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195
The Ego has Landed
Paul Holmes on Paul Holmes
“Magazines . . . are not allowed to publish anything motivated by malice.”
This is double-speak for covering up the worst indiscretions.
Paul lives his life through women’s magazines,
and what they couldn’t publish, he did.
What he didn’t publish, we did.
In 1991 Paul Holmes and Hine Elder went to Washington. At the
time Paul was still an alcoholic. By May 1997 they had been married
six years. Hine was studying hard in her fifth and final year at medical
school. Hine wanted Paul to get counselling, to open up, as he was
incapable of intimacy and love, and they hadn’t had sex in a very long
time. Paul had a huge mortgage and was not performing.
Fleur Revell had been working in the TVNZ newsroom for a matter
of weeks and had won two Qantas Media Awards. They met in May 1997.
Paul was married and Fleur was living with a man. They met at nights
on the waterfront in Paul’s car. Fleur always turned up in gym clothes
as was her cover. After three weeks they were at it like rubber dogs.
As soon as Paul got back from the British handover of Hong Kong
to China, Hine said she was going out and had left her kids with their
babysitter, the gay-in-denial actor, Simon Prast. Paul went and saw
Fleur Revell.
In July 1997 Paul and Hine and children went to Fiji. Hine asked
Paul if he was having an affair. Paul said ‘Yes’ and gave a false name.
Hine said she could not live under the same roof and Millie told her
stepfather he could go and live with his girlfriend, but they would get
the house.
Paul Holmes had his first beer in June 1997 after five years. It was
the third drink of his marriage. Prior to marriage he had been a chronic
alcoholic frequenting AA meetings.
Paul Holmes, Holmes, Hodder Moa Beckett, Auckland, 1999, p. 251.
Ibid, p. 218.
Ibid, p. 241.
Ibid, p. 246.
Ibid, p. 247.