Problems beset Leeza Gibbons

Press, 7 December 1987, Page 1

Problems beset Leeza Gibbons

By

SUE LANCASTER

Leeza Gibbons’ return to New Zealand for the summer filming of the promotional video she has been starring in has not been without some problems. While Ms Gibbons flew by helicopter from one location to another last week, the red Volkswagen convertible she had been using in the video slid off a West Coast road. The driver was unharmed in the accident, said the filmmaker, Mr Tony McArtney. However, it could have been a tragedy had some trees not saved the car from falling down a cliff. Ms Gibbons, who co-hosts the American television programme, “Entertainment This Week,” arrived in New Zealand on November 28 for the summer filming of the tourist video promoting the South Island. She was in New Zealand in July for the same film. Two local film makers, Mr

McArtney, and Mr Christian Birch, of Electric Pictures Video Production,, are making the video with the financial backing of Matthews Associates, Ltd, of Christchurch. Mr McArtney said from Queenstown last evening, that Ms Gibbons had been working “incredibly hard” under some stressful conditions. They had had bad weather for much of last week and seemed to be chasing the sun round the South Island, he said. “It has meant a lot of unscheduled changes.” The filming had involved a lot of water-related shots and footage of Ms Gibbons driving the red VW convertible. The filmcrew will be in Christchurch tomorrow. Mr McArtney said the Wizard would be involved in some of the Christchurch shots. He suggested that Ms Gibbons might enter into a discussion with the Wizard for the film.