Tony Wilson (Radio Presenter)
Encyclopedia
Tony Wilson is a Melbourne
based Australian radio and television personality, successful writer and prominent speaker. He gained notoriety as the winner of the second series of the ABC television show, Race Around the World
, in 1998, and has since become somewhat of a cult figure in Melbourne radio, television and print media.
Prior to gaining attention in Australian media, he was drafted as a tall forward by the Hawthorn Football Club
and intended embarking on a career as an AFL
footballer, but was cut after less than one season partly due to chronic injury.
Some time after becoming the second (and final) winner of Race Around the World, he joined the 3RRR
Breakfasters
, a radio panel show which had formerly featured personalities John Safran
, Dave O'Neil
and Kate Langbroek
. He remained on the panel for six years before finishing to pursue his writing.
He is a regular panelist on the ABC quiz show, The Einstein Factor
.
In 2005 his first novel Players was published, a parody of Australian football variety show personalities. The novel became a critical success, and Wilson won the SMH ‘Best Young Australian Novelist 2006’. His follow-up book, Australia United (2006), was a Gonzo journalistic diary of his travels with Australian soccer fans to the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He has also written five children’s picture books, Grannysaurus Rex (2004), The Thirsty Flowers (2006), Harry Highpants (2007), The Minister for Traffic Lights (2008) and The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas (2009). Harry Highpants was selected for the prestigious White Ravens stand at the 2008 Bologna book fair
.
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...
based Australian radio and television personality, successful writer and prominent speaker. He gained notoriety as the winner of the second series of the ABC television show, Race Around the World
Race Around the World
Race Around the World was an Australian documentary series produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1997 and 1998 . It was based on a Canadian television series....
, in 1998, and has since become somewhat of a cult figure in Melbourne radio, television and print media.
Prior to gaining attention in Australian media, he was drafted as a tall forward by the Hawthorn Football Club
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
and intended embarking on a career as an AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
footballer, but was cut after less than one season partly due to chronic injury.
Some time after becoming the second (and final) winner of Race Around the World, he joined the 3RRR
3RRR
3RRR is a popular Australian community radio station, based in Melbourne. It is the largest per capita subscribed radio station in the world....
Breakfasters
Breakfasters
The Breakfasters is a long running morning program on 3RRR, a radio station based in Melbourne, Australia. It is currently presented by Fee B-Squared, Ben Birchall and Jess McGuire....
, a radio panel show which had formerly featured personalities John Safran
John Safran
John Safran is an Australian documentary maker and radio broadcaster, known for combining humour with explorations into religion and other issues...
, Dave O'Neil
Dave O'Neil
Dave O'Neil is a Melbourne-based stand-up comedian, actor, writer and radio personality.-Early career:Dave was a Cub, Scout, Venturer and Rover. His father Kevin is still the Group Leader at the 1st/3rd Mitcham Scout Group....
and Kate Langbroek
Kate Langbroek
Katherine Elizabeth Wilhelmina Beuving Langbroek is an Australian television and radio personality of Jamaican, Jewish and Dutch heritage...
. He remained on the panel for six years before finishing to pursue his writing.
He is a regular panelist on the ABC quiz show, The Einstein Factor
The Einstein Factor
The Einstein Factor is an Australian television quiz show that was broadcast on ABC1. The show's host is comedian and broadcaster Peter Berner. It was first broadcast in 2004 and in 2009 the show commenced its sixth and final season, with the ABC announcing the program would not be renewed in 2010....
.
In 2005 his first novel Players was published, a parody of Australian football variety show personalities. The novel became a critical success, and Wilson won the SMH ‘Best Young Australian Novelist 2006’. His follow-up book, Australia United (2006), was a Gonzo journalistic diary of his travels with Australian soccer fans to the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He has also written five children’s picture books, Grannysaurus Rex (2004), The Thirsty Flowers (2006), Harry Highpants (2007), The Minister for Traffic Lights (2008) and The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas (2009). Harry Highpants was selected for the prestigious White Ravens stand at the 2008 Bologna book fair
Bologna Children's Book Fair
The Bologna Children's Book Fair or La fiera del libro per ragazzi is the leading professional fair for children's books in the world.Since 1963, it is held yearly for four days in March or April in Bologna, Italy...
.