Cal Wilson
Encyclopedia
Cal Wilson is a New Zealand
stand-up comedian and radio and television personality. She currently lives in Melbourne
, Australia
, and is well known in Australia through her appearances on television and radio.
, Wilson completed a Bachelor of Arts
at the University of Canterbury
. She co-founded the Court Jesters
improv
group in 1990 and was part of the New Zealand team that won the World Theatresports
title in Los Angeles
in 1994.
She moved to stand-up comedy
full-time and in 1997 was the inaugural winner (with Ewen Gilmour) of New Zealand's most prestigious comedy award, the Billy T
. She also regular appeared on TV3
's Pulp Comedy. In recent years she has been working from Melbourne
, Australia
.
In 2001 Wilson won the Best Newcomer Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
. She has appeared to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Her 2006 show Up There, Cal Wilson sold out at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
.
, Rove Live, Thank God You're Here
, Good News Week
and Spicks and Specks and the New Zealand TV show 7 days
In 2002, she helped write the screenplay for the New Zealand sitcom Willy Nilly
.
In 2007, Wilson was part of the ensemble cast of the Australian sketch comedy TV show, The Wedge.
In 2008, Cal was involved in the eighth series of the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars
she was paired with series 7 winner Craig Monley and she was the 3rd eliminated contestant.
In 2010, she became host of the program Sleuth 101
and she also took part in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Great Debate, along with Fiona O'Loughlin
and Arj Barker
.
on the drive time
radio show, The Akmal Show with Cal Wilson (later called The Wrong Way Home with Akmal, Cal and Ed) which aired on Nova FM
Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide & Perth. Prior to taking the job, she had been a regular guest on the Triple M
program, Get This
.
In 2009, Wilson co-hosted Mornings on Nova 100
(Melbourne) alongside Dylan Lewis
. However, in November 2009 Wilson resigned from Nova 100
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
stand-up comedian and radio and television personality. She currently lives in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and is well known in Australia through her appearances on television and radio.
Biography
After attending high school in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, Wilson completed a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
at the University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
. She co-founded the Court Jesters
Court Jesters
The Court Jesters is a professional improv company founded in 1989 and based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is a subsidiary of the Court Theatre professional theatre company, acting as a second company within the theatre....
improv
Improvisational theatre
Improvisational theatre takes many forms. It is best known as improv or impro, which is often comedic, and sometimes poignant or dramatic. In this popular, often topical art form improvisational actors/improvisers use improvisational acting techniques to perform spontaneously...
group in 1990 and was part of the New Zealand team that won the World Theatresports
Theatresports
Theatresports is a form of improvisational theatre, which uses the format of a competition for dramatic effect. Opposing teams can perform scenes based on audience suggestions, with ratings by the audience or by a panel of judges...
title in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1994.
She moved to stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
full-time and in 1997 was the inaugural winner (with Ewen Gilmour) of New Zealand's most prestigious comedy award, the Billy T
Billy T Award
The Billy T Award is New Zealand’s most prestigious comedy award recognizing New Zealand comedians with outstanding potential. It has been presented annually since its inception in 1997 when Cal Wilson and Ewen Gilmour shared the award...
. She also regular appeared on TV3
TV3 (New Zealand)
TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
's Pulp Comedy. In recent years she has been working from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
In 2001 Wilson won the Best Newcomer Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the third-largest international comedy festival in the world and the largest cultural event in Australia. Established in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks in April typically opening on or around April Fool's Day...
. She has appeared to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Her 2006 show Up There, Cal Wilson sold out at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the third-largest international comedy festival in the world and the largest cultural event in Australia. Established in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks in April typically opening on or around April Fool's Day...
.
Television
Cal Wilson has appeared on the Australian comedy shows SkitHOUSESkitHOUSE
skitHOUSE was an Australian sketch comedy television series that ran on Network Ten from 9 February, 2003 to 28 July, 2004. The series was produced by Roving Enterprises. It featured many well-known Australian comedians, including comedy-band Tripod. Reruns can now be seen on The Comedy Channel on...
, Rove Live, Thank God You're Here
Thank God You're Here
Thank God You're Here is an Australian television improvised comedy program created by Working Dog Productions, which premiered on Network Ten on 5 April 2006, and aired for the first three seasons with Seven for the fourth season...
, Good News Week
Good News Week
Good News Week is an Australian satirical panel game show hosted by Paul McDermott that initially aired from 19 April 1996 to 27 May 2000, and resumed on 11 February 2008 to 9 May 2011. The show aired first on ABC TV before it was bought by Network Ten in 1999...
and Spicks and Specks and the New Zealand TV show 7 days
7 Days (New Zealand)
7 Days is a New Zealand comedy gameshow similar to the British program Have I Got News for You, hosted by Jeremy Corbett. Paul Ego and Dai Henwood usually appear on each episode, along with other comedians, who form teams and answer questions about news stories from the last week.-Show format:At...
In 2002, she helped write the screenplay for the New Zealand sitcom Willy Nilly
Willy Nilly
Willy Nilly is a New Zealand television series originally based on a short film by the same name. In 2002, a TV Guide poll found the series to be the most popular New Zealand comedy. The series' most prominent fan base is made up of women over the age of 60....
.
In 2007, Wilson was part of the ensemble cast of the Australian sketch comedy TV show, The Wedge.
In 2008, Cal was involved in the eighth series of the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
she was paired with series 7 winner Craig Monley and she was the 3rd eliminated contestant.
In 2010, she became host of the program Sleuth 101
Sleuth 101
Sleuth 101 is an Australian comedy television series, broadcast on ABC 1 in 2010. The series revolves around a murder-mystery that must be solved by a celebrity guest detective. Each episode features a guest detective , four suspects, a crime scene, evidence and witness accounts - just like real...
and she also took part in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Great Debate, along with Fiona O'Loughlin
Fiona O'Loughlin
Fiona O'Loughlin is an Australian comedian, known primarily for her stand-up comedy; for her television performances, on ABC TV's Spicks and Specks, and Channel Ten's Rove Live and GNW; and a series of advertisements for Heinz soups...
and Arj Barker
Arj Barker
Arjan Singh , known by the stage name Arj Barker, is an American stand-up comedian and actor from San Anselmo, California. He has toured in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. He was born to an engineer father and artist mother, and is half-Indian, half-European...
.
Radio
In 2007, Wilson started as a co-host with Akmal SalehAkmal Saleh
Akmal Saleh is an Australian comedian and actor. He was born in Egypt and arrived in Sydney, Australia with his family in 1975 at the age of 11. He has been performing stand-up comedy since the early 1990s and his live shows have toured comedy festivals both within Australia and internationally...
on the drive time
Drive time
Drive time is the daypart analog to prime time for radio broadcasting. It consists of the morning hours when listeners wake up, get ready, and/or head to work or school, and the afternoon hours when they are heading home and before their evening meal. These are the periods where the number of...
radio show, The Akmal Show with Cal Wilson (later called The Wrong Way Home with Akmal, Cal and Ed) which aired on Nova FM
Nova (radio network)
Nova is a name given to a group of Australian radio stations. The group comprises five stations all owned by DMG Radio Australia, apart from the Perth station, which is a joint venture between DMG and the Australian Radio Network....
Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide & Perth. Prior to taking the job, she had been a regular guest on the Triple M
Triple M
The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
program, Get This
Get This
Get This was an Australian radio comedy show which aired on Triple M and was hosted by Tony Martin and Ed Kavalee, with contributions from panel operator, the late Richard Marsland...
.
In 2009, Wilson co-hosted Mornings on Nova 100
Nova 100
Nova 100 is a commercial radio station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, broadcasting on 100.3 MHz. It is in the Melbourne radio market, with the intention of challenging the number one FM Austereo station Fox FM by playing alternative, hip hop, pop & dance music, with a strong lean towards...
(Melbourne) alongside Dylan Lewis
Dylan Lewis
Dylan Lewis is an Australian television and radio personality.-Personal life:He was educated at Caulfield Grammar School, graduating in 1990, and studied for a Bachelor of Education in Drama and Music degree at the University of Melbourne. John Bannon, former South Australian premier is Dylan's...
. However, in November 2009 Wilson resigned from Nova 100
Nova 100
Nova 100 is a commercial radio station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, broadcasting on 100.3 MHz. It is in the Melbourne radio market, with the intention of challenging the number one FM Austereo station Fox FM by playing alternative, hip hop, pop & dance music, with a strong lean towards...
.