Ten hires controversial breakfast host

A controversial New Zealand broadcaster known for a string of homophobic and racist remarks has been hired by Network Ten as their new breakfast show host.

Paul Henry confirmed on New Zealand’s 3News that Ten Network Holdings chief executive Lachlan Murdoch contacted him to offer him the position.

In 2009 Henry said he was “iffy” about a proposed law change to allow gay couples to adopt children in New Zealand and that homosexuality was “unnatural”.

He also said people should not be frightened of saying that homosexuality was unnatural.

“It is unnatural, although homosexuality is through all species,” Henry said on TVNZ’s breakfast program.

“I don’t know if it’s through all species but many, many species. A lot of monkeys are homosexual.

“The thing is, though, if you go to any animal park, and I’ve got to be careful what I say here, but if you go to any animal park, you will find monkeys being filthy with each other.”

New Zealand’s Broadcasting Complaints Authority declined to uphold a complaint about his comments at the time.

No stranger to controversy, Henry previously made headlines after referring to Britain’s Got Talent star Susan Boyle as “retarded” and resigned from TVNZ’s breakfast program in 2010 after calling Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, “Mrs Dickshit” (a mispronunciation of her name).

Henry had come under fire earlier in the month for racist remarks about New Zealand’s Governor-General, Sir Anand Satyanand.

In an interview with Prime Minister John Key, Henry asked if Sir Anand was “even a New Zealander”, before going on to ask Key about his next choice of Governor-General.

“Are you going to choose a New Zealander who looks and sounds like a New Zealander this time? Are we going to go for someone who is more like a New Zealander this time?”

He will host the program with The Project‘s Andrew Rochford and a yet unnamed female co-presenter.