Jason Manford has shared how a surprise phone call from longtime friend Gary Barlow turned into an unforgettable television trip to New Zealand.
The British comedian, who has known the Take That star for 15 years, was at Keele Services on the M6, between junctions 15 and 16, when Barlow rang with an unexpected invitation.
According to Manford, the eight-time Brit Awards winner simply asked: “Do you want to come to New Zealand?”
Taken aback by the offer, Manford did not need much persuading, replying: “Oh, yeah!”
Barlow, 55, has been fronting Gary Barlow’s Food And Wine Tour on ITV1 since 2024, with previous journeys taking him through South Africa and Australia.
His newest instalment, set in New Zealand and airing today, once again puts the spotlight on Barlow’s enthusiasm for wine and the depth of knowledge he has built around it.
Manford, 45, admitted at first that he knew virtually nothing about wine, but Barlow saw that as part of the appeal. “That’s what we want,” he told him. “We don’t want professionals, we want people to learn while the audience watches.”
From the moment they arrived in New Zealand, Barlow said he could tell the trip would be a memorable one for the two friends, who grew up just 30 miles apart in the North West.
The Mail on Sunday spoke to Gary Barlow about his travel show, ‘Gary Barlow’s Food and Wine Tour’, which spotlights New Zealand. This time, the star is joined by friend Jason Manford
Gary Barlow noted how he was particularly blown away by New Zealand’s resplendent landscapes
Barlow and Manford sampled some of New Zealand’s finest wines during their stay, which included a trip to the Craggy Range Winery
‘All Jason does is talk – it’s great talk, he’s very funny, and I thought, “Well, this is going to be easy for me!” We had the most incredible time.’
Barlow was blown away by the scenery. ‘You’re always adjusting your eyes because you’ve never seen size like this: the big skies, beautiful mountains and amazing coastlines,’ he told The Mail on Sunday. ‘I’ve been telling everybody since to put New Zealand at the top of their list.’
Over a fortnight the duo visited the North and South Islands, taking in Auckland, Queenstown, Central Otago, Marlborough Sounds and Hawke’s Bay.
Barlow says one of the highlights was the awe-inspiring views he, Manford and the crew enjoyed on the 3.5-hour ferry ride from Picton on South Island to the capital, Wellington, on North Island: ‘It was an amazing thing to do. To come out of The Sounds, those big inlets of water, and then cross the Cook Strait is something special.’
High-octane exploits included a Bond-esque zip-line arrival into Waiheke Island’s boutique Man O’ War winery as well as a thrilling 60mph ride through the canyons of Shotover River on a jet-powered boat.
The friends hiked the interiors of Central Otago and watched dolphins dip and dive along the Kaikoura coast while rattling along on the Coastal Pacific railway.
This Southern Hemisphere bromance also saw a jaunt in a gleaming vintage car through Napier in the Hawke’s Bay region and on a tandem bicycle.
‘The crew thought we were going to be terrible at it but we got on and were in sync immediately. It disappointed everyone!’ Barlow says.
The pair also tried a range of different Kiwi foods, including long-finned eel as well as wild venison, paired with beetroot and figs
The 3.5-hour ferry ride from Picton on South Island to the capital Wellington was another of Barlow’s highlights
Did the Kiwis appreciate the pair’s Northern banter? ‘New Zealanders are quite dry, like the British,’ Barlow replied. ‘They share the same humour as us.’
Manford even managed an impromptu stand-up gig in Christchurch. ‘He did ten minutes and it was brilliant to see him doing what he does,’ says Barlow.
The new series features deep dives into wine, including bold reds at Craggy Range, the family-run winery at the foot of Te Mata Peak in Hawke’s Bay.
At chef Ben Bayly’s one Michelin-starred Auckland restaurant Ahi, Barlow dined on seafood delicacy paua (large edible sea snails) as well as wild venison, paired with beetroot and figs.
Elsewhere, the duo also sampled whitebait fritters, green-lipped mussels and Cloudy Bay clams – plus Kiwi meat pie. New Zealand’s culinary recognition is long overdue, according to Barlow. ‘New Zealanders don’t shout about it as much as they should – the food is sensational.’
Where next for the adventurous, wine-loving pop legend? California, Barlow says, and after that perhaps Greece: ‘But we’ll see. The world’s a big place!’
Gary Barlow’s Food and Wine Tour: New Zealand is on ITV1 today at 12.30pm.
