Noel Edmonds has revealed he and his wife Liz Davies were forced to “grab their dogs and flee” their home in New Zealand after a powerful earthquake shook their 800-acre estate.
The former Deal or No Deal presenter, 76, now lives in the scenic rural town of Ngatimoti, where he and Davies have built a new life far from the British spotlight.
Their sprawling estate, River Haven, includes a vineyard, pub, restaurant and wellness centre, but idyllic surroundings haven’t shielded them from the country’s wild weather.
He revealed they’ve endured three earthquakes since moving to the South Island, with one in particular causing them to flee their home.
Speaking to The Sun, Edmonds described the terrifying moment the ground began to shake beneath them: “During the first one, we were sitting outside with a glass of wine, and I noticed the surface of the wine rippling.”
“That was a mild one. The biggest one really shook the house — the cutlery drawer rattled, and Liz and I each grabbed a dog and ran outside.”
Fortunately, the property escaped without any structural damage.
Adding: “But, yes, earthquakes — and a dormant volcano just up the way. At least, we hope that it's dormant.”
The veteran broadcaster also described the dramatic landscape as having “an attitude,” citing fierce winds, fallen trees, torrential “tropical rain” and landslips as regular challenges.
The couple’s move Down Under is now the focus of a new ITV documentary, Noel Edmonds’ Kiwi Adventure. The series follows Edmonds’ life since relocating to New Zealand in 2018, where he and his other half have swapped studio lights for farm life.
Edmonds recently shared that every clock in his home is permanently set to 11:06, a symbolic tribute to the moment his life changed: the exact time he met his wife Liz on 6 October 2006.
“If you spot a clock stuck at 11.06 in our house, it’s not broken,” Edmonds explained in a preview for the new show. “That was when my earth angel walked into my life.”
Davies, 55, was a makeup artist on Deal or No Deal when they first crossed paths. Despite two previous marriages and vowing never to wed again, Edmonds felt an immediate connection.
“Before I even turned, I sensed her energy,” he recalled. “Seeing her was like a lifeline. She’s the energy that sustains me.”
They married three years later, in 2009, and Edmonds describes their bond as unbreakable.
“You will never pull us apart,” he said. “Finding something like this is a gift, a gift from the cosmos. That’s why the clocks stay frozen at that time.”
Davies joked: “Someone had to look after him. I’m just doing my bit for the community.”
