Silver Ferns to Breakfast: The Full Jenny May Clarkson Story

Many of you may know Jenny-May Clarkson as the lady from Breakfast TV –but that chapter of her life is just a very small part of the Jenny May story.

After nearly 20 years in media and six years hosting Breakfast, Jenny-May stepped away at the end of 2025 without a clear next move, entering a terrifying new season of her life: uncertainty and reinvention.

This kōrero is 2 and a half hours long… but just scrapes the surface of the incredible life (so far) of an inspirational Kiwi.

We talk about: + Why she walked away from a 20-year TV career. And the impact today from losing a sibling when she was 6 years old.

+ Why she loved playing with Dame Noelene Taurua but HATED her as a coach, And why she hates her Commonwealth Games silver medal (spoiler: its because it’s not a gold one).

+ The intensely personal decision to get her tā moko (kōwhai) and why doing full immersion te reo Māori was the hardest thing she’s ever done.

+ What success means to her now and so much more.

I would love to say this is Jenny-May like you’ve never heard her before, but the truth is Jenny-May is always just Jenny-May – unapologetically herself- unfiltered, honest, warts n all.

I already loved J-May before this…. but this definitely gave me an even deeper appreciation for her.

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*** 0:00 Introduction: Talking about her brother's cancer diagnosis 0:50 Acknowledging Generate KiwiSaver sponsors 1:18 Welcome and background: From netball star to TV host 4:07 Life after stepping away from Breakfast TV 7:09 Coping with uncertainty and finding new meaning 8:25 The reality of balancing family life and mental health 18:18 Embracing change and being comfortable with herself 19:08 Early memories: Growing up in Pīvlle 39:08 Lessons on mindfulness and te reo Māori 45:50 The challenge of full immersion te reo Māori 55:43 Reflecting on personal growth through experiences 56:25 The personal significance of her tā moko 1:08:20 Early days and lessons in the New Zealand Police 1:13:04 Dealing with trauma and dark humor in the force 1:22:31 Dealing with public perception and focusing on personal life 1:23:13 Getting the call up for the Silver Ferns 1:41:33 Experiences on Treasure Island (2005) 1:48:16 The intense reality of hosting Breakfast TV 1:53:12 The importance of research and curiosity in journalism 1:56:13 Working with John Campbell 1:56:55 Reflecting on her book Full Circle and vulnerability 2:09:52 Defining success: Flipping the narrative and appreciating the moment 2:13:24 Reflecting on personal pride and the next season of life 2:16:50 The power of journaling and gratitude 2:21:25 Having uncomfortable but necessary conversations 2:25:04 Words she wants friends and family to use to describe her 2:28:10 The constant drive to get better and be a better person 2:30:10 Final reflections