Paul Holmes' oil sails off Dennis Conner's table

Paul Holmes and Dennis Conner. Dennis Conner claims to remember nothing about walking out of an interview with Paul Holmes 21 years ago, yet asked for a bottle of Holmes' olive oil to be removed from his table at a charity evening tonight.

Holmes was to host the Evening with America's Cup Yachting Legends Asthma New Zealand event in Auckland but organiser David Higgins changed the plan after talking to Conner.

Speaking about being dropped from MC duties, Holmes claimed it "suits me" but found it somewhat humorous that Conner had asked for his branded olive oil to be removed from his table.

In 1989, Conner famously walked out of the Holmes TV show when asked if he'd apologise for calling New Zealand yacht designer Bruce Farr "a loser" and "full of shit" - the controversy launching Holmes to TV stardom.

Holmes is still a sponsor of the event and his self-branded olive oil will be on the tables.

"They may not put the bottle on his table - that is one concession that has been made to Mr Conner," Holmes said.

"I've seen him on television recently and the way he tenses up when asked about that interview. I only did to him what he was doing to people on the water for years - sneaking up on people and thumping them.

"I got over it a long time ago."

Holmes said it would have been great for the dinner to have Conner and himself in the same room.

Conner was asked by Radio Live's Martin Devlin if, during the trip this month, he might "make peace with Paul Holmes".

Conner said he didn't know what Devlin was talking about.

"I don't really remember that. Never say never to anything but certainly not high on my agenda."

Other guests include sailing legends Sir Michael Fay, Grant Dalton and Dean Barker.