New Zealand television host and politician Lockwood Smith was BOTD in 1948. Born in Paparoa, he was educated at private schools in Auckland, and studied animal science at the University of Adelaide in Australia. After a stint lecturing at Massey University, he rose to public attention in the 1980s as the host of TV quiz shows It’s Academic and The W3 Show, fascinating and alarming audiences with his Ken Doll looks, unflappable demeanour and apparent resistance to the aging process, drawing comparisons with English singer Cliff Richard. A lifelong member of the conservative National Party, he was elected to Parliament in 1984, retaining his seat for an astonishing 29 years. Following National’s victory in the 1990 general election, he was promoted to Cabinet, and appointed Minister of Education. Following a “user pays” model for higher education, he controversially approved increases to student tuition fees, reduced eligibility for student allowances and introduced high-interest loans for higher education. His policies prompted widespread criticism and nationwide protests, making him one of the most reviled politicians in New Zealand’s history. In 1996, he was reassigned to the Ministry of Agriculture and Trade Negotiation, losing his post following the Labour Party’s election victory in 1999. He became the Opposition spokesperson for foreign affairs, commerce and immigration, and was elected Speaker of the House in 2008 after National’s return to power. He resigned from Parliament in 2013 and shifted into diplomacy, serving as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom until 2017. A long-term bachelor, he shrugged off recurring rumours about being secretly gay. Unlike fellow National politician Marilyn Waring, he voted against the 1986 bill to decriminalise homosexuality in New Zealand and the 2004 legalisation of same-sex relationships, only voting for same-sex marriage legislation in 2013 after it was supported by National Prime Minister John Key. In his final speech to Parliament, he expressed regret over opposing homosexual law reform, a statement that impressed precisely no one. In 2009, aged 60, he surprised many by marrying his old university friend Alexandra Lang. Now thankfully retired from public life, he and Lang live on a farm in Kaipara.