Gretel Killeen
Born (1963-02-03) 3 February 1963
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • television presenter
  • author
  • media personality
Years active1989–present
Children2

Gretel Killeen (born 3 February 1963)[1] is an Australian comedian, television presenter, media personality and author. She is known for being the host of Big Brother Australia from its inception in 2001 until the 2007 season (including Celebrity Big Brother in 2002).[2] Killeen hosted the 2009 TV Week Logie Awards.[3]

Career

Television

Midday

From 1989 to 1991, Killeen was a regular on Midday with Ray Martin on the Nine Network.[4] She wrote and featured in the sketch A Town Like Dallas, a parody of the genre of soap opera.

Coast to Coast

In 1990, Terry Willesee, John Mangos and Killeen hosted Coast to Coast for the Nine Network after the departure of Graham Kennedy from the program, but the program in the new format was short-lived.

Big Brother

Killeen was host of Big Brother Australia, from its first season in 2001. She hosted each series up until its seventh season in 2007.[2]

On 28 October 2007, The Sunday Telegraph reported that, as a part of a revamp of the show, Killeen was being replaced as host by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O from 2Day FM.[5][6][7]

Other television roles

Killeen, along with Daniel MacPherson, co-hosted the Sydney New Year's Eve 2006–07 telecast and also the Australia Day eve celebrations on 25 January 2006. She was also the host of Ten's coverage of the Australia Day ceremony in 2007.

In 2009 Killeen hosted the Logies and was lowered onto the stage in an angel costume.[3]

She played nurse Angela Mercie in two episodes of the YouTube web series The Horizon in 2013.[8]

In 2015, Killeen co-hosted ABC TV series How Not to Behave with Matt Okine.[9]

In 2019, Killeen appeared as a contestant on the Australian version of The Masked Singer as the Octopus, and was voted off in the first episode.

Killeen is a regular guest on morning/talk-shows such as; Studio 10, Sunrise, Today Australia and Today Extra Australia and The Project. Killeen has also appeared on Beauty and the Beast, Midday, SlideShow, Good Morning Australia, Celebrity Name Game, Q&A, Good News Week, You Have Been Watching and Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation.

Radio

Nova 100

In 2003, Killeen filled in on Nova 100's Hughesy, Kate & Dave whilst Kate Langbroek was on maternity leave.

Literary works

As an author of a number of books,[10]

  • The Night my Bum Dropped (2009), ISBN 978-0-670-07295-8
  • How To Live With a Sausage in a Bonnet (1991), ISBN 0-09-182583-0
  • Baby on Board: A Beginner's Guide to Pregnancy (1991), ISBN 1-86330-106-2
  • Every Girl's Geek Guide (1992), ISBN 0-09-182697-7
  • Visible Panty Line (1998), ISBN 0-14-028891-0
  • Cherry Pie (1999), ISBN 0-09-183749-9
  • What'll We Get for Grandma? (1999), ISBN 0-09-183869-X
  • You're Joking! (2001), ISBN 1-74051-772-5

Fleur Trotter series

  • My Life Is a Toilet (1994), ISBN 0-09-182850-3
  • The 'My Life Is a Toilet' Instruction Book: How To Make the Most of Your Pathetic Existence (1995), ISBN 0-09-183270-5
  • My Life Is a Wedgie (2000), ISBN 0-09-183955-6
  • My Life Is a Boob Tube (2002), ISBN 1-74051-758-X
  • My Life Is a Girdle (2003), ISBN 1-74051-899-3

The My Sister series

  • My Sister's a Yoyo (1997), ISBN 0-09-183479-1
  • My Sister's an Alien (1998), ISBN 0-09-183902-5
  • My Sister's a Sea Slug (1999), ISBN 0-09-183954-8
  • My Sister's a Burp (1999), ISBN 0-09-183962-9
  • My Sister's a Full Stop (2000), ISBN 0-09-183968-8
  • My Sister's a Nightmare (2000), ISBN 0-09-184079-1

Hot Buns & Ophelia series

  • Hot Buns & Ophelia Get a Bloke (2000), ISBN 0-14-029965-3
  • Hot Buns & Ophelia Get Shipwrecked (2001), ISBN 0-14-029966-1

The Very Naughty Mother series

  • The Very Naughty Mother Goes Green (2002), ISBN 1-74051-763-6
  • The Very Naughty Mother Runs Away (2003), ISBN 1-74051-764-4
  • The Very Naughty Mother Goes Invisible (2003), ISBN 1-74051-906-X
  • The Very Naughty Mother Is a Spy (2004), ISBN 1-74051-907-8

Movie roles

Killeen has a cameo in the Australian film Gettin' Square as Rhonda Halliwell.[1]

Stage roles

Killeen appeared as the Narrator in a stage production of The Rocky Horror Show in Sydney and Melbourne in 2008.[11][12]

Personal life

Killeen was born in Sydney and has 2 adult children from a previous marriage.[13]

Awards

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Gretel Killeen won one award in that time.[14]

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only)
2000 Gretel Killeen Female Comedy Performer of the Year Won

References

  1. 1 2 "Gretel Killeen Wiki". Gretel-Killeen.com. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
  2. 1 2 Bucklow, Andrew (30 September 2019). "Here's how Gretel Killeen feels about a new series of Big Brother". News.com.au. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Killeen tries to forget THAT Logies experience". 29 June 2009.
  4. ↑ Savage, Desiree (7 August 2018). "Gretel Killeen heads to Wollongong with her comedy show". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  5. ↑ "Big Brother evicts controversial host Gretel Killeen". The Sunday Times (Western Australia). 27 October 2007. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
  6. ↑ Gretel Killeen axed from Big Brother – The Sunday Telegraph, 28 Oct 2007
  7. ↑ Moran, Jonathon (28 October 2007). "Gretel Killeen axed from Big Brother". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
  8. ↑ Bond, Nick (30 October 2013). "Two Sleeps Until The Horizon". dnamagazine.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "How Not to Behave". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "Gretel Killeen Wiki". Gretel-Killeen.com. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
  11. ↑ Moran, Jonathon (15 June 2008). "Gretel loves freedom". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  12. ↑ "Professional Speaker Australia : Compere Speakers". www.celebrityspeakers.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 May 2004.
  13. ↑ "Gretel Killeen: How Well Do You Know Her?". New Idea. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  14. ↑ "MO Award Winners". Mo Awards. Retrieved 16 March 2022.


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