Jo Beth Taylor facts for kids

Jo Beth Taylor (born Joanne Rebecca Guilfoyle on 29 May 1971) is an Australian TV host, actress, and singer. She became very famous in the 1990s. She hosted three popular TV shows at the same time! These were Australia's Funniest Home Video Show, Hey Hey It's Saturday, and What's Up Doc?. After this busy time, she took a break from television.

Later, Jo Beth hosted StarStruck in 2000. She also had a music career in the 1990s. She released an album and several songs. She also starred in musical theatre shows. More recently, she has appeared on reality TV shows. These include Dancing with the Stars and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.

Jo Beth's Early Career

Starting Young: Singing and TV Shows

Jo Beth started singing when she was just 5 years old. She began performing professionally at age 13. This was on a TV show called Perth's Young Entertainers in 1984. When she was 15, she released a music video. It was for a song called Running For Our Lives. In 1988, she joined a band named Street Cafe. They played music regularly around Perth.

In 1989, Jo Beth moved to Melbourne. She recorded a demo tape. This tape was heard by Molly Meldrum, a famous music producer. He signed her to Melodian Records. When she signed her contract, Molly Meldrum suggested she change her name. He thought "Joanne" wasn't catchy enough. So, she became Jo Beth.

Living in New York and First Album

Jo Beth became friends with the singer Debbie Gibson. She then lived in New York City for a year. During this time, Debbie Gibson helped write and produce five songs. These songs were for Jo Beth's first album, 99 Reasons. Jo Beth also worked with Jelly Benetez in New York. He produced five more songs on her album.

Jo Beth moved back to Australia. She released her first song, "99 Reasons", in 1991. This song became a hit, reaching No. 31 on the Australian Top 40 chart. Her album, also called 99 Reasons, was not as successful. Her second song, "You Don't Own Me", did not do well on the charts. In 1992, Jo Beth was nominated for an award. It was for Best New Talent at the ARIA Music Awards.

Becoming a TV Star: The 1990s

Hosting Popular TV Shows

In 1993, Jo Beth released a new song. It was called "A Prayer For Jane". She wrote this song about a friend who had passed away. The song reached No. 61 on the Australian Charts.

In February 1993, Jo Beth became the host of Australia's Funniest Home Video Show. This show was very popular on the Nine Network. At just 22 years old, Jo Beth was the youngest person to host a prime-time show in Australia. She was also the only woman hosting a prime-time show at that time. Jo Beth also sang the show's theme song, "The Funny Things You Do".

From 1995 to 1996, Jo Beth also performed in stage shows. These included Cinderella and The New Rocky Horror Show.

Co-hosting Hey Hey It's Saturday

In 1995, while still hosting Funniest Home Videos, Jo Beth got another big job. She became a co-host on the long-running variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday. Sometimes, she even hosted the whole show by herself! This happened when Daryl Somers, the main host, was away. Jo Beth often sang on the show. She was part of the team when they celebrated the show's 25th Anniversary. This special event took place at Walt Disney World.

In 1996, Jo Beth briefly returned to music. She released "I Love My Dog". This song was for the 101 Dalmatians Movie soundtrack. It reached No. 95 on the ARIA Charts. During this time, Jo Beth hosted several special TV events for the Nine Network. These included a telethon called Vision for a Better World. She also hosted the 40 Years of Television special. This special was filmed on the set of What's Up Doc?, another show she sometimes hosted.

Taking a Break from TV

In mid-1997, Jo Beth's time as a host on Funniest Home Videos and Hey Hey ended suddenly. She did not show up for work. Later, she explained that she needed a break due to a difficult time in her life. Because she left both shows without warning, other presenters had to fill in. Catriona Rowntree temporarily replaced her on Funniest Home Videos. Then Kim Kilby became the permanent host. Livinia Nixon took over as co-host of Hey Hey It's Saturday.

Later Career and Personal Life

Returning to the Spotlight

After being away from TV for over two years, Jo Beth returned in August 1999. She appeared on In Melbourne Tonight and sang a song. In October 1999, Jo Beth joined the cast of a stage musical. It was called Happy Days: The Arena Mega Musical. She played a new character named Laura. Laura worked with another character to try and close down the famous diner. The musical featured many songs from the 1960s. Jo Beth sang songs like "Stand By Me" and "You Don't Own Me".

Jo Beth also returned as a guest on Australia's Funniest Home Video Show in late 1999. This was for the show's 10th Anniversary special. She sang the theme song and "Happy Birthday". She also returned as a guest and performer for the final episode of Hey Hey It's Saturday in November 1999.

In 2000, Jo Beth hosted Starstruck. This was a Saturday night talent show. It was her last regular TV role for more than seven years. She made guest appearances on other shows. These included Greeks on the Roof in 2003. In 2005, she appeared on Australia Unites: Reach Out to Asia. This was a special TV event by several networks. It raised money for people affected by the Boxing Day Tsunami.

In 2006, Jo Beth worked on a radio station in Noosa. She co-hosted an Australian version of Dirty Jobs in 2007. She also appeared on Mornings With Kerri-Anne in 2009. Jo Beth returned for the second Hey Hey It's Saturday reunion show in October 2009.

Dancing and Reality TV

In 2010, Jo Beth was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. She was eliminated in the fourth week. She also returned to Hey Hey It's Saturday in November 2010 as a contestant. She later judged a segment called Red Faces on the show's finale.

After a six-year break, Jo Beth returned to TV in January 2016. She was a contestant on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. She entered the jungle in South Africa on the first day. She chose World Vision Australia as her charity. Later that year, she co-hosted Studio 10. She also appeared as a contestant on All Star Family Feud.

Jo Beth's Personal Life

After leaving television in 1997, Jo Beth moved to San Diego, California. She stayed out of the public eye for over two years. When she returned to Australia in 1999, she spoke about her break. She explained that she had gone through a very difficult time. She said that mental health challenges were not talked about much back then. But she was not ashamed to share her story.

In 1996, Jo Beth traveled to Ethiopia and Uganda. She went as an ambassador for World Vision Australia. She met a child she sponsored and filmed a documentary.

Jo Beth's first marriage was to guitarist Jamie Jardine. They were married from 1992 to 1997. Her second marriage was to tennis player Thomas Muster. They married in Austria in 2000. They had one child, a son named Christian, born in 2001. Jo Beth and Thomas separated in 2002 and divorced in 2005.

In 2019, Jo Beth moved back to Perth. She had been living in Melbourne and Noosa with her son since 2005. She has been practicing Iyengar Yoga since 2010. She is also studying to become a yoga teacher.

TV Shows and Stage Roles

Television Appearances

Stage Performances

Music Releases

Albums

Songs (Singles)

Awards and Nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are annual awards given by the Australian Recording Industry Association.