Gordon Harcourt

Gordon Harcourt has been lucky enough to do a job he absolutely loved – reporting and presenting on Fair Go. He got to help people out of tight spots, confront bullies, and also have the occasional good laugh along the way.

He’s probably best known for being bopped in the face by a car dealer who didn’t appreciate being put on Fair Go. He says it didn’t hurt nearly as much as the cricket ball that knocked him out cold in 1995, but it’s been a great conversation starter ever since.

Back in November 1989 he started work at TV3, the about-to-launch upstart. He was the “lowliest-ranked news gimp in the building”. Since then he’s worked for or appeared on every major broadcaster in NZ and had six fantastic years with the BBC. He remains an avid observer of British politics.

He’s been menaced by thugs in Lagos Nigeria, tramped through muck with the residents of a Moroccan rubbish dump, and lived through and reported on the 7/7 London attacks. Back in NZ he helped change a bit of the Consumer Guarantees Act to better protect consumers, offered advice to countless Fair Go viewers, met far too many very dodgy characters, but met way more really excellent Kiwis from strugglers to CEOs.

Fair Go turned out to be the culmination of his 26 years as a journalist in New Zealand and some interesting bits of the world. He now works as Senior Communications Adviser for the Commerce Commission.

He has three kids under ten, is married to lovely Louise, he’s obsessed with the Arsenal football club (and the Western Springs Grade 6 Lions), and if time allowed he’d play mediocre cricket again. He’s given up running and taken up boxing training. His only luxury is his Economist subscription, and he’s pretty fussy about good coffee.