Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury (born 1974) is aNew Zealand media commentator, former radio and TV host, and former executive producer ofAlt TV. He was given the nickname 'Bomber' by a formerCraccum editor, reputedly to describe his bombastic personality. He has been described by theNew Zealand Listener as the "most opinionated man in New Zealand".[1] He has defended his decision to block a number of women on social media and referred to reasons for disputes with five women who previously contributed to "The Daily Blog".[2]
Bradbury was the elected editor of theAuckland University Students' Association's (AUSA)Craccum magazine for the 1997 year, and elected co-editor with Stuart Gardiner for the 1995 year.[1][3] Before that he was the poetry editor. According to Bradbury, he picked up the nicknameBomber from one of the editors ofCraccum.[4]
Bradbury is a former editor (2004–05) of New Zealand music magazineRip It Up.[3]
Prior to his television work Bradbury was the host of the 'Late night talk lounge' on defunct alternative music stationChannel Z from 1996 until 1998, as well as a regular DJ during various time slots. Until late 2011, he was a guest on various panel discussions on "Afternoons with Jim Mora' onRadio New Zealand (RNZ).
After a regular guest spot on RNZ's showThe Panel, the network withdrew an invitation for Bradbury to return as a panellist.[5] While Bradbury claimed he had been "banned" for criticising theNew Zealand Prime Minister,John Key, RNZ said he had not been banned, and that he had been removed as a panellist after breaching their editorial policy.[5] According to Radio NZ "Mr Bradbury’s comments were inconsistent with information that he had provided to programme producers before going on air. Bradbury later apologised to the programme’s executive producer. It was made clear to him that while his invitation to appear as an occasional guest on The Panel was being withdrawn, it was not a 'lifelong ban' and it did not apply to other Radio New Zealand programmes".[5]
He hosted an investigative television series calledStake-Out which used hidden cameras to catch people in the act of committing criminal or immoral acts on film. He hostedCitizen A on Face TV.[6][7]
In late September 2024, Bradbury and formerNational Party staffer and lobbyistMatthew Hooton received legal letters from former National Party leaderDon Brash's legal counselStephen Franks after Hooton made remarks attacking Brash's character and accusing him of promoting racism against Māori during his parliamentary career and as leader of Hobson's Pledge during aWorking Group podcast; in which Bradbury served as a co-host. Following the complaint, Bradbury released a statement stating that Hooton sincerely apologised for his remarks about Brash.[8]
In late April 2025, Bradbury confirmed that he had suspendedThe Working Group current affairs podcast following a dispute with its co-owner Damien Grant over Bradbury's criticism of Israel's conduct during theGaza war and theNew Zealand Initiative's relationship with theAtlas Network.[9]
On 19 April 2025,The Working Group was replaced with a new online weekly current affairs podcast series calledThe Bradbury Group. It is sponsored byWaatea News and is available onRova,YouTube,Sky TV andFacebook. Notable guests have includedLabour leaderChris Hipkins,Te Pāti Māori presidentJohn Tamihere,The New Zealand Herald columnist Matthew Hooton andNew Zealand Council of Trade Unions economistCraig Renney.[10]
Martyn Bradbury was a consultant to theMana party until 2013, and provided a draft strategy document for the Kim DotcomInternet Party in 2014.[11][12] He was influential in promoting public opposition to expansion ofGCSB spying powers.[13]
On 23 September 2016, Bradbury testified as a defence witness in Jordan Williams' defamation trial againstColin Craig, the former leader of theConservative Party. Williams, the co-founder of theNew Zealand Taxpayers' Union had filed a defamation suit against Craig after the latter had produced a pamphlet entitled "Dirty Politics and Hidden Agenda" attacking Williams, the right-wing bloggerCameron Slater, and a dissident Party member John Stringer. In his testimony, Bradbury alleged that Williams had embarked on a political hit job against Craig and defended Craig's pamphlet. Bradbury described the trial as "an angry fight between two people who don't like each other much." Bradbury was also questioned by Williams' lawyer Peter McKnight for making alleged defamatory comments against Williams inThe Daily Blog.[14]
Bradbury was highly critical of the late finance company ownerAlan Hubbard, whose company was placed under statutory management by the-thenJustice MinisterSimon Power.[15]
In response to the Government's proposedconversion practices legislation in 2021 which seeks to bangay conversion therapy, Bradbury criticised bill's five year prison term as form of "government overreach" which distracted from the Government's failure to address what he regarded as their failed mental health, poverty and housing policies.[16][17]