Spy: Kerre Woodham soldiers into Christmas after shattering her arm

A recent fall, which saw the full body weight of the Newstalk ZB Mornings host Kerre Woodham land on the point of her elbow and subsequently break it to bits, has the talented broadcaster soldiering on through Christmas.

“It was pretty sore when it happened and now it’s no more than uncomfortable at times,” Woodham tells Spy.

Woodham says she could not be more grateful for the kindness, skill, professionalism and care shown by the team at North Shore Hospital who repaired the break during surgery.

“This Christmas, can we spare a thought for all of the people, the frontline workers, who are giving up their celebrations to look after us and keep us safe,” she says.

The popular host was very glad to be able to get back to work for her final week, which she says was a cracker. It took a village to accomplish getting Woodham back in the studio - she is thankful to a friend who put her up in their Viaduct apartment, which is a short walk to the office.

Woodham’s producer Helen had to put her headphones on for her at every break.

“I could do most things - talk, type, click the mouse - but I couldn’t manage the headphones. Not in your job description, Helen, but thank you,” she says.

Because her broken arm is so heavy, Woodham has avoided malls - all her shopping has been done on Jervois Rd and Ponsonby Rd, where she says staff have done her Christmas present wrapping beautifully. She points out that her own wrapping is so bad that it has always looked like she had a bung arm when gifting.

She isn’t cooking nor doing dishes and is seeing silver linings everywhere because of her injury.

“Christmas Day will be the easiest ever, I think.

“Lunch with the fam and dinner with my friends. No last-minute dashes to the supermarket, no cooking, no stressing over timings, no clean-up duties - although, to be fair, I can unpack dishwashers so I should put up my good arm to do that.”

However, all her plans for the holidays have come unstuck as she can’t drive, so she can’t go up to her place in the Hokianga, as it’s remote and she says she needs a car when she’s up there.

Woodham became great friends with her Dancing with the Stars partner Jared Neame. He and his partner are heading up to the Hoki for a week after Christmas and have said she is welcome to join them.

“If I can swim, I might gatecrash their holiday – which I have done before,” she says.

The effervescent blonde can’t stop apologising for inconveniencing so many people through her injury, although she says she is enjoying taking it one day at a time and moving at a slower pace - which she says is quite lovely.

Reflecting on the year that was, Woodham says this year has been very average, with grim times for so many people - and points out a change of government won’t bring about any quick fixes. But Woodham is grateful that everyone she loves has made it through the year safe and well.

As for next year, she says she has absolutely no expectations.

“I’ll just try to take it as it comes!”