Ben Boyce facts for kids

Ben Boyce is a well-known television and radio host from New Zealand. He is also a comedian. Many people know him as the host of popular TV shows like Pulp Sport, Wanna-Ben, and Jono and Ben, which aired on TV3.

Ben Boyce's Early Career

Ben Boyce studied at the New Zealand Broadcasting School. This school is now called the Ara Institute of Canterbury. After finishing his studies, Ben started writing funny radio commercials. One famous jingle he wrote was for Novus Windscreens.

From Radio Ads to Radio Shows

Ben then became a radio announcer. He helped create a show called Pulp Sport on Radio Sport. Later, he hosted the night show on The Rock FM.

Ben Boyce's TV Shows

Ben Boyce is famous for creating and starring in several TV shows. These shows made him a household name in New Zealand.

Pulp Sport TV Show

Ben created and starred in seven seasons of Pulp Sport. This show started as a small project. It was even made in a garden shed at first! But it grew into one of New Zealand's most successful comedy shows. Pulp Sport was shown on TV3, C4, and Sky Sport in New Zealand. It was also sold to Fuel TV and Network Ten in Australia. While working on Pulp Sport, Ben won "Best Comedy Show" twice at the New Zealand TV Awards. In 2009, he also won "Funniest Person on TV" at the TV Guide's People's Choice awards.

Wanna-Ben Adventures

In 2010, Ben created and starred in two seasons of Wanna-Ben. In this show, he interviewed famous international stars. He also tried to be like them. He met actors like Steven Seagal and Henry Winkler. He also interviewed talk show host Jerry Springer. Pop stars Mel B from the Spice Girls and Ke$ha were on the show. Rock legends Alice Cooper and Bret Michaels also appeared. Ben even met wrestler Hulk Hogan and the real Erin Brockovich.

Hosting Music Awards

Ben Boyce hosted the New Zealand Music Awards in 2011 and 2012. He also co-hosted the awards in 2016 and 2017. In 2011, he shaved off his dreadlocks. He did this to raise money for a charity. The charity helped people affected by the Christchurch earthquake.

Jono and Ben TV Show

In 2012, Ben Boyce teamed up with Jono Pryor and Guy Williams. They created a show called Jono and Ben at Ten. This show became very popular on TV3. It was one of their highest-rated shows. In 2013, 2014, and 2015, the show was nominated for "Best Comedy" by the TV Guide's People's Choice awards. Both Ben and Jono were also nominated for "Funniest Person on TV." In 2015, TV3 announced that the show would move to an earlier time slot. It was renamed Jono and Ben and aired at 7:30 PM. The final episode of Jono and Ben aired on November 15, 2018.

Fun Challenges and Projects

Ben Boyce and Jono Pryor often took on funny and unusual challenges together.

Radio Show and Ice Bucket Challenge

In 2014, Ben and Jono started hosting a weekday afternoon show on The Rock radio station. It aired from 3 PM to 7 PM. That same year, they brought 90s hip hop star Vanilla Ice to New Zealand. They did the "Vanilla Ice Bucket Challenge" with him. This involved dumping two truckloads of ice water over them! After that, Ben and Jono hosted a sold-out concert with Vanilla Ice.

Energy Drinks and Lake Crossing

In 2015, Ben and Jono each released their own special Jono and Ben V Energy Drinks. This promotion put them against each other. They had different flavors. There was a competition to see whose flavor was more popular. In September 2015, Ben and Jono sailed a children's bouncy castle across Lake Taupō. This lake is in the middle of New Zealand. The trip was 40 kilometers long. It took them almost 10 hours to cross the lake.

Cook Strait and Bumper Cars

In February 2016, the duo crossed the Cook Strait on a banana boat. They did this after a challenge from a radio host. They also set an unofficial world record. They spent 30 hours in a bumper car at Rainbows End amusement park. This was for the longest time spent in a bumper car.

Tractor Drive and Longest Interview

In 2017, Ben and Jono started working on The Edge radio station. That same year, they drove a tractor over 650 kilometers. They drove from Auckland to Palmerston North. They also broke a world record for the longest TV interview. They interviewed celebrities for over 30 hours!

Recent Work

Since 2020, Ben Boyce and Jono Pryor have hosted the breakfast show on The Hits radio station. They also host a TV show called Dog Almighty on TVNZ 2.

Ben Boyce's Personal Life

In 2008, Ben Boyce married his wife, Amanda, in Fiji. They have two daughters. Their first daughter was born in 2009, and their second in 2011.

See also

• List of New Zealand television personalities