Susan Wood (television presenter)
Susan Wood | |
|---|---|
| Born | New Zealand |
| Occupation(s) | Television presenter, journalist |
| Years active | 1979–2015 (at least) |
| Known for | Host of TV One's Close Up, host of TVNZ's Q&A |
Susan Wood is a prominent television presenter from New Zealand, recognized for her role as the host of TV One's evening news and current affairs program Close Up.
Biography
Susan Wood, daughter of Alex Wood—who formerly served as chief reporter for the Auckland Star—initiated her journalism profession in 1979 at the Bay of Plenty Times. She subsequently advanced to The New Zealand Herald, where she covered court and police matters.
In 1985, Wood became part of TVNZ as a network news reporter and contributor to the regional series Top Tux. She made history as the inaugural Australia correspondent for ONE Network News. Her hosting portfolio includes lifestyle shows like Open Home and New Zealand Living. Additionally, she frequently substituted for Paul Holmes on his program Holmes, and led various other productions such as Frontline, Assignment, Midday, and Breakfast. For two and a half years, she co-hosted Breakfast alongside Mike Hosking before transitioning to anchor Today Live for a two-year tenure.
Wood was honored with a Bravo award from the New Zealand Skeptics in 2001 in recognition of her interview concerning Fiordland moose.
After Paul Holmes exited TVNZ in 2004, Wood assumed his position as presenter of the current affairs show Close Up, which shared a similar format. In 2005, she legally contested TVNZ over a proposed salary reduction exceeding $100,000 and returned to hosting Close Up in 2006 following her successful challenge.
Due to health issues, Wood resigned from TVNZ in December 2006 and underwent surgery to remove a lump from her neck. In 2007, she briefly held the role of general manager at the Takapuna Beach Business Association but departed after one week, citing inadequate funding to fulfill her goals.
From 2013 until 2015, Wood hosted TVNZ’s current affairs program Q&A. She also remains active as an occasional backup talkshow host on Newstalk ZB radio.
In January 2015, Wood sustained a brain injury resulting from a fall at her residence in Auckland.