Belinda Emmett
Encyclopedia
Belinda 'Belle' Jane Emmett (12 April 1974 – 11 November 2006) was an Australian actress and singer. She was married to television personality Rove McManus
and was known for her roles in the TV drama series Home and Away
and All Saints
.
to Michael and Laraine Emmett and grew up in Umina Beach
, on the Central Coast of New South Wales
. She had three siblings named Matthew, Shane and Lesley. Emmett went to school at St John's at Woy Woy
, St Joseph's at Gosford and Corpus Christi at Tuggerah
.
FM radio station and sang lead vocals in the band Big Baby Jam. In 1994 she gained her first major role on Australian television as Tracy Russell in the sitcom Hey Dad..!
. In 1996 she joined Home and Away
as Rebecca Fisher, where she earned nominations for Silver Logie
for Most Popular Actress in 1998
and 1999
, as well as a Gold Logie
nomination in 1999.
She posed naked in the special "Angels and Devils" edition of the Australian nude celebrity art magazine Black+White
.
) and underwent surgery to remove a malignant tumour, followed by six weeks of radiotherapy. She left the cast of Home and Away the following year and went on to appear in nine episodes of All Saints as Jodi Horner between 2000 and 2001.
In September 2001, on the set of the Australian film The Nugget
in which she co-starred as Cheryl with Eric Bana
, Emmett began to experience intense back pain. Further tests revealed that the cancer had spread
to her bones.
In 2002 she told Australian Women's Weekly
that "It wasn't a matter of if, it was a matter of when. The little bastards were going to get me. It was a weird sensation, almost an out-of-body experience. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain it." In an interview with Charles Wooley
on 60 Minutes that same year, she said:
's "Off the Wall
". She also recorded a duet with Marcia Hines
, a cover of the James Taylor
hit "Shower the People" (on which Carly Simon
sang backing vocals), which appeared on Hines' 2004 album Hinesight – Songs From the Journey.
Emmett's first album, So I Am, was released after her death and debuted at number 10 on the ARIA Charts
. It featured 12 songs co-written by Emmett and long time collaborators Phill Buckle, Andrew Furze and others.
The album was completed the week following her death by Producer/ Arranger Daniel Denholm. It was recorded at a number of studios including Subterrane Recording Studio.
Belinda's ballad "Less Than Perfect" was played at her funeral and was released to radio shortly after. Co-written with Andrew Furze, it featured lyrics about accepting a "less than perfect life". It was produced by Daniel Denholm and featured Bass by Jackie Orsascky. "Less Than Perfect" was also given away as a complimentary CD in the Herald Sun Publication.
, at the Mary Immaculate Church in Waverley
in the eastern part of Sydney. She walked down the aisle to Stevie Wonder
's ballad "You Are the Sunshine of My Life
". The couple had met at the opening of Fox Studios
in Sydney in 1999. "We're kindred spirits," Emmett told a newspaper at the time. Guests included Marcia Hines
, Stephen Curry, Merrick Watts
and Peter Helliar
. At their reception, the couple danced to Ben Folds
' song "The Luckiest".
in Sydney. She had been there since reportedly suffering "stroke-like symptoms" the previous Monday.
Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard
, said he and Mrs Howard were saddened by Emmett's death. "She fought a very courageous battle against cancer," Howard said. "On behalf of Janette
and myself, I extend my deepest sympathies to her husband, Rove McManus, and her family and friends." Opposition Leader Kim Beazley
also passed on his sympathies. "This is truly sad news which I think will affect all Australians," Beazley said. "The tenderness and care in their relationship (Rove and Belinda) through their adversity, I think, has been an inspiration to many, many Australians."
On 15 November 2006, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that a wrestling
website (wrestling.net.au) had broken the story of Emmett's death at 8:53am on the day of her death before any announcement was made by her agent. It was found an online entry was posted on the wrestling site's general forums by someone (username: Aussie WWE Diva) claiming to have received a text message from a friend working at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital where the Australian entertainer spent her last days with friends and family. The hospital is investigating the matter.
Emmett's funeral was held at 11am on 17 November 2006 in Sydney's Mary Immaculate Church, the place where she married Rove McManus eighteen months before. She was privately cremated.
co-wrote the song "Be Strong
" for Emmett in 2004, after Emmett had been diagnosed with secondary bone cancer.
On 13 and 14 November 2006, Channel 7
programs Home and Away
and All Saints
each dedicated an episode to Emmett. The message in the closing credits read "In memory of our friend, Belinda Emmett 1974 – 2006." It also had information for people to donate money for breast cancer research. On 17 November 2006, Home and Away
included a special montage of scenes featuring Emmett in her role as Rebecca Fisher/Nash. It was followed by a black screen showing the same memorial message as well as information about donating to The McGrath Foundation. ABC
program Spicks & Specks also displayed a memorial note at the conclusion of an episode aired on 15 November 2006.
On 16 November 2006, Belinda Emmett's family released one of her songs, "Less Than Perfect", on Odeo. The track, from a solo album she was working on at the time of her death, was also played at her funeral. One month later, Emmett's younger brother Shane performed One Sweet Love at the annual Carols in the Domain in tribute to his sister, who regularly appeared at the event between 1995 and 2002.
In a newspaper interview published on 1 April 2007 promoting his return to television, Rove McManus revealed that Emmett's solo album had been completed. The title track, "So I Am", was issued as a single the next day, with the album following on 28 April 2007. Profits from Hooch Records, the company Emmett formed with McManus to release the album, will go to the McGrath Foundation
to support breastcare nurses.
On 11 November 2007, a year after Emmett's death, her husband Rove McManus dedicated his weekly show, Rove, to the memory of Belinda Emmett.
On 20 May 2008 one of Belinda's songs, "Beautiful Thing", was included in Olivia Newton-John
's new CD "A Celebration in Song: Olivia Newton-John and Friends". This CD was created to help raise funds for Olivia's wellness centre in Melbourne, Australia. It consists of a number of duets with Australian and international guest artists which are meant to inspire people touched by cancer. Belinda's song was extracted from her "So I Am" CD and the track is 'dedicated with love' to her.
Rove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
and was known for her roles in the TV drama series Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
and All Saints
All Saints (TV series)
All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
.
Early life
Emmett was born in GosfordGosford, New South Wales
Gosford is a city located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 76 km north of the Sydney central business district...
to Michael and Laraine Emmett and grew up in Umina Beach
Umina Beach, New South Wales
Umina Beach is a suburb within the City of Gosford local government area on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.By road, it is north of Sydney and south of Newcastle....
, on the Central Coast of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. She had three siblings named Matthew, Shane and Lesley. Emmett went to school at St John's at Woy Woy
Woy Woy, New South Wales
Woy Woy is a coastal town and a southern suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, located on the southern reaches of Brisbane Water north of Sydney...
, St Joseph's at Gosford and Corpus Christi at Tuggerah
Tuggerah, New South Wales
Tuggerah is a suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Main North Line and Sydney-Newcastle Freeway about 90 km north of Sydney. It is part of the Wyong Shire local government area....
.
Early career
Emmett worked at the local Coast RockSea FM (Australian radio network)
Sea FM is a commercial Australian radio network, consisting of stations in Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania and is owned by Southern Cross Austereo. Some Sea FM stations were later sold to meet media ownership requirements...
FM radio station and sang lead vocals in the band Big Baby Jam. In 1994 she gained her first major role on Australian television as Tracy Russell in the sitcom Hey Dad..!
Hey Dad..!
Hey Dad..! was an Australian sitcom produced by Gary Reilly Productions, originally airing from 1987 to 1994 on the Seven Network.-Synopsis:Architect Martin Kelly singlehandedly raises his children Simon, Debbie and Jenny...
. In 1996 she joined Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
as Rebecca Fisher, where she earned nominations for Silver Logie
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
for Most Popular Actress in 1998
Logie Awards of 1998
The 40th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Sunday 19 April 1998 at Crown Casino in Melbourne and broadcast on the Nine Network. Daryl Somers from Hey Hey It's Saturday was the Master of Ceremonies for the third year in a row...
and 1999
Logie Awards of 1999
The 41st Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Sunday 11 April 1999 at Crown Casino in Melbourne and broadcast on the Nine Network. Andrew Denton from the ABC was the Master of Ceremonies...
, as well as a Gold Logie
Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television
The Gold Logie Award has been awarded annually to the Most Popular Personality on Australian Television at the TV Week Logie Awards since 1960...
nomination in 1999.
She posed naked in the special "Angels and Devils" edition of the Australian nude celebrity art magazine Black+White
Black+White
Black+White was a bimonthly Australian magazine published by Studio Magazines that debuted in the summer of 1992. For a period it was also known as Black+White magazine....
.
Breast cancer diagnosis
Emmett was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998, aged 24. She took a break from her role as Rebecca Fisher/Nash on Home and Away (during which time the part was played by Megan ConnollyMegan Connolly
Megan Jennifer Connolly was an Australian actress.-Career:Connolly's film debut was 1990's The Crossing with Russell Crowe. She later played Tori Hayden in the soap opera Paradise Beach Later she hosted the television shows The Zone and Body Corp...
) and underwent surgery to remove a malignant tumour, followed by six weeks of radiotherapy. She left the cast of Home and Away the following year and went on to appear in nine episodes of All Saints as Jodi Horner between 2000 and 2001.
In September 2001, on the set of the Australian film The Nugget
The Nugget
The Nugget is a 2002 comedy film about three friends who find the world's largest nugget of gold.-Storyline:The story concerns a group of three road workers who stumble upon the world's biggest nugget of gold, and become instant millionaires — or so they think...
in which she co-starred as Cheryl with Eric Bana
Eric Bana
Eric Bana is an Australian film and television actor. He began his career as a comedian in the sketch comedy series Full Frontal before gaining critical recognition in the biopic Chopper...
, Emmett began to experience intense back pain. Further tests revealed that the cancer had spread
Metastasis
Metastasis, or metastatic disease , is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. It was previously thought that only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize; however, this is being reconsidered due to new research...
to her bones.
In 2002 she told Australian Women's Weekly
Australian Women's Weekly
The Australian Women's Weekly is an Australian monthly women's magazine published by ACP Magazines, a division of PBL Media based in Sydney. Audited circulation in 2009 exceeded 500,000 copies monthly, making it the largest magazine in Australia.-History:...
that "It wasn't a matter of if, it was a matter of when. The little bastards were going to get me. It was a weird sensation, almost an out-of-body experience. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain it." In an interview with Charles Wooley
Charles Wooley
Charles Wooley is an Australian journalist, reporter and writer, who reported for Channel Nine's 60 Minutes.At the age of 16 Wooley moved to Hobart where he gained an honours degree in history from the University of Tasmania. While he was studying he developed his journalistic skills by editing...
on 60 Minutes that same year, she said:
Music career
In 1998, Emmett released a cover of Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's "Off the Wall
Off the Wall (song)
"Off the Wall" is the third single released from singer Michael Jackson's album Off the Wall.Released on February 2, 1980, the Rod Temperton-composed number became Jackson's third top 10 single from Off the Wall, which eventually spawned four top 10 singles; Jackson was the first person to...
". She also recorded a duet with Marcia Hines
Marcia Hines
Marcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...
, a cover of the James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
hit "Shower the People" (on which Carly Simon
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
sang backing vocals), which appeared on Hines' 2004 album Hinesight – Songs From the Journey.
Emmett's first album, So I Am, was released after her death and debuted at number 10 on the ARIA Charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. It featured 12 songs co-written by Emmett and long time collaborators Phill Buckle, Andrew Furze and others.
The album was completed the week following her death by Producer/ Arranger Daniel Denholm. It was recorded at a number of studios including Subterrane Recording Studio.
Belinda's ballad "Less Than Perfect" was played at her funeral and was released to radio shortly after. Co-written with Andrew Furze, it featured lyrics about accepting a "less than perfect life". It was produced by Daniel Denholm and featured Bass by Jackie Orsascky. "Less Than Perfect" was also given away as a complimentary CD in the Herald Sun Publication.
Marriage
On 29 January 2005, Emmett married comedian and TV personality Rove McManusRove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
, at the Mary Immaculate Church in Waverley
Waverley, New South Wales
Waverley is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Waverley is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council....
in the eastern part of Sydney. She walked down the aisle to Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's ballad "You Are the Sunshine of My Life
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
"You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is a 1973 pop single released by Stevie Wonder. The song became Wonder's third number-one pop single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his first number one on the easy listening chart. It won Wonder a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. This song was...
". The couple had met at the opening of Fox Studios
Fox Studios Australia
Fox Studios Australia is a major movie studio located in Sydney, Australia, occupying the site of the former Sydney Showground at Moore Park...
in Sydney in 1999. "We're kindred spirits," Emmett told a newspaper at the time. Guests included Marcia Hines
Marcia Hines
Marcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...
, Stephen Curry, Merrick Watts
Merrick Watts
Merrick Watts is a Australian comedian, radio host and television presenter. He is best known for performing stand-up comedy and radio works as part of the comedy duo Merrick and Rosso with Tim Ross....
and Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
. At their reception, the couple danced to Ben Folds
Ben Folds
Benjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
' song "The Luckiest".
Death
On 11 November 2006, just after dawn, Emmett died from cancer at St Vincent's HospitalSt Vincent's Hospital, Sydney
St Vincent's Public Hospital, Sydney is located in the inner city suburb of Darlinghurst. Though part of the New South Wales state public health system it remains under the auspices of the Sisters of Charity.-History:...
in Sydney. She had been there since reportedly suffering "stroke-like symptoms" the previous Monday.
Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
, said he and Mrs Howard were saddened by Emmett's death. "She fought a very courageous battle against cancer," Howard said. "On behalf of Janette
Janette Howard
Janette Howard is the wife of John Howard, who was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia.-Early life:Alison Janette Parker was born in Kingsford, a working-class suburb of Sydney in 1944. Her father was an engineer with the New South Wales railways. The family later moved to Vaucluse...
and myself, I extend my deepest sympathies to her husband, Rove McManus, and her family and friends." Opposition Leader Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley
In the October 1998 election, Labor polled a majority of the two-party vote and received the largest swing to a first-term opposition since 1934. However, due to the uneven nature of the swing, Labor came up eight seats short of making Beazley Prime Minister....
also passed on his sympathies. "This is truly sad news which I think will affect all Australians," Beazley said. "The tenderness and care in their relationship (Rove and Belinda) through their adversity, I think, has been an inspiration to many, many Australians."
On 15 November 2006, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that a wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
website (wrestling.net.au) had broken the story of Emmett's death at 8:53am on the day of her death before any announcement was made by her agent. It was found an online entry was posted on the wrestling site's general forums by someone (username: Aussie WWE Diva) claiming to have received a text message from a friend working at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital where the Australian entertainer spent her last days with friends and family. The hospital is investigating the matter.
Emmett's funeral was held at 11am on 17 November 2006 in Sydney's Mary Immaculate Church, the place where she married Rove McManus eighteen months before. She was privately cremated.
Tributes
Australian singer/songwriter Delta GoodremDelta Goodrem
Delta Lea Goodrem is an Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress. Signed to Sony at the age of 15, Goodrem rose to prominence in 2002, starring in the Australian soap opera Neighbours as Nina Tucker. Goodrem has achieved eight number-one singles and three number-one albums in her home...
co-wrote the song "Be Strong
Be Strong
"Be Strong" is a pop ballad written by Bridget Benenate, Matthew Gerrard, and Delta Goodrem, produced by Gerrard for Goodrem's second album Mistaken Identity . It was released as the album's fifth and final single in Australia as a digital download on 16 October 2005...
" for Emmett in 2004, after Emmett had been diagnosed with secondary bone cancer.
On 13 and 14 November 2006, Channel 7
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
programs Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
and All Saints
All Saints (TV series)
All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
each dedicated an episode to Emmett. The message in the closing credits read "In memory of our friend, Belinda Emmett 1974 – 2006." It also had information for people to donate money for breast cancer research. On 17 November 2006, Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
included a special montage of scenes featuring Emmett in her role as Rebecca Fisher/Nash. It was followed by a black screen showing the same memorial message as well as information about donating to The McGrath Foundation. ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
program Spicks & Specks also displayed a memorial note at the conclusion of an episode aired on 15 November 2006.
On 16 November 2006, Belinda Emmett's family released one of her songs, "Less Than Perfect", on Odeo. The track, from a solo album she was working on at the time of her death, was also played at her funeral. One month later, Emmett's younger brother Shane performed One Sweet Love at the annual Carols in the Domain in tribute to his sister, who regularly appeared at the event between 1995 and 2002.
In a newspaper interview published on 1 April 2007 promoting his return to television, Rove McManus revealed that Emmett's solo album had been completed. The title track, "So I Am", was issued as a single the next day, with the album following on 28 April 2007. Profits from Hooch Records, the company Emmett formed with McManus to release the album, will go to the McGrath Foundation
McGrath Foundation
The McGrath Foundation is a breast cancer support and education charity in Australia, funding McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities across Australia as well as educating young women to be breast-aware...
to support breastcare nurses.
On 11 November 2007, a year after Emmett's death, her husband Rove McManus dedicated his weekly show, Rove, to the memory of Belinda Emmett.
On 20 May 2008 one of Belinda's songs, "Beautiful Thing", was included in Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
's new CD "A Celebration in Song: Olivia Newton-John and Friends". This CD was created to help raise funds for Olivia's wellness centre in Melbourne, Australia. It consists of a number of duets with Australian and international guest artists which are meant to inspire people touched by cancer. Belinda's song was extracted from her "So I Am" CD and the track is 'dedicated with love' to her.