British TV presenter and architect George Clarke says visiting Great Barrier Island was one of the most memorable experiences of his career — calling it “magical,” “wild,” and “a privilege.”
Clarke, best known for Amazing Spaces, Restoration Man, and Old House, New Home, told Mitchell Hageman his latest project Homes in the Wild took him across some of New Zealand’s most remote island communities — including Great Barrier and Rākino — for what he describes as a “travelogue with teeth.”
“All the houses we featured are on islands,” he said. “You’re in very remote locations, so when you’re off-grid and thinking about power and water and drainage and sewage… by default you’ve got to take a sustainable approach.”
The series, which debuts August 14 on Sky Open, also features Clarke reconnecting with his New Zealand-based uncle, enjoying a break at Al Brown’s beachside bach, and soaking up the relaxed lifestyle he says has changed his life.
“I wasn’t born here. I wasn’t raised here. I came here to visit my uncle, but every time I get off the plane I feel like I’ve come home,” Clarke said.
“The air’s clean. The people don’t do drama. They don’t stress. They just live. And their lives are much the better for it.”
Clarke’s trip to Great Barrier also left a spiritual impression. Before filming, he’d been reading up on te ao Māori — and once there, was shown around by kaumātua, Rodney Ngawaka.
“He showed me around the community and the buildings they had, the symbolism in the carvings — how certain birds carved into the timber looked in a direction to offer protection.
“Architecture is such a powerful thing. To see it alive and kicking in Māori culture was a privilege.”
His visit wasn’t exactly low-key. As previously reported by AoteaGBI.news, Clarke raved about the island to his 250,000 Instagram followers, posting shots from The Currach Irish Pub and describing it as “an honour” to be working there.
In one clip, filmed from a bach balcony, he told UK fans: “Oh yeah, I’m still in New Zealand, which is why it’s so ridiculously beautiful.”
Clarke also spent time on Rākino, where he highlighted the restoration of the natural environment around one featured home.
“I saw pictures of what it looked like 20 or 30 years ago. There was nothing. Barren. Now it’s an oasis — beautiful greenery and planting, with a piece of architecture built amongst it.”
While Homes in the Wild is technically about architecture, Clarke says it’s just as much about nature, sustainability, and the emotional connection people form with place.
“Yes, it’s about design,” he says. “But it also felt like a bit of a travelogue. It’s going to be one hell of an advert for New Zealand, I can tell you that.”
It’s not the first time a British property presenter has showcased the motu to the world. Location, Location, Location host Phil Spencer featured Great Barrier in New Zealand’s Best Homes last year — offering UK and Kiwi audiences a glimpse of island living.
But Clarke’s series takes the concept further off-grid, capturing builds that are not only beautiful but deeply embedded in place, culture, and sustainability.
“I’ll be forever grateful to New Zealand for teaching me this calmer, richer way of life,” he said. “It’s another planet, indeed.”
George Clarke’s Homes in the Wild airs Wednesday 14 August at 8.30pm on Sky Open. All episodes will also be available to stream on NEON and Sky Go from that date. The series will screen on Channel 4 in the UK later this year.
