Mike Puru (born 20 August 1975) is a New Zealand TV host and former radio DJ. While previously working at radio station

The Edge David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961), better known as the Edge or simply Edge,McCormick (2006), pp. 21, 23–24 is an English-born Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist, keyboardist, and backing voca ...

from 1995 until 2015, Puru then hosted the first two seasons of ''

The Bachelor New Zealand ''The Bachelor New Zealand'' is a dating game show based on the original US version, '' The Bachelor''. It aired on Sunday and Monday nights on Three. The first season's bachelor was Art Green and the show was won by Matilda Rice. The second seas ...

'' on

Three 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...

. Along with Mel Homer, , he co-hosted the

morning television Breakfast television (Europe, Canada, and Australia) or morning show (United States) is a type of news broadcasting, news or infotainment television show, television programme that broadcasts Live television, live in the morning (typically br ...

show '' The Cafe'' from 2016 until May 2020. Mike also hosts the afternoon show on

The Hits The Hits was a music video channel broadcast in the United Kingdom and Ireland, owned by Box Television. On 15 August 2008 it was rebranded as 4Music. Overview and availability The channel showcased a range of pop centred on chart hits and cur ...

radio station with

Stacey Morrison Stacey Morrison (née Daniels, born 1974) is a New Zealand television and radio host. Morrison speaks fluent Te Reo Māori and is active in promoting Māori language, culture and health. Biography Morrison grew up in Christchurch, New Zeala ...

and

Anika Moa Anika Rose Moa (born 21 May 1980) is a New Zealand recording artist and television presenter. Her debut album '' Thinking Room'', was released in September 2001, which reached number one on the New Zealand Albums Chart and provided two T ...

Early life

On 20 August 1975, Mike Puru was born in Gore, New Zealand. His family lived in the small town of Waikoikoi, New Zealand until he was nine years old. Puru attended St Peter's College in Gore from 1987 to 1993.

Early career and education

Puru started working in radio and television after he finished high school in 1993. Puru set up an hour-long radio show for St Peter's College to present weekly events from Invercargill. Mike also had involvement with the Gore Operatic Society and he played the lead role in West Otago Theatrical Society production of ''Joseph''. During his final year at St Peter's College, Puru became head boy, and then left to pursue his career in radio and television by attending NZ Broadcasting School. He later moved to

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

for seven years and then to

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

Career

From 1995 until 2015, Puru was one of the radio DJs for the New Zealand radio station The Edge. In October 2012, he became one of the inaugural TV presenters on New Zealand's first, but short-lived

Yesshop Yesshop (stylised as YESSHOP) was a New Zealand shopping channel. The channel was based on the South Korean model of home shopping. The channel originally launched in New Zealand on free-to-air television and pay television on 4 November 2013. ...

home shopping channel. A career highlight included interviewing

Eva Longoria Eva Jacqueline Longoria Bastón ( Longoria; March 15, 1975) is an American actress, producer, and director. After a number of guest roles on several television series, she was recognized for her portrayal of Isabella Braña on the CBS daytim ...

live on air during the Hollywood star's brief first visit to New Zealand as a guest of The Shopping Channel. On 7 December 2015, Puru announced he was leaving The Edge, and did so officially on 11 December. He was replaced by Clinton Randell and the station's breakfast show was renamed ''The Jay-Jay, Dom & Randell Show''. In 2016 Puru continued as host for the second season of '' The Bachelor'', but was not selected to host its third season. He was co-host of Three's morning show '' The Cafe'' from 2016 until May 2020. Puru became a host of ''The Hits'' along with

in 2019.

joined the show later in 2019.

Personal life

Puru

came out Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity. Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...

on air as gay in 2010, and shortly after he announced his engagement to his partner of eight years. However, in May 2012 he confirmed the relationship was over.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Puru, Mike 1975 births Living people New Zealand LGBT entertainers New Zealand television presenters New Zealand radio presenters People from Gore, New Zealand Gay men The Edge (radio station) People educated at St Peter's College, Gore

Early life

Early career and education

Career

Personal life

See also

References