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Paul Henry - Source: ONE News -
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Veteran television personality Paul Henry is set to star in a new advertising campaign which will see him follow in the footsteps of Joan Collins and Liza Minnelli.
Henry has sustained his career with an acerbic wit and and now his special blend of meaness will be used by chocolate bar Snickers for its New Zealand campaign.
The star - who previously hosted TVNZ's Breakfast for seven years - will front the new 'you're not you when you're hungry' campaign for the chocolate bar.
The global campaign uses celebrities known for a particular trait as a metaphor.
Other countries have seen Joan Collins, Betty White, Liza Minnelli, Joe Pesci and Aretha Franklin star in the series of ads, which have aired in more than 56 countries.
Henry said he is thrilled to be involved in the campaign, which he said celebrates what he believes is one of his most endearing traits.
"Essentially (it) just allows me to be myself," he said.
"I'm glad to be able to show that meanness can be fun and celebratory, and despite the old adage that it's difficult to do, meanness really does come easy".
Henry said it never bothered him that people thought he was mean.
"I've always been able to laugh at it".
The broadcaster has had many contentious moments in his career and resigned from TVNZ following a suspension over a comment he made about the then Governor-General.
He is now fronting a breakfast programme in Australia which is struggling with poor ratings and recently had its on-air time cut back.
The new advert, which launches on August 25 during the Bledisloe Cup rugby game, is a piece of entertainment in itself, Henry said.
"It's lovely to be involved in a bit of theatre where people aren't taking themselves too seriously," he said.
"I have enjoyed featuring in a campaign that started starring Betty White. It's something of an honour."
Snickers marketing manager Andrea Aguilar said the campaign was developed behind the universal insight that hunger makes a person weak and behave differently.
"What the commercial is trying to convey is that hunger can drastically change your personality," Aguilar said.
Snickers is one of the world's biggest selling chocolate bars.