CAROLYN'S COMEBACK 'I PROMISED MYSELF I'D SURVIVE'

Working hard to heal after a traumatic attack, the well-known Auckland host is back on the mic

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Making her return to radio after 20 years away from the job has been a roller-coaster ride for Carolyn Taylor.

Nerves? Definitely. Impostor syndrome? Always! Since she was last on the airwaves, a lot has happened to the former What Now star. She's grown up, got married, become a mother and learnt a lot. In many ways, co-hosting The House Of Wellness on The Breeze is the perfect fit for her.

“We're speaking to people who are at the top of their game and finding out what makes them tick,” says Carolyn, 45, who recently got to interview Dame Lisa Carrington about the morning rituals that help keep her grounded.

“I’ve always been interested in health and wellness, and I’m fascinated by high achievers, how they show up in their lives and work to succeed, so it's great to get access to such awesome people. It's really inspiring."

Her last radio gig, two decades ago, was co-hosting the night show on The Edge with Brad Watson. While she loved the work, she had to walk away abruptly following a traumatic experience that left her struggling.

Carolyn was staying at a friend's bach and the front door had been left unlocked. She woke up to find a stranger in her bedroom.

"I heard the sound of someone sneaking in and shutting the door behind them," she recalls. "I was still hazy and half asleep, but I saw the silhouette of a knife. I had the time to scream before he jumped on me.

Then he was holding the knife to my neck, saying, 'Shut up or I'll kill you.' I couldn't breathe because his hand was over my mouth to keep me from making a sound."

In that split second, Carolyn knew this could be the end.