Colbert tells the audience he was particularly interested in one meeting at this year's United Nations General Assembly in New York, and that was the Ardern-Trump meeting.

"I happen to have a special place in my heart for PM Ardern because during last year's General Assembly she visited the show and sat down for an interview. She even invited me to come to New Zealand to become an official citizen of hobbiton. Not too shabby."

Ardern appears to rebuke him for not taking her up on the offer.

"It's been a year since I last saw you and I invited you to come to New Zealand and you haven't been yet which is a little awkward," Ardern says.

"I'm sorry I just assumed you were kidding," Colbert replies.

The pair then check his diary for a date that works - Colbert suggests later this week but Ardern says she's too busy with the UN "trying to save the world".

Colbert then announces he'll come to New Zealand.

Colbert is the number one late night television show in America - it has an average viewership of 3.5 million.

Ardern was interviewed by Colbert when she travelled to the UN General Assembly last year.

In that screening, Colbert confessed to Ardern that he was "a little bit obsessed" with the films and books of Middle-earth.

"I've heard about that. The people of Hobbiton have heard about it as well and they contacted me today to say they'd like to make you a citizen of Hobbiton," said Ardern.

"I have it in writing, but actually they're going to have the official calligrapher of Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Hobbiton write up your official invitation. So come to New Zealand, we'll make the ceremony official."

He grilled her about UN diplomats laughing at President Trump's address to the General Assembly and whether she was among those laughing.

"Are you trying to create a diplomatic incident?" she asked Colbert, calling the muffled laughter at the UN in response to Mr Trump's bragging a "spontaneous murmur."

Newshub.

