This pod sees me catching up with Lausanne-based Marc Checkley, an Auckland-born writer, host, actor, communications consultant, educator, & WSET-certified wine professional. Marc first left Aotearoa New Zealand in 2000, swapping Papatoetoe for Singapore to work in media education, digital arts, and filmmaking. Since then, his creative life has taken him across Asia and Europe - from newsrooms, studios, and senior television roles, to Olympic Games broadcasting in Beijing, work connected with the legendary Jim Henson, and now Switzerland, where wine, hospitality, tourism, and storytelling have become the next expression of his craft. Our conversation follows Marc through international media, online wine education, and the UNESCO-listed vineyards of Lavaux above Lake Geneva, where he now guides international wine lovers. It’s also a conversation about belonging — and its shadow, not belonging. Marc met and married his husband, Jin, offshore, building a life across countries that did not recognise their relationship equally. We also talk about the Kiwi stories we carry with us: “she’ll be right”, “the smell of an oily rag”, and our sometimes-too-casual way of moving through the world. Marc makes a compelling case that words and stories matter, and that perhaps New Zealanders could stand to revisit some of the things we keep telling ourselves about ourselves. A huge thanks to Marc for his candour, energy, & generosity. This was a rich, funny, thoughtful, and at times provocative conversation with another Kiwi Flee doing fascinating work in the world. Further details on Marc Marc Checkley has worked across Asia and Europe with major media, tourism, hospitality, and commercial brands, and now helps organisations, destinations, and individuals tell better stories. Alongside his storytelling and consulting work, Marc hosts bespoke wine experiences, judges at international wine competitions, writes for publications including GaultMillau, Time Out, and Decanter, and is an adjunct lecturer at Les Roches Hospitality Management School. He is also a UNESCO World Heritage Guide in Lavaux, co-author of The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide to Switzerland, and a finalist in the 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards 2026. You can find Marc here: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/spillthestory Email: me@marccheckley.com Wine Experiences: @drink.moi Support the show If while listening to Kiwi Flees you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “Someone really should give this guy three dollars,” I bring great news. You can now be the someone you’ve always dreamed of by clicking on the support link above. But if money’s tight, please don’t - listening to and sharing the show is hugely appreciated. On behalf of OFNZ, thank you for listening and sharing the pod. My huge thanks to the Kiwi Flees for candid conversations, and to my sound engineer Robbie Mulligan and the team at Matrix Digital (Wgtn). Thank you, too, to Kea for promoting the pod. If you're a Kiwi Flee or know someone who should be, please get in touch at: kiwiflees@onlyfromnz.co.nz Please subscribe, leave a review, and join me in a fortnight for our next episode.
