Phil Keoghan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phil Keoghan
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Keoghan in February 2015
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Philip John Keoghan
31 May 1967 Lincoln, New Zealand
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| Occupation | Television presenter |
| Years active | 1986–present |
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Notable credit(s)
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The Amazing Race (CBS) No Opportunity Wasted (Discovery Channel) Explorer (National Geographic) Tough as Nails (CBS) |
| Spouse(s) | Louise Rodrigues |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) | Elizabeth "Beth" Keoghan John Keoghan |
| Relatives | Andrew Keoghan (brother) Ruth Keoghan Cooper (sister) |
Philip John Keoghan is a famous television host from New Zealand. He was born on May 31, 1967. He is best known for hosting the American TV show The Amazing Race on CBS, which started in 2001.
Phil also created and hosts No Opportunity Wasted, a show that has been made in the United States, New Zealand, and Canada. He also helped create and hosts Tough as Nails, another reality competition show on CBS. Phil has won many awards for his work, including 10 Primetime Emmy Awards for The Amazing Race. The show even won the award for "Outstanding Reality-Competition Program" seven times in a row!
Contents
Early Life and Childhood
Phil Keoghan was born in Lincoln, a small town near Christchurch, New Zealand. Because his dad had a job that required moving, Phil spent a lot of his childhood in different places like Antigua and Canada. His family moved back to Christchurch when he was in high school. After that, Phil went to St Andrew's College, Christchurch.
Phil's Television Career
When Phil was 19, he was learning to be a TV cameraman. At the same time, he tried out for a New Zealand children's show called Spot On and got the job! After working on other TV shows in New Zealand, like That's Fairly Interesting, he and his wife Louise moved to the United States. This happened when Phil was 23, after his show Keoghan's Heroes was picked up by a TV network in the U.S.
Phil first tried out to be the host of Survivor. He was one of the top choices, but Jeff Probst got the job. Instead, the CBS network asked Phil to host The Amazing Race. Phil has been the host of this show since it began, and he also helps produce it.
After a big earthquake hit Christchurch in February 2011, Phil went back to his hometown. He wanted to make sure his family was okay. He also filmed parts for The Early Show to ask people to help the New Zealand Red Cross. He also encouraged people to keep visiting New Zealand, as tourism is very important for the country. Phil has hosted over 1,000 different TV show episodes!
In 2018, Phil started hosting National Geographic Explorer. He had always wanted to work on this show. He even filmed a video with his wife to show his ideas to the producers a long time ago.
No Opportunity Wasted
When Phil was 19, he was filming for Spot On and went diving to explore a shipwreck. It was about 120 feet (37 meters) underwater. While inside the ship, he got separated from his diving partner and felt very scared, like he was close to danger. His partner rescued him. Even though he was shaken, Phil insisted on going back the next day to finish filming.
This experience changed Phil's life. From then on, he decided to live life to the fullest by trying exciting things and taking chances. He made a list of activities he wanted to do, which he called his "No Opportunity Wasted" (NOW) list. In his book, Phil wrote:
It was the first time I really stopped to think what dying could mean. I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote down all the things I had to do in life: hand-feed sharks, travel the world, climb Mt Everest, go into space.
Since then, Phil has done many amazing things. He broke a world bungee jumping record, explored the longest underwater caves, ate a meal on top of an erupting volcano, and even renewed his wedding vows underwater while feeding sharks! He even talked about his list on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Phil helped create the TV show No Opportunity Wasted, which first aired in 2004. This show is all about his "No Opportunity Wasted" idea. He also wrote a book with the same name, giving tips on how to create your own list of life goals.
Cycling Adventures
Phil Keoghan loves to cycle. From March to May 2009, Phil rode his bike across America. He did this with groups like GNC to raise money for multiple sclerosis research. Phil and others rode 3,500 miles (5,633 km) from Los Angeles to New York City, riding about 100 miles (160 km) each day. He stopped in 39 cities along the way. This event raised $500,000! Phil also made a documentary movie about this ride called The Ride, which came out in 2011.
Later, Phil learned about Harry Watson, a New Zealand cyclist from the early 1900s. Harry Watson and his team were the first English-speaking team to ride in the Tour de France in 1928. To celebrate Harry's story, Phil decided to ride the same Tour de France course from 1928. This old course was much longer, about 5,400 km (3,355 miles), compared to the modern Tour. Phil used a similar gear-less bicycle, just like Harry and his team did.
Phil and his riding partner, Ben Cornell, finished the ride in 2013. Phil's wife, Louise, and others filmed their journey. This footage was used to make another film called Le Ride. It was shown for the first time in Christchurch, New Zealand, in July 2016.
Phil's Family Life
Phil's father, John, is a scientist who works to protect nature in New Zealand. He even appeared on The Amazing Race during the 13th season when the racers visited New Zealand. John Keoghan and his wife run a bed and breakfast in Rolleston, New Zealand.
Phil's brother, Andrew, used to be a TV reporter and is now a jazz singer. His sister, Ruth Keoghan Cooper, helps professional women balance their careers and motherhood.
Phil lives with his wife and producing partner, Louise Keoghan. Louise is a TV producer and director from Australia. She also helped create No Opportunity Wasted and Tough as Nails. They have one daughter. The family lives in Los Angeles, California. They also have homes in Matarangi and Westport, New Zealand.
Awards and Recognition
Phil Keoghan has received many awards for his work:
- In 2008, he won the World Class New Zealand award in the 'Creative' category.
- In 2012, he was named one of six "Emerging Leaders" at the Sir Peter Blake Leadership Awards. This was for using his fame to help with things like Christchurch earthquake relief and research for multiple sclerosis.
- In 2014, he was given the title of Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his work as a TV presenter and for helping tourism.
- In 2018, Phil Keoghan was added to the International Sports Hall of Fame.
Shows Phil Has Been On
Phil Keoghan has worked in over seventy countries as a TV host, producer, writer, and cameraman. Here are some of the shows he has been involved with:
- 3.45 Live (1990) – Host
- The Amazing Race (2001–present) – Host
- Best of Both Worlds – Co-host
- Breakfast Time (FX TV series) – Road Warrior
- The Early Show – Travel Reporter
- FOX After Breakfast (1996) – Reporter
- That's Fairly Interesting – Reporter
- Go For It – Host
- The Human Edge (2002) – Co-creator
- Phil Keoghan's Adventure Crazy – Co-creator
- Adventure Crazy – Host
- Keoghan's Heroes – Co-creator
- Miss World 2003 (2003) – Host
- No Opportunity Wasted (2004) – Host
- Spot On – Host
- Surprise, Surprise – Host
- Whose House is it Anyway? (2000) – Host
- Speed Test Drive (2006) – Guest appearance
- Everest: After the Climb (2007) – Host
- CBS News Sunday Morning (2008) – Contributor
- Star Trek: Phase II (2008) – Guest appearance
- Million Dollar Password (2008) – Guest appearance
- I Get That a Lot (2013) – Himself
- Big Brother (2015) – Guest appearance
- Earth Live (2017) – Co-host
- American Dad! (2017) – Guest voice
- National Geographic Explorer (2018) – Host
- Tough as Nails (2020–present) – Host, Executive Producer, Director, Co-Creator
- Secret Celebrity Renovation (2023) – Himself
Images for kids
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Phil Keoghan in February 2015
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Phil Keoghan in 2006
See also
- List of New Zealand television personalities
