The Life of Dai

A deeply moving and profoundly uplifting story about living with joy, even in the face of adversity.

Dai Henwood wanted to be a comedian even before he knew what a comedian was. He always knew there was something special in being able to make people laugh.

Over a 25-year career, the much-loved Kiwi entertainer and TV host has won every major comedy award in New Zealand. But in January 2023, Dai shared publicly that three years earlier he had been diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer.

Perhaps the ultimate teacher for what really matters, Dai's incurable cancer has shown him a new way of living that embraces small moments of perfection and cherishes things we often overlook.

As well as showing us how laughter can be a wonderful medicine – and there are many laughs in his book – Dai teaches us that often the gifts we've been searching for are right in front of us, if only we could see them.

About the Author

Dai Henwood is a celebrated New Zealand comedian, television presenter and technically now author. Henwood studied at Victoria University in Wellington, graduating with a BA in Eastern Religions and Theatre and Film. He moved into stand-up comedy, achieving quick success with shows around New Zealand, Melbourne, Edinburgh and Montreal. He has been performing comedy for 27 years and counting, becoming a household name with shows like 7 Days, Family Feud, Dancing with the Stars and LEGO Masters NZ.

Henwood is as Kiwi as hokey pokey, Jandals and L&P, and has won every major comedy award in New Zealand, including the Billy T Award, Fred Award and NZ Comedy Guild awards for Best Male Comedian, Best MC and Best TV Achievement. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.