Whether broadcasting, sharing his uplifting philosophy, MCing an event, or commentating sport, Matt Heath lives to entertain and inform. He loves a crowd and enjoys sharing ideas that leave audiences energised, thoughtful, and optimistic.
Author of the number one bestselling A Life Less Punishing and host of Afternoons on Newstalk ZB, Matt Heath is a dynamic force in New Zealand’s entertainment landscape, known for his sharp wit, fearless creativity, positivity, and boundless energy.
He burst onto the scene in 2001 with the cult hit Back of the Y, a late-night stunt show he created, produced, and starred in. The show’s anarchic humour resonated with audiences, leading to international spin-offs including MTV Europe’s Stunt Night and Balls of Steel, as well as the feature film The Devil Dared Me To, in which he played the lead role of Dick Johansonson.
At the same time, Matt’s band Deja Voodoo broke into the charts with Brown Sabbath and the anthemic Beers. Multiple albums and national tours followed, cementing them as icons of Kiwi rock.
Returning to New Zealand after the birth of his first child, Matt moved into mainstream TV production before finding his true calling in radio. For more than a decade, he co-hosted The Matt and Jerry Breakfast Show on Hauraki, forging a strong connection with listeners through his humour and insightful takes on life. The show’s podcast became one of the most listened to in the country, winning numerous awards available and spawning a live stage show. He currently co-hosts The Agenda, New Zealand’s most popular sports podcast.
In 2024, he replaced Simon Barnett as the host of Afternoons on Newstalk ZB, bringing his unique mix of intellect, humour, and relatability to a broader audience.
A passionate sports commentator, Matt is a founding member of the Alternative Commentary Collective, lending his distinctive style to rugby, cricket, sailing, darts, snowboarding and football.
His influence extends into print, where, after a decade as a columnist for the NZ Herald, he was named the paper’s Happiness Editor, allowing him to explore and advocate for men’s mental health. This work culminated in the release of A Life Less Punishing in 2024, quickly followed by The ACC Almanack.
Matt’s television presence has remained strong, with appearances on Taskmaster NZ, The Project, Have You Been Paying Attention?, The Traitors NZ, Tipping Point, and Game of Two Halves, among others.
He balances his career with family life, sharing his home with his partner and two teenage sons.
As well as Mcing events and running awards ceremonies, Matt is a sought after keynote speaker. Based on the number one bestselling A Life Less Punishing, his energetic presentations focus on clearing the mind to make space for what really matters. Matt shares how ancient philosophy and modern science can help us move beyond anger, worry, fear, and dissatisfaction towards greater contentment and productivity.
Whenever he is on stage Matt is entertaining, funny, and practical, sharing the communication skills of someone who has spent his life behind a microphone.
Talking Points
How to Live a Life Less Punishing
“The quality of our thoughts dictates the quality of our lives” — EpictetusHow to Live a Life Less Punishing
No matter how good we have it, we modern humans find a way to make life more complicated than it needs to be. Based on his number one bestselling A Life Less Punishing, Matt Heath’s energetic presentations focus on decluttering the mind to make way for what really matters. He shares lessons from science and ancient philosophy that help us power past destructive anger, worry, fear, and dissatisfaction towards positivity and productivity in all aspects of our lives.
Key Takeaways:
Expect to learn through humour and insight how to deploy ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience against unnecessary, time-wasting, and stressful emotions. Matt provides audiences with simple real-time tools, rules of thumb, and memorable quotes that help stop the mental wheel spinning and free up that energy to be used in more positive ways — a move away from endless punishing thoughts towards a more focused life.
Matt Heath was keynote speaker at our recent conference. He was entertaining, whilst being vulnerable & giving some real practice advise for managing your mental health. ... keep reading Property Council New Zealand
