{"id":420352,"date":"2026-05-10T03:41:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T03:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/420352\/"},"modified":"2026-05-10T03:41:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T03:41:08","slug":"david-lomas-inside-the-life-and-reunions-behind-breakthrough-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/420352\/","title":{"rendered":"David Lomas: Inside the life and reunions behind Breakthrough series"},"content":{"rendered":"

The pair took in incredible views along some fairly precarious bluffs and immersed themselves in the African wilderness, where they saw among many animals, lions, rhinos, elephants and a solitary leopard roaming freely through the untouched savannah. <\/p>\n

It was Clarinda\u2019s first time there. Her highlight was going on safari to Chobe National Park in Botswana and Mukuni Village in Zambia, where 8000 people live in thatched huts, most with no electricity, no running water and no sewer system.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe kids there were delightful \u2013 and I couldn\u2019t help myself checking their ability to count,\u201d tells the primary school principal.<\/p>\n

And David\u2019s highlight?<\/p>\n

\u201cJust having her along with me,\u201d he grins. \u201cI had been to Africa before, but seeing it through Clarinda\u2019s eyes made it for me. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just the most perfect scenario \u2013 I was filming for my new series, and the guy I was reuniting with family in South Africa could only get leave from work between Christmas and early January. <\/p>\n

\"DavidDavid Lomas with Clarinda. Photo \/ NZ Woman’s Weekly<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought, \u2018Well, that\u2019s a shame, isn\u2019t it?\u2019\u201d he jokes, knowing it would, in fact, align with Clarinda\u2019s school holidays. She bought herself a plane ticket and was once again welcomed as part of the crew.<\/p>\n

The last time Clarinda had joined David for a work trip, he quickly gave her the endearing moniker of \u201cthe Bag Lady\u201d, where she happily minded all of the camera bags at their various filming locations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, this time, she became \u2018the Lookout Lady\u2019,\u201d explains David. \u201cWe were driving past miles of squatter camps and we wanted to get some drone shots of them, so we pulled up on a motorway off-ramp. Malcolm, our cameraman, started flying the drone, but one of us had to stay in the car as the getaway driver, so if anything went wrong, we were ready to take off. So I stayed in the car with the engine running and volunteered Clarinda to be on the lookout, making sure that no one came.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, within minutes, the police turned up. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey saw us out there and said to Malcolm, \u2018Do you realise where you are?\u2019 He replied, \u2018Yes, we\u2019re on the motorway off-ramp, but we didn\u2019t think we\u2019d cause any trouble for other drivers.\u2019 The police said, \u2018No, you\u2019re in great danger standing here by the squatters.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n

Clarinda adds, \u201cThey were very concerned for us. Yet we could only see all these little kids curiously watching us, so we didn\u2019t feel unsafe at all.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"ClarindaClarinda became “the Lookout Lady” during their trip. Photo \/ Emily Chalk<\/p>\n

Television stalwart David is still incredibly passionate about helping reunite disconnected Kiwis with lost family members around the globe. Around 16,000 people have contacted him since his first show Missing Pieces began in 2009. <\/p>\n

He says this series of David Lomas: Breakthrough features one of the most heartfelt, emotional reunions he has ever witnessed, when Christchurch woman Shararah \u2018Sha\u2019 Nadali meets the Iranian father<\/a> she hasn\u2019t seen since childhood. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an amazing story trying to connect a guy in Iran, who had come to New Zealand as a halal butcher in the 1980s, started a relationship, then a family, with a local M\u0101ori lady. But he abruptly returned for the Iran\/Iraqi war in the late \u201980s, when his daughter Sha was only two. So she had never really known her dad or had any contact with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody knew where he was \u2013 his brother in New Zealand and sister in Tehran had lost contact with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soon after David started to investigate, the man\u2019s sister found him on WhatsApp. Messages were exchanged for months, though he never committed to meeting Sha. <\/p>\n

\u201cFinally, he said he\u2019d do it!\u201d tells David. \u201cI was trying to get to Iran, but my company wouldn\u2019t let me go because it was too dangerous. So we were trying to get him to New Zealand. However, visas were impossible. So it was agreed the meeting would take place in Armenia, which neighbours Iran.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then Israel attacked Iran. I was in Europe about to fly to Armenia to meet him, but he couldn\u2019t get out of Iran because the airport was closed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually, David set up the meeting again. But right up until the moment it happened, he still wasn\u2019t sure how the reunion would go.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole time I was wondering how father and daughter would get along because he is a fundamentalist Muslim, yet Sha is into fashion, bikinis on the beach and having beers at a barbecue,\u201d shares David.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dad had asked if Sha would wear the hijab [headscarf] to cover her hair. When she turned up for the reunion, there was a bit of hair showing, so we used \u2018stickies\u2019 \u2013 adhesives for attaching a microphone \u2013 to stick her hair down. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a hint of make-up, but Sha had said, \u2018I\u2019ll do it my way\u2019 and she looked amazing. She and her father bonded instantly. It was one of the most incredible reunions I\u2019ve ever seen. <\/p>\n

\u201cTwo different cultures \u2013 bang,\u201d says David, clapping his hands together. \u201cJust beautiful! She spent the whole time with him for the following three days. I\u2019m thankful we could make that happen before the current US-Iran war. The world\u2019s gone crazy now.\u201d<\/p>\n

David has not often spoken about his own two children from previous relationships. His daughter Kate, 32, is preparing to move to Minnesota, where her partner lives, and he says a wedding looks to be on the cards in the US next year. <\/p>\n

Son Jett, 23, graduated from Otago University in 2024 and now travels the world working as a maritime surveyor. <\/p>\n

David explains, \u201cHis first year was spent in Norway and he\u2019s currently in Perth overseeing ocean surveying off Australia being done by using the largest non-military, remote-controlled ship in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has a fascinating life,\u201d says the proud dad. \u201cI\u2019m getting worried that Jett is going to overtake me and go to more countries than I\u2019ve been to. Kate has also done a hell of a lot of travelling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DavidDavid decided that every year onward, he would attempt \u201csomething interesting and off-road\u201d as he approached 70. Photo \/ Emily Chalk<\/p>\n

David, who is in his early seventies, has always worked hard to keep fit and active, and still runs an average of 50km a week. <\/p>\n

Although he\u2019s not a fan of competing in marathons any more (\u201cI\u2019ve never enjoyed them\u201d), David likes going for a run whenever he arrives in a new city to get a feel for the place, as well as checking out suitable filming locations.<\/p>\n

As he approached 70, he decided that every year onward, he would attempt \u201csomething interesting and off-road\u201d to challenge himself physically. <\/p>\n

This year\u2019s version saw him do a 22km trail run from the Desert Road to the Chateau Tongariro, which involved a 500m climb between Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was quite rough,\u201d he tells. \u201cI\u2019m not competitive \u2013 I just do the runs for the fun of it and usually on my own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Previous challenges include running the 18km Aotea Track on Great Barrier Island, as well as the 30km Rakiura Bush Track on Stewart Island. Closer to his Ponsonby home, he is often greeted by people who are homeless and gang members who recognise him. <\/p>\n

\u201cThose guys yell out to me when I run past the City Mission on Hobson Street, so I stop and have a quick chat,\u201d he tells. \u201cThey watch the programme in the shelter. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unbelievable the number of gang guys who love the programme. They\u2019re part of the disconnected, so they relate to the show big time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always thought that most people are decent people. I used to do a lot of big-feature crime stories and even a lot of the bad guys are good.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the show is funded for another series<\/a>, David doesn\u2019t know how long the programme will go for \u2013 every year he lives in hope it will receive continued backing for another season \u2013 he\u2019s certain he doesn\u2019t want to retire. <\/p>\n

At the moment, though, another project is taking his attention. David is chained to the keyboard writing \u201cthe stories behind the stories\u201d for a book due to be released later this year. <\/p>\n

\"DavidDavid is certain he doesn\u2019t want to retire. Photo \/ Emily Chalk<\/p>\n

As a young journalist, he originally made his name at The Dominion newspaper, building a stellar reputation as a crime reporter and covering the likes of the Mr Asia drugs syndicate case.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s that funny thing,\u201d he pauses thoughtfully. \u201cA lot of what I\u2019ve done, including snippets of my journalism life, are quite interesting, I suppose. I had always thought I\u2019d like to write a book and had never got around to it until now.\u201d<\/p>\n

So will his autobiography be titled after that well-known opening line \u201cI\u2019m David Lomas\u201d? <\/p>\n

\u201cHa! Probably,\u201d he says. \u201c\u2018I\u2019m David Lomas and today I\u2019m in a book!\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n

And there is that hearty laugh again. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Quick fire:<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the last thing that you and Clarinda watched on TV together? \u201cWe actually don\u2019t watch TV \u2013 well, other than my programme when it airs.\u201d <\/p>\n

Do long-lost family members ever swear at you? \u201cThere have been occasions over the years. It happens very rarely, but in South Africa recently I got sworn at over the phone by the person we were trying to find.\u201d <\/p>\n

David, are you really just a big softy? \u201cI suppose I might be. I\u2019d rather watch a rom-com than a bang-bang movie. I like that they always have a happy ending.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clarinda: \u201cIf \u2018big softy\u2019 is another way of saying \u2018compassionate\u2019, then yes. His compassion comes through all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Lomas: Breakthrough screens Tuesday nights, 7.30pm on Three and ThreeNow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The pair took in incredible views along some fairly precarious bluffs and immersed themselves in the African wilderness,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":420353,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[95,4057,33737,215843,6284,307,156,85247,75115,215844,5420,19029,2944,60505,167411,424,215842,48425,2882,5969,111,139,69,20501,22478,5419,1963,223,1316,102],"class_list":["post-420352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-and","tag-behind","tag-breakthrough","tag-clarinda","tag-david","tag-dont","tag-entertainment","tag-franklin","tag-hear","tag-heck","tag-hes","tag-infectious","tag-inside","tag-investigator","tag-laugh","tag-life","tag-lomas","tag-longterm","tag-love","tag-much","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-relaxing","tag-reunions","tag-screen","tag-series","tag-the","tag-when","tag-with"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=420352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420352\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/420353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}