Australian comedian Celeste Barber has risen to a personal challenge set by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and announced a tour of Aotearoa.
Barber is bringing her Fine, Thanks show to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington in May next year.
It's said to explore topics including celebrity sex toys, why hot girls can't dance and "the giddy euphoria and brutal devastation" of being invited to Coachella for the first time on the same year it was cancelled.
"I've been stuck inside staring at a wall for the best part of two years, so trust me when I say I'm ready to pack a suitcase, reacquaint myself with what the inside of a plane looks like and get back on stage," Barber says.
"Everyone in my house is sick to death of listening to me bang on so it's time to find some new ears to chew off. Plus, mama's got bills to pay."
Barber co-starred in an advert with Clarke Gayford last year after having made headlines for jokingly asking Ardern to become Australia's leader amid the country's bushfire crisis.
Then in April, it became clear that Ardern in turn was a fan of the Aussie comic, declaring on Australia's The Today Show: "I personally challenge Celeste Barber to get over here and come and visit us, so we'll see how I go on that."
Barber responded quickly via her Instagram account with a video that had "I'm on my way!" printed in text on the screen.
"Challenge accepted!" she said in the clip, which is also the title of her 2018 memoir and a previous stand-up show.
"I'm totally going to New Zealand. Hi Jacinda!"
Celeste Barber: Fine, Thanks 2022 tour dates:
- Wednesday, May 18 - Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch
- Thursday, May 19 - The Opera House, Wellington
- Saturday, May 21 - Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland
Tickets to Barber's 2022 New Zealand shows go on sale October 26. The tour is presented by TEG Dainty and Michael Cassel Group who strongly advise not to buy from "unauthorised resale scalper websites", warning that doing so puts purchasers at "risk of buying invalid or fraudulent tickets".
