The former Prime presenter and her husband are anchoring their dreams across the Tasman.

When Kelly Swanson-Roe closes the door of her central Auckland house for the last time, she will call on every inch of her steely resolve to hold back the tears.

The former Prime sports anchor and her media psychologist husband John Aiken are leaving New Zealand to ply their respective trades in Sydney. And while the promise of a fresh start is an exhilarating challenge, it is not easy for Kelly to turn her back on the people who have supported her through trial and tragedy.

But having reached the top of her game, the 33-year-old broadcaster and her equally driven husband are hungry for new challenges, and the fear of stagnation has prompted the move.

There’s another very special reason for their move – babies.

‘We’re both ambitious and want to extend ourselves as far as we can, and we’re on the same page about when we want to have kids,’ John says. ‘We have thought we might start trying in the next two years, so now’s a good time to put our heads down and follow this dream of greater opportunity.’

The idea of following the tide of Kiwis moving to Australia was first raised by John in March this year.

‘I had realised that there was probably a ceiling to what I was able to do in terms of private practice and the media,’ says John, 37. ‘So I started talking to Kelly about the idea of moving to a bigger market.’

Kelly was thriving on the adrenalin rush of live-to-air presenting, a job she has juggled with commitments to the Sky TV travel show Destination New Zealand and Air New Zealand’s inflight entertainment, as well as part-time marketing work for the clothing label Collezioni. But the desire for new opportunities was stirring at the back of her mind.

‘We were both at the stage professionally where we needed a new challenge, so we decided to take the plunge,’ Kelly says.

‘It’s quite scary when you first think about it, leaping into the unknown,’ she muses. ‘We’re leaving behind two really good jobs, a fabulous house and divine friends and my family, so it’s quite a big move to just take off. We didn’t really know where we were going to work or live, but since we made the decision doors have just opened, it’s amazing.’

For Kelly, who launched her career on TV3 and has spent three years at Prime, the chance to work for a bigger network is tantalising. She has meetings lined up with Australian TV executives, and has already started filming a travel show on the Seven Network there. John is marching ahead with plans to open a new practice, write a book and pick up both magazine and TV work.

‘It’s a great way of getting back to basics, opening your own doors and seeing how far you get,’ he says. ‘When we first met each other we had created our own brands over here in New Zealand. When we go to Australia we won’t know anybody and they won’t know us. We’re taking on a bigger market as a team.’

Emotional journey
In Sydney, Kelly will be a small fish in a big pond – and she’s looking forward to a degree of anonymity. Her emotional journey after being widowed at the age of 25, when her first husband Jon Roe was killed in a canyoning accident in Switzerland, is well known in New Zealand. But in Australia, the 33-year-old broadcaster is an unknown, offering her a fresh start.

‘I guess the biggest thing is that I’ve been nurtured along in the public eye,’ Kelly tells New Idea. ‘Everything that’s happened to me has been quite right from the start. I’m looking forward to being anonymous in that way, but at the same time I need to thank New Zealanders for their support. I’ve had some fabulous letters from complete strangers saying, “You’re doing really well! Keep it up!” and “Good for you! Achieve the world!”

‘This is something I really set out to do when Jonny passed away. I thought, I’ve really got to live life now and go for it. I’m not going to be a victim. I’m going to be a survivor. I dug my heels in and worked my butt off to achieve as much as I possibly could.’

Initially Kelly and John – armed only with bags of clothes and their cat Sebby – will stay with friends while they adjust to their new surroundings. A recent trip to Sydney allowed the couple to scout out possible locations both for home and John’s new practice. John already has a few clients on his books – his Auckland clients who regard him so highly that they intend to fly to Sydney for consultations.

Going for good
‘We’ll rent for the first few years then look to buy something,’ says John, who was born in Sydney but has lived in New Zealand since the age of 10. ‘The move is permanent – we’re looking to go for good. I’ve always had the belief that if you want to chase a dream you need to commit to it before you know the outcome.’

Kelly agrees. ‘Doors didn’t open for us until we decided to leap,’ she says. ‘You can’t keep one foot in both camps.’

There’s another reason the pull towards a new life in Australia was too great to resist – it will allow the couple to invest more time and energy into their marriage.

‘I’m just really looking forward to being close again,’ Kelly says. ‘I’ve worked weekends for the past three years so I haven’t seen a lot of my husband. So we’re looking forward to facing the new challenge together.’

It’s not the last we will see of the immaculately presented star. Kelly will return to New Zealand screens for five weeks starting from July. She will be warming the newsreader’s seat while her former colleague and good mate Eric Young is at the Beijing Olympics.

‘When Kelly comes back from her Auckland stint, we’ll spend a lot more time together,’ John says.

‘That’s another reason why we decided to make the move. When you have a partner who’s working in television it means they often work over the weekends. When we cut free from that in the new city there’s a lot of excitement about exploring the place and just being able to spend quality time in the weekends and at nights together.’

Kelly agrees that her busy schedule can be an obstacle.

Start from scratch
‘The biggest challenge for me is finding enough time to spend with John. He is my priority and he absolutely has to come first. Quite often with my work, from the outside, it would seem that he doesn’t. I like to work really hard and then find a block of time where we can enjoy ourselves, by ourselves.

‘We also try to keep things fresh and do things together that we haven’t done before, such as trying a new restaurant or visiting a new place. It keeps things exciting and new.’

Having a new country to explore is part of the allure of this beckoning new chapter, which has the future-focused pair grinning with excitement. Which is not to say they won’t miss New Zealand – Kelly will leave behind her Hamilton-based family and treasured girlfriends while John will be saying goodbye to his own close-knit group of friends.

‘I encourage people to make a change if you’re not happy,’ Kelly says. ‘You’ve only got one shot at life.’

She adds, ‘That’s not to say that we’re unhappy here. It sounds a bit drastic packing up and leaving behind everything you’ve achieved to start from scratch but when you have your partner by your side, it brings you closer with a sense of confidence in the future.’ 

By Trudie McConnochie