Landlord's family sample New Zealand life for TV show

A jet-setting landlord from Hurst has taken part in a TV show which gave him the chance to sample a new life down under.

Simon Guile, landlord of the Green Man pub in Hinton Road, applied to take part in the BBC 1 programme Wanted Down Under and cameras started rolling on the home leg of the show in Hurst earlier this summer.

The programme gives families a chance to sample a new lifestyle in Australia and New Zealand and the 38-year-old, who has managed The Green Man since 1998, says he has always harboured a dream of becoming a wine merchant.

Simon, his wife Claire, and daughters Hollie, Isabelle, and Amelie flew to Auckland at the start of October to sample life, work and leisure.

He is keeping tight-lipped on his final decision, so we will have to wait for the show's screening in January, but said that while the lure of life in New Zealand was tempting, the trip had made him realise the importance of family and friends.

He also said he was taking bookings at the pub for Christmas.

"It was definitely worthwhile, but maybe we didn't need to travel thousands of miles to make our minds up," said Simon.

The show is presented by former Pop Idol judge Nicki Chapman and set to be screened sometime in January.