's Day

Dancing With The Stars 2006 Recap

We continue our recap of past seasons of Dancing with the Stars.

In the second season of DWTS (2006) the former boss of WINZ, Christine Rankin and partner David Yeates were first to go. She had the legs, she had the earrings, but she couldn’t win the public vote.


Coast to Coast champion Steve Gurney hoped learning to dance would give him confidence for dating, but it was probably his chest wax, that sealed his fate, seeing Steve and Sharan Phillips the second pair to go home.



David Wikaira-Paul and Rebecca Nicholson showed a lot of promise with energetic routines but went home from the competition early despite entertaining performances.



Another Shortland St actor quickly followed. Christened a Yummy Mummy by host Jason Gunn, Angela Bloomfield showed her flexibility doing the splits in her routine with partner Jonny Williams.



Despite poor rhythm and an inability to master basic Ballroom or Latin dancing steps Rodney Hide continued in the competition by spending most of his time campaigning for votes.


He was nicknamed the dancing potato and dropped his patient partner Krystal Stuart on her head during the now famous spear tackle move but he kept smiling, and went on to continue losing weight after the competition taking up swimming and running.



Swimmer Danyon Loader was paired with Hayley Holt sparking rumours of on-and-off stage chemistry. Labelled a ‘ballroom boy’ by judge Alison Leonard, Danyon finished third in the second season of the show.




Discus champion turned television presenter Beatrice Faumuina partnered with Brian Jones was an early favourite and widely tipped to win the competition. She had superb characterisation of the dances but in the latter stages of the competition, did not achieve the same levels of technical performance.

Brian created fun routines for Beatrice and in the Jive pretended he was about to lift Beatrice, and then got flipped by her!


Lorraine Downes and Aaron Gilmore were crowned the 2006 winners of Dancing with the Stars winning both the judges’ scorecard and the public vote.







Related Stories:
Dancing with the Stars 2005 Recap
2007 Best & Worst of Dancing With The Stars Awards
Click here for the full line up of dancers and celebrities for 2008 Dancing With The Stars

Photos: TVNZ, Scoop

What will Richie and Hayley's Children Look Like?

New Zealand's hottest couple du jour are Dancing with the Stars professional Hayley Holt and All Blacks captain Richie McCaw.

We've been following the romance from their first date, so for a bit of fun we thought we'd put their photographs together and see what their children might look like.

Richie used to date Miss Popularity winner and So You Wanna Be a Popstar? contestant Jessie Gurunathan who is based in Auckland. At the time of their breakup, they cited the stress of a long-distance relationship as the cause, but it doesn't seem to be a problem for our lovebirds Hayley and Richie. Hayley is based in Auckland and Richie is based in Christchurch.




If you enjoy reading this blog, please vote for us in the Best Blog category of the NetGuide People's Choice Awards


Photos: TVNZ

Hayley Holt & Richie McCaw meet Bon Jovi

Sigh. Not only does Hot DWTS dancer Hayley Holt get to date New Zealand’s most eligible bachelor, Richie McCaw, but she also gets to cuddle with the perennially young John Bon Jovi.

The young lovers got to meet Bon Jovi band members before their Christchurch concert. Richie who was recently runner up in M2 Magazine’s Man of The Year, is apparently a huge fan of Bon Jovi, and gave Jon Bon Jovi signed Crusaders and All Blacks jerseys and a rugby ball.

All Black captain Richie invited girlfriend Hayley on a date (via her agent) back in June 2007 to the premiere of movie Oceans 13 and things have been heating up between the couple since then...




If you enjoy reading this blog, please vote for us in the Best Blog category of the NetGuide People's Choice Awards


Source

Hayley Holt Loves her Jandals

This week’s Woman’s Day magazine includes interviews with New Zealand celebrities talking about their summer fashion favourites. Dancer and self-professed tomboy Hayley Holt rounds up the line up in her daggy baggy ensemble describing herself as a lover of kooky clothes.

Thrifty Hayley purchases her clothes from recycle shop Save Mart and currently has a pair of boots on layby. This explains why Hayley’s clothes so often look like hand-me-downs and K-Mart specials, earning her a mention in our Worst Dressed awards. Miss Prozac wonders what happened to the $50,000 she won on Treasure Island as it’s clearly not being spent on her wardrobe. Hayley rates her jandals as the best thing in her wardrobe and loves comfortable baggy clothes. Does she not realise it is possible to be both stylish and comfortable?

But for all that, Hayley Holt gets a big thumbs up from Miss Prozac.
She is beautiful, talented, ambitious, intelligent and she knows how to budget which seems a rarity in celebland, when you consider that Karl Burnett, Suzanne Paul and Brent Todd have all declared bankruptcy in the recent past. You also have to admire a celeb that is comfortable in her own skin and doesn’t feel the need to impress with a fancy wardrobe and layers of makeup. Mind you, Miss Prozac suspects having Richie McCaw warming her sheets, probably does a lot to boost the self-esteem.

Photo: Norrie from The A-List

Best & Worst of NZ Reality TV 2007

We look back on Reality Television in 2007. Find out who are the best and worst in NZ Reality TV. Who is the biggest media whore? Who is the least smart celebrity? Which gossip was hot in 2007 and which shows and presenters are the best and the worst?

Favourite New Zealand Reality TV Show
Dancing With The Stars. Gorgeous frocks, C-List celebs horizontal tango dancing by night and dropping each other on the dance floor by day. Need we say more?

A special mention also to My House My Castle Builders' Wives which followed the story of builder Cocksy (John Cocks) and his wife as they renovated their home.


Worst New Zealand Reality TV Show
Neighbours at War


Favourite International Reality Television Show
How to Look Good Naked – restores esteem to a bunch of lovely lasses with big asses


Best Blonde Moment
From psychic detective Kelvin Cruickshank “Sometimes I have to touch people to make sure they’re real or not”

A special mention also to Nicky Watson for these gems

• “You’re hoarse. No, a dog.”
• "I don't seek media attention"

The Keeping It Kiwi Award
Goes to Maori Television for supporting new Kiwi talent, our Tall Blacks and of course the “Aunties”. Unfortunately, Maori TV made the decision to can the popular Aunties and their Manglish show (Maori-English) because it didn’t meet their Te Reo requirements. Ask Your Aunty and other Manglish shows were attracting non Te Reo speakers who were getting exposure to Maori and giving them the opportunity to learn a few key phrases in a fun environment.


The Keeping It Indian Award
Goes to Marc Ellis, Nick Dalton and Ben Hickey for announcing that new venture Mintshot is supported by a team of 20 in India.


Hottest Romance
Dancer Hayley Holt and Brendon Pongia All Black Richie McCaw


Yummy Mummy award
Dancer Nerida Lister aka Nerida Jantti now partnered with Shane Cortese


Best Daddy’s Girl Award
Goes to Millie Holmes for following in her father’s footsteps and selling her story to the media, again. And again. And again.


Biggest waste of taxpayers’ money
Whatever Happened To… $1.2 million? Typical Paul Holmes’ enthusiasm dressed up as entertainment


Favourite Kiwi Reality TV presenter
Money Man Brendon Johnson
Honourable mention: Jason Gunn


Worst Kiwi Reality TV presenter
Your Money Sorted presenter Yvonne Hilsz

Dishonourable mention: Dancing with the Stars presenter Candy Lane. Her wardrobe has improved but she still can’t deliver her scripted spontaneous lines.


Best Import
Dancing With The Stars judge and Good Morning panellist Craig Revel-Horwood


Best Export
Dominic Bowden – depending on how you look at it, well done to a popular presenter, or thank gawd plastic boy is no longer polluting our screens


Cringe moment
Nigel Latta’s psychological insights into the lives of the Sensing Murder psychics


Best cat fight
Lots of nominees in this category but the best winner was Lion Man Craig Busch and ex partner Karen Greybrook for the aftermath when Craig copped to assaulting his ex partner after finding her in bed with another couple.

He said he pulled her away and she simply fell on the floor.

However, Karen received a serious head wound, damaged ribs and a fractured back bone. Her doctor told us he examined her after the assaults and he considered Craig’s explanation very “unlikely”.

A dishonourable mention to:

• Deb and Jeremy’s spat at the Qantas Television Awards
• Brendan Cole and Craig Revel-Horwood sniping during Dancing With The Stars
• Aja Rock and Botox Bridget Saunders at the Air New Zealand Fashion Awards

Media Whore award
A toss up between Millie Holmes, Joe Cotton, Suzanne Paul, Nicky Watson and Paul The Gnome Holmes.


Most embarrassing moment
Brendon Pongia and Hayley Holt’s early morning drunken radio interview


Least Smart Celebrity
John Cocksy Cocks for insisting he knew the right answer on Celebrity Are You Smarter Than a 10 Year Old? despite the audience and the precocious 10 year olds telling him he had it wrong. His decision cost his charity Starship $10,000. If only he'd been smart enough to listen ...


Most Controversial Reality Show
Without a doubt goes to Sensing Murder. The skeptics and the believers are still debating the merits of this show and the skill of the psychic detectives.


Best Onscreen Revenge
Jeremy Wells and the team at Eating Media Lunch for mercilessly mocking Deb Webber and the Sensing Murder psychics in their annual awards show. Could this be revenge for Deb’s performance at the Qantas Television Awards?


Best Dressed
Dominic Bowden’s beautiful fiancée Claire Robbie


Worst Dressed Award
Goes to Mark Sainsbury for wearing grandma’s curtains to the Qantas Television Awards.

Runners up:

• Jackie O’Fee and Luke Bettesworth from Does My Bum Look Big?
• Hayley Holt – for a gorgeous looking gal she wears crappy clothes
  

The Heidi Fleiss new business award
Two reality television regulars, Patrina Logan and Marjke King, launched a service matching beautiful models with men, for a price.


Best television freebie
Freeview for allowing those of us who live in areas with dodgy reception to get “crystal clear television” without forking out for a lifetime of monthly payments to Sky Television. You have to pay for a set top box and a dish but after that it's all free.


Related Stories:
The Best & Worst of DWTS 2007
Pop's Ultimate Star: Minties Moments, Scandals and Embarrassments


Photos: Norrie Montgomery The A List

Hayley Holt and Richie McCaw gossip...

It's getting harder to keep the romance between the All Black and The Dancer a secret. Last we heard the pair were hiding out at Raglan, but just last week they popped down to Queenstown for a bit of R&R

LUNCHING at Queenstown’s Tatler last Friday were World Cup-recuperating All Blacks captain Richie McCaw with his squeeze, Dancing with the Stars’ Hayley Holt.

Hayley Holt first made fame for herself on Dancing With The Stars. When a very drunk Hayley Holt and Brendon Pongia gave an early morning radio interview, rumours sparked that the pair were involved in a bit of horizontal tango, but both denied it. Despite this, gossip columnists insisted they had "proof" that the dancing couple were friends with benefits...


Also in Hayley news... During an interview with Lita

Hayley: Wendall, aka Wendy, wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s not shy about letting people know how he’s feeling and wasn’t trying to hide the fact he wanted off. He’s used to 5 star hotels and champagne so being stuck on a deserted island didn’t really bring out the best of him. In saying that though, he was my favourite person on ‘Savage Island’ so I was glad to see him imprisoned there until the end. He was non-stop entertainment.

Lita: What’s the one thing in your handbag you can’t live without? What’s the one thing you can totally live without? And can I have it?

Hayley