Gretel Killeen

Gretel Killeen
Born Gretel Killeen
3 February 1963
Turramurra, Sydney, Australia
Occupation Television presenter of Big Brother 2001–2007, author, comedian, voice actor
Employer Network Ten
Known for Big Brother Australia (2001 – 2008)
Sydney New Year's Eve (2006–07)
Australia Day (2007)
TV Week Logie Awards (2009)
Spouse(s) Divorced
Children Ezekiel (son)
Epiphany (daughter)

Gretel Killeen (born 3 February 1963)[1] is an Australian journalist and author. Killeen is well known for being the primary host of Big Brother Australia from its inception in 2001 until the 2007 season (including Celebrity Big Brother in 2002). Killeen hosted the 2009 TV Week Logie Awards.[2] Killeen is a regular presenter on morning/talk-shows such as; Studio 10, Sunrise (TV program), Today (Australian TV program) and Mornings (TV program).

Career

Television

Midday

From 1989 to 1991 Killeen was a regular on Midday with Ray Martin on the Nine Network. She wrote and featured in the popular weekly sketch A Town Like Dallas.

Coast To Coast

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

Big Brother Australia

Killeen was host of the Australian edition of Big Brother, from its first season in 2001. She hosted each series up until its seventh season in 2007.

On 28 October 2007, The Sunday Telegraph reported that, as a part of a revamp of the show, Killeen had decided to leave her hosting role,[3][4] being replaced as host by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O[5] from 2Day FM.

“ Working on Big Brother has been an extraordinary, challenging and rewarding experience. I'm really proud of what we've achieved but I now have the seven-year itch and am busting to get on with a million new things, including my first feature film, which we're shooting in the new year. ”

—Gretel Killeen[5]

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. She also played nurse 'Angela Mercie' in two episodes of the YouTube web series The Horizon in 2013.[6]

Literary works

As an author of a number of books,[7] most for children, Killeen has penned:

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 Get a Bloke (2000), ISBN 0-14-029965-3
  • Hot Buns & Ophelia Get Shipwrecked (2001), ISBN 0-14-029966-1
  • 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] On 28 October 2007, Killeen mentioned having a role in feature film to be shot in 2008.[5]

Stage roles

Killeen appeared as the Narrator in a stage production of The Rocky Horror Show in Sydney and Melbourne in 2008.[8][9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Gretel Killeen Wiki". Gretel-Killeen.com. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
  2. ↑ "Confirmed: Gretel Killeen to host Logies". Maquarie National News. 23 March 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  3. ↑ "Big Brother evicts controversial host Gretel Killeen". The Sunday Times (Western Australia). 27 October 2007. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
  4. ↑ Gretel Killeen axed from Big Brother – The Sunday Telegraph, 28 Oct 2007
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Moran, Jonathon (28 October 2007). "Gretel Killeen axed from Big Brother". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
  6. ↑ Bond, Nick (30 October 2013). "Two Sleeps Until The Horizon". www.dnamagazine.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Gretel Killeen Wiki". Gretel-Killeen.com. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
  8. ↑ Moran, Jonathon (15 June 2008). "Gretel loves freedom". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  9. ↑ http://www.celebrityspeakers.com.au/brspeaker_bio.asp?Speaker_Index_Text=141

External links

Preceded by
Show Started		 Big Brother Australia Host
2001–2007 		Succeeded by
Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O
Preceded by
Richard Wilkins		 Sydney New Year's Eve Host (with Daniel MacPherson)
2006–07 		Succeeded by
Kim Watkins and Andrew G
Preceded by
Various hosts		 Host of Logie Awards
2009 		Succeeded by
Bert Newton