Te Radar MC/Entertainer Profile

Profile

Versatile Award Winning Hybrid Entertainer

Te Radar is one of the most recognised entertainers and personalities in New Zealand. Whether as a stand up comedian, documentary maker or the fusion of both in his keynote speeches, he is as gregarious as he is accomplished. Having won just about every New Zealand comedy award from the Fred Award to the Billy T Award for excellence in comedy, he also has a myriad of accolades in documentary making from the Qantas Awards in Film and Television to the NZ Television Awards. In 2018 he received an honorary Master of Arts degree from Wintec for his contribution to Media and Entertainment. Witty, engaging and well-informed, Te Radar is a sought-after keynote speaker, with an ability to knowledgeably host diverse events across the Agricultural, Engineering, Science, Media, Arts, Medical, Environmental and Academic sectors.

Mission

Te Radar wanted to be a war correspondent when he was a kid. He wanted to tell historical stories he didn’t see being portrayed. Naturally, he went to drama school, coming out full force in the comedy scene before diving into documentary making. In the course of his career Te Radar has dived with sharks, narrowly avoided a rabbit while racing a Formula 3 car at 200kph, plunged into the frozen Ross sea in only a skimpy pair of togs and interviewed Yassar Arafat under the watchful eye of gun-toting Palestinian soldiers.

Te Radar does not profess to be someone on the hero’s journey. He enjoys life, has the ability to say yes to anything and wants to share it all with people. He is a story teller and his goal is to make all his work thought provoking, entertaining and joyous.

Keynote

Taking years of comedy and improv experience and bringing that together with his love for documentary making, Te Radar brings a sense of joy to his keynotes with a delicate dance between irreverence and creating a safe and comfortable space. His testimonials often mention his flexibility, authenticity, and compassion for the audience.

When making documentaries Te Radar is meeting fascinating people doing incredible things and empowering them to feel comfortable to talk by quickly creating a rapport. This transforms his keynote speaking with a personal touch. He is often on the ground with his audience, sitting and chatting with them. He then has the ability to incorporate these conversations and ideas into his presentation bespoke to the organisation. His unique keynotes assert a high probability that what he pulls out of their context will be relevant yet unexpected.

Te Radar emphasises that human stories are universal; we are a species that relate to each other. Using stories he loves, he shares a broader message about life, while being funny, entertaining, and serious when needed, following through on the emotional connection within these stories and leaving his audience heard, uplifted, and entertained.

Pronoun

He/Him

Ethnicity

European

Location

Auckland, New Zealand

Skills

After Dinner Speaker, Comedy Host, Compere/MC, Debator, Judge, Keynote Speaker, Live Performance Host, Mimic & Impersonator, Panellist, Speech Writer

Interests

Adventure, Advertising, Author, Broadcasting, Conservation / Environment, Current Affairs, Fashion, Film & Television, Food & Wine, Gardening, History, Intrepid Travel, Literature / Books, Music, Politics & Advocacy, Quiz Shows, Race Relations, Satire, Stand up comedy, Theatre, Travel

Speaking Topics

additionally has the ability to cater to clients theme/ topic for the event, agribusiness, Business, Motivational Speaker, New Zealand history, “I am New Zealand’s worst television gardener”: how failure equals success, “Potato salad, road rage, and night work”: the less publicised aspects of climate change

Links

Social Links

Event Highlights

2025BallanceEx North Island, Ballance Agri-Nutrients - MC
2025BallanceEx South Island, Ballance Agri-Nutrients - MC
2025Collision Repair Association Conference, Twelve Conference & Events - MC

Testimonials (4)

Saijel Forbes | Event Manager

We had the privilege of having Te Radar as the MC at our recent Tonkin and Taylor Infrastructure Symposium, and we couldn't be more pleased with his performance. Te Radar had an uncanny ability to captivate the audience, keeping everyone attentive, engaged, and intrigued. He summarised presentations in a way that amplified their impact and seamlessly stitched the entire event together.

Beyond his evident on-stage skills, Te Radar was an absolute pleasure to work with off-stage as well. He was approachable, cooperative, and effortlessly adapted to the flow of the event.

In sum, Te Radar added his unique brand to our symposium that was appreciated by our team and attendees alike. We highly recommend him and look forward to the opportunity to work with him again.

Tonkin + Taylor Infrastructure Symposium & Dinner 2024

Tonkin + Taylor