Jo Beth Taylor facts for kids

Joanne Rebecca Guilfoyle (born 29 May 1971), who is known by her professional name Jo Beth Taylor, is an Australian television host, actress, and singer. She became very famous in the 1990s for hosting three popular shows at the same time on the Nine Network. These shows were Australia's Funniest Home Video Show, Hey Hey It's Saturday, and What's Up Doc?.

After a break from television, Taylor returned to host the show StarStruck in 2000. She also hosted Dirty Jobs in 2007. Besides her TV work, Taylor had a music career in the 1990s, releasing an album and several songs. She also acted in stage musicals. More recently, she has appeared on reality shows like Dancing with the Stars and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.

Career

Early Life and Music

Jo Beth Taylor started singing when she was only five years old. She began performing on TV at age 13 on a show called Perth's Young Entertainers. When she was 15, she made a music video. Later, she moved to Melbourne to focus on her music.

A famous music producer, Molly Meldrum, heard her demo tape and signed her to a record label. He suggested she change her name from Joanne to Jo Beth. In 1991, she released her first song, "99 Reasons." It was a hit, reaching the Top 40 charts in Australia. Her album, also called 99 Reasons, was released the same year. In 1992, she was nominated for Best New Talent at the ARIA Awards.

Becoming a TV Star

In 1993, Taylor released a new song called "A Prayer For Jane." She wrote it about a friend. That same year, she became the host of Australia's Funniest Home Video Show. At just 22 years old, she was the youngest person and the only woman hosting a major evening show in Australia at the time.

In 1995, she also became a co-host on the popular variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday. She often performed songs on the show and sometimes hosted it all by herself. Around the same time, she also began hosting the kids' cartoon show What's Up Doc?. This meant she was hosting three different shows every week.

During this busy period, Taylor also acted in stage musicals like Cinderella and The New Rocky Horror Show. In 1996, she released a song called "I Love My Dog" for the 101 Dalmatians movie soundtrack.

Taking a Break

In mid-1997, Taylor suddenly stopped hosting her TV shows. She later explained that she was feeling overwhelmed and stressed from her very busy work schedule and needed to take a break for her health. Other presenters had to step in to host her shows.

Return to Television and Stage

After a break of more than two years, Taylor returned to television in 1999. She sang on the show In Melbourne Tonight. She also acted in a stage musical called Happy Days: The Arena Mega Musical.

In 2000, Taylor hosted a talent show called StarStruck. Over the next few years, she appeared as a guest on several other shows. In 2007, she co-hosted an Australian version of Dirty Jobs. She also returned for the reunion shows of Hey Hey It's Saturday in 2009.

In 2010, Taylor competed on the TV show Dancing with the Stars. Six years later, in 2016, she was a contestant on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, where she lived in the South African jungle to raise money for charity.

Personal Life

After leaving television in 1997, Taylor moved to San Diego, California, in the United States. She stayed out of the spotlight for over two years to focus on her well-being. She later said that the pressure of her work had been very difficult and that taking a break was important for her.

In 1996, Taylor traveled to Ethiopia and Uganda as an ambassador for World Vision Australia. She went there to meet the child she sponsored and to film a documentary about the charity's work.

Taylor was married to guitarist Jamie Jardine from 1992 to 1997. Her second marriage was to tennis player Thomas Muster. They were married in 2000 and have a son named Christian, who was born in 2001. Taylor and Muster later separated.

Taylor has lived in Melbourne and Noosa. In 2019, she moved back to her hometown of Perth. She has been practicing Iyengar Yoga since 2010 and is now studying to become a yoga teacher.

Filmography

Television

Stage

Discography

Albums

Singles

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony held by the Australian Recording Industry Association. They began in 1987.