Sonia Kruger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sonia Kruger
Kruger at The Mummy black carpet in 2017
Born	Sonia Melissa Kruger January 21, 1962 Aged 63 years Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Education	University of Technology
Occupation	Television presenter actress media personality
Years active	1988–present
Employer	Seven Network
Notable work	Host of Dancing with the Stars with co-host Daryl Somers Today Extra presenter with David Campbell Host of Big Brother Australia Presenter of the 2020 Olympics Host of Holey Moley
Spouse(s)	James Davies ​ ​ (m. 2002; div. 2008)​
Partner(s)	Craig McPherson
Children	1

Sonia Melissa Kruger is a well-known Australian TV presenter, actress, and media personality. She is currently the host of Big Brother Australia and also presents on The Voice Australia. Many people know her for co-hosting Dancing with the Stars. She also played Tina Sparkle in the 1992 movie Strictly Ballroom. Kruger has also been a co-host of the morning show Today Extra.

During her time at the Seven Network, Kruger has reported on many big events. These include the network's coverage of the Olympics, the Melbourne Cup horse race, and the Australian Open tennis tournament. In 2023, she won the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television. This is a very important award in Australian TV.

Early Life and Education

Sonia Kruger was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, on January 21, 1962. She went to Beenleigh State High School and finished her studies there in 1982. After high school, she earned an Arts Degree from the University of Technology, Sydney. She also taught dance at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney.

Television Career

Early Roles and Reporting

In 1992, Kruger became famous for her first acting role. She played Tina Sparkle in the movie Strictly Ballroom. This film won an AFI Award. She also helped with the ballroom dancing for the movie. This was her only acting role.

After her movie debut, she hosted a children's show. It was called Wonder World! and aired on the Nine Network. Kruger also worked as an entertainment reporter. She reported for Seven Network shows like Today Tonight, Sunrise, and 11AM. She also hosted a morning radio show in Sydney.

Kruger (right) with Daniel MacPherson at the 2011 Logie Awards in Melbourne

Hosting Dancing with the Stars

In 2004, Kruger joined the Seven Network to host Dancing with the Stars. This show is the Australian version of the UK series Strictly Come Dancing. She co-hosted the show with Daryl Somers and later with Daniel MacPherson. She was on the show for eleven seasons. In September 2008, Kruger also hosted a makeover show called 10 Years Younger in 10 Days. Even though its first episode had high ratings, the show did not return for a second season.

In November 2011, Kruger announced she was leaving Dancing with the Stars. She also left the Seven Network to find new opportunities.

Moving to Nine Network

Kruger then signed a deal with the Nine Network in November 2011. She was chosen to host her own daytime talk show. The show was called Mornings. She hosted it with singer and actor David Campbell. This show replaced Kerri-Anne. Mornings started on February 6, 2012. It later changed its name to Today Extra in 2016.

Kruger was also announced as the host for the Nine Network's new version of Big Brother Australia. She took over from previous hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O. The new Big Brother started on August 13, 2012. It had 1.6 million viewers, which was the highest rating for the show since its third season.

On February 22, 2015, it was announced that Kruger would join The Voice Australia. She became a co-host for the fourth season with Darren McMullen. In November 2017, Kruger also co-hosted Carols by Candlelight with David Campbell.

Return to Seven Network

In November 2019, Kruger announced she was leaving the Nine Network. Her last show on Today Extra was on November 15. The CEO of Seven Network, James Warburton, confirmed she was joining their network. He said she would host their new reality show Mega Mini Golf.

In February 2020, the Seven Network announced Kruger would host a new version of Big Brother. Because of this, she was not going to host Holey Moley. However, in October 2020, Kruger was confirmed as the host of Holey Moley after all.

In 2021, Kruger hosted The Voice again. This happened after Seven Network got the rights to the show. Kruger is also currently a co-host of Channel Seven's Dancing with the Stars. She hosts it alongside her original co-host, Daryl Somers.

Awards and Recognition

Kruger has been nominated for several Logie Awards. These awards celebrate the best in Australian television. She was nominated for the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter in 2022, 2023, and 2024. She was first nominated for the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television in 2022. She won this top award in 2023 and was nominated again in 2024.

Personal Life

Sonia Kruger was married to James Davies, a banker, for six years. They were married from 2002 to 2008. After their marriage ended in September 2008, she started a relationship with Craig McPherson. He is an executive producer for the show Today Tonight.

Kruger and McPherson wanted to have a child for many years. They tried different methods, including IVF. In August 2014, she announced she was pregnant. She had conceived using in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) with a donor egg. In 2015, Kruger gave birth to a daughter.

Accolades