From dancing, to love songs and being thrown under bus by a former Health Minister: The iconic moments of Ashley Bloomfield's career

  • 06/04/2022

It's official - a household name who has graced our screens since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic won't be doing so for much longer.

The face of New Zealand's COVID response, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield, announced on Tuesday morning he would step down in July.

In the past two years, Dr Bloomfield has been involved in some iconic moments. He became something of a New Zealand figure when COVID-19 arrived on our shores - striking a chord as a reliable, friendly face amid extended periods of uncertainty.

Newshub wraps up the best (and possibly not the best) moments of Dr Bloomfield.

Kiwi writes erotic fan fiction about Bloomfield and PM Jacinda Ardern 

A series of Instagram posts detailing sexually explicit fantasies about Dr Bloomfield and Prime Minister Jacinda Arden by author 'Joan Chick' went viral amid New Zealand's first COVID alert level lockdowns in 2020. We'll leave the rest to your imagination.

Blushing Dr Bloomfield reveals his favourite love song 

During an interview with Three's former breakfast programme The AM Show in 2020, Dr Bloomfield was asked to name his favourite love song - given he had been given so much love himself.

A blushing, stuttering Dr Bloomfield confessed he had a soft spot for a particular Eric Clapton song - although it took him a minute to fight through his embarrassment to name the track. 

"Ah, er... 'Wonderful Tonight' would be my favourite one I think. It means a lot to me from when I just started dating my now-wife."

Health Minister David Clark brutally throws Bloomfield under the bus

Possibly one of the 'not so good' moments, this one. Then-Health Minister David Clark was filmed by a Newshub camera brutally throwing Dr Bloomfield under the bus while standing right next to him after a quarantine COVID testing botch-up. 

The moment went viral and footage of the incident was viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

Many people expressed anger over the incident, with some even buying Dr Bloomfield flowers

Video of Bloomfield singing and dancing uncovered

The first signs Dr Bloomfield had some rather smooth moves on him. In March last year, Newshub uncovered a video of the good doctor not only dancing - but singing too. 

Bloomfield swaps day job for rugby

It seemed fitting a now-national figure should take a break from leading the country's COVID response - even just for a day - and take part in our national game. 

That's exactly what Dr Bloomfield did in July 2020. For the first time in 35 years, he laced up the boots and played in Wellington's 25th annual Parliamentary rugby match. Hundreds turned out to support. 

Bloomfield breaks out dance moves at Super Saturday COVID vaccination event 

Caught on camera with the smooth moves again, Dr Bloomfield was seen taking to the dance floor at an event in Porirua - as part of the Government's 'Super Saturday' COVID vaccination drive to get as many New Zealanders immunised as possible.

Speaking afterwards, Dr Bloomfield said he had been "waiting all day to have a dance out here in Porirua".

Truly a man of many talents.