Richard Wilkins (TV presenter) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Wilkins
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Wilkins at the 2014 ARIA Music Awards, Sydney, 26 November 2014
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| Born | 19 June 1954 Auckland, New Zealand
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Other names | Richard Wilde, Dickie |
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| Years active | 1987–present |
| Employer | Nine Network |
| Television | Weekend Today Today |
Richard Wilkins is a well-known television and radio presenter from Australia. He was born in New Zealand on June 19, 1954. Richard is famous for being the entertainment editor for the Nine Network, which is a big TV channel. He also hosts shows on smoothfm radio.
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Richard Wilkins' Early Life and Music
Richard Wilkins was born in New Zealand. He went to a teachers' college there. He studied English and music, which shows he loved creative subjects from a young age.
Becoming a Pop Singer
Before he became a TV star, Richard wanted to be a pop singer. He used the stage name "Richard Wilde." A big music company called PolyGram signed him to a worldwide music deal.
In 1980, he brought his band, Wilde And Reckless, to Australia. They released some songs and a short album. He even toured with the famous singer Grace Jones. After a while, he decided to work behind the scenes in music. He became a Promotions and Marketing Manager for radio stations in Sydney. He also sang in a group of Australian Olympians. They released a song called "You're Not Alone" that became popular.
In 2006, Richard returned to the stage. He played the character Vince Fontaine in a huge musical show called "Grease: the Arena Spectacular."
Richard Wilkins' TV and Radio Career
Richard Wilkins started his television career in 1987. He was one of the first hosts for MTV Australia when it began on the Nine Network.
Hosting TV Shows
In 1992, he hosted a game show called Keynotes. Later, in 1999, he hosted the Australian version of Entertainment Tonight. For many years, he was the host of the Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks show on TV. He also helped present the Live Earth concert in Australia in 2007.
Richard has been the Entertainment editor for the Nine Network for a long time. He shares daily news and interviews about show business from all over the world. He has also hosted the Nine Network's coverage of big events like The Academy Awards, The Golden Globe Awards, and ARIA Awards.
In September 2011, Richard released his autobiography. It was called Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms. He wrote it with Carrie Hutchinson.
Radio Work and Recent TV Roles
In May 2012, Richard started working on smoothfm radio. He hosts the weekend Mornings show.
More recently, in 2019, Richard co-hosted Today Extra on some days. In 2020, he became the co-host of Weekend Today.
Celebrating 30 Years in TV
In 2017, Richard Wilkins celebrated a big milestone. He had been with the Nine Network for 30 years! That same year, he co-hosted the G'Day USA Gala for the twelfth time. This is a special Australian event held in the United States. In November 2017, he also returned to host the ARIA awards for the Nine Network.
Fake Online Scams
In 2023, news reports shared that fake images of Richard Wilkins are often used by scammers online. These scammers try to trick people on social media and other websites.
Awards and Honours
Richard Wilkins has received several awards for his work and his help in the community.
In 2000, he received the "Heart of Variety" Award from the Variety Club. This award recognized his amazing efforts to help others.
In 2014, Richard was given a special honour. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This award is for people who have done great things for the community and the entertainment industry.
He has also won two Australian Commercial Radio Awards. These were for the "Best Music Special" for his work on shows about John Farnham and Michael Buble.
Richard Wilkins' Family Life
Richard Wilkins has five children. His oldest child has Down syndrome. Richard has spoken about the challenges of raising a child with Down syndrome. His youngest son, Christian, is a model and actor.
In March 2020, Richard tested positive for COVID-19. This was during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. He had been in contact with actress Rita Wilson, who also got the virus.
