Jon's fertility fight 'I WANT CHANGE FOR EVERYONE'

After struggling to have a family, the TV star’s helping other desperate Kiwis

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Life is busy in the Bridges' household. For funnyman Jon and his wife Gemma, there's barely a moment to catch their breath between playing taxi for son Zeno's many sports, and daughter Romy's jazz and swimming lessons – all while juggling busy careers. And now, with a new arrival in the family, things have become even more lively.

“We've added to the family!” laughs commercial furniture designer Gemma, 44. “We got Ziggy, a furry miniature schnauzer, one year ago. As a result, we're spending a lot of time at the dog park next door.”

A new puppy isn’t the only change this family has experienced in the past year. The closing of Newshub in July meant the end of an era for Jon, 58, after more than 16 years. He was one of their longest-standing staff members from his early days presenting Ice TV, to later producing 7 Days, and executive producing The Project and Paddy Gower Has Issues.

“We knew what we were creating was special and couldn't last forever,” he shares.

“The writing had been on the wall for television for a long time, so when it disappeared, I was sad but not surprised.”

Since then, he’s started Believer Media with Paddy Gower to bring positive news – “inspiration, great Kiwis and just a weekly dose of good stuff” – to New Zealand through the website Stuff.