Dawn O'Porter

Dawn O'Porter (née Porter; born 23 January 1979) is a British writer and television presenter. She was born in Scotland, but grew up in Guernsey.^[1]

Early life

Two days before Porter's seventh birthday, her mother, Carol Rix, died of breast cancer aged 36.^[2] Her elder sister, Jane and she were then raised by their aunt and uncle in Guernsey.^[2] She studied acting at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts but in her third year decided that acting was not for her and did work experience on the television series Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned rather than participate in a school production.^[3] Porter's father lives in Scotland.^[4]

Television career

Having established her credentials as a writer and journalist, Porter first came to widespread public attention when she attempted to slim down to a size zero by using drastic dieting regimes for the BBC documentary Super Slim Me. Porter also presented the product-testing section of How to Look Good Naked on Channel 4.^[5]

In 2008, Porter presented a BBC Three series of four documentary films, Dawn..., exploring attitudes to nudity, lesbianism, dating and pregnancy (including childbirth).^[6][7][8] Porter also appeared in Seriously Dirty Dancing, a tribute to her favourite film, Dirty Dancing for Channel 5.^[9]

Later that year, she made a four-part series called Extreme Wife for Channel 4. The first programme, Dawn Porter: Free Lover was broadcast on Channel 4 on 30 September 2008, Dawn travelled to Germany to visit ZEGG, a German free love commune. The programme highlighted the world of free love and included discussions with the people who lived in the commune. It premiered with 1.75m viewers (10.7% share).^[10] The second programme, Dawn Porter: Mail Order Bride was broadcast a week later, Dawn travelled to Ukraine with a group of American men in their search for a partner. The third programme, Dawn Porter: Geisha Girl, saw Dawn travel to Japan and spend a week in a geisha house. The fourth (and final) programme, Dawn Porter: Polygamist's Wife was broadcast on 21 October 2008, Dawn investigated women who are prepared to share their husbands with other women. This included a stay in Centennial Park, Arizona.^[11]

In February 2009, Porter narrated the BBC Three series Undercover Princes.^[12]

In May 2009, it was announced that Dawn Porter would present a documentary, The Booby Trap, exploring breast cancer, for Sky1.^[13] The show aired on 6–7 July 2009 – under the title My Breasts Could Kill Me.^[14] It premiered with 181,000 viewers (0.9% share).^[15] Porter appeared topless in the documentary to undergo a breast examination and breast screening.

Porter has her own television production company Hot Patootie TV.^[16]

In November 2011, Porter made an appearance in Derren Brown - The Experiments entitled "The Secret of Luck"^[17] and later filmed six episodic advertisements for Andrex Washlets. Porter appeared in the ninth episode of the sixth series of E4 teen drama Skins and has also appeared on the television show Balls of Steel.

In 2012, Dawn Porter organised an Oxfam "get together" alongside friend Gemma Cairney, and raised money for Oxfam by selling clothing previously owned by celebrities.^[18]

Porter recently hosted and co-produced a series for Channel 4 called This Old Thing, the six-part series was about her love of vintage clothing, taking vintage skeptics and turning them into vintage lovers. The show was highly acclaimed.

Dawn hosts Soul Food on Munchies for Vice.

BOB by Dawn Porter

Porter has her own clothing line called, BOB by Dawn Porter. Via her website (www.BOBbyDOP.com) she sells vintage clothing and new designs inspired by her favorite vintage styles. The business is based in the UK but ships worldwide and it launched on 15 October 2014.

Writing career

Writing is Porter's primary career, a regular writer for many publications she covers feminism and all aspects of women's lifestyle.

In 2006, she published Diaries of an Internet Lover’'.^[19] In May 2013, she released her first novel, Paper Aeroplanes, the fictional tale of an intense female friendship loosely inspired by her own childhood in Guernsey.^[20] The US edition, Paper Airplanes is out now in the United States. The follow up, GOOSE is now out in the UK, there are two more to come in the series. Dawn also wrote, This Old Thing, a guide to how to wear and shop for vintage clothing.

Dawn is the now resident columnist for Glamour UK.

Personal life

Porter married Irish actor Chris O'Dowd^[21] in August 2012.

On 27 August 2012, O'Dowd tweeted a picture of the two announcing their nuptials.^{[22][23][24][25]}

The couple live in Los Angeles, California.

In January 2015, Dawn gave birth to her first child, a son named Art. ^[26]

References

External links

• Official website
• Dawnsworld's Podcast - PodOmatic
• Dawn Porter at the Internet Movie Database
• Dawn Porter on Twitter