The new Ashley Bloomfield is heaps less fun than the old Ashley Bloomfield

Adrian Orr is the new Ashley Bloomfield, whether you like it or not, says Duncan Greive. On December 30, in one of the last set-piece news stories of the year, we learned Ashley Bloomfield was to be knighted. The Spinoff’s Anna Rawhiti-Connell memorably called the 1pm Covid-19 briefings “The Ashley Bloomfield Show”. The Ashley Bloomfield Show was like Shortland Street – a PG-rated spectacle for the masses, epidemiology we could all (mostly) understand. But that’s where we are in 2023, and perhaps what we need – Adrian Orr is in charge, and we have no choice but to pay attention.