Sonia Kruger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sonia Kruger
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Kruger (right) with Daniel MacPherson at the 2011 Logie Awards in Melbourne
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Sonia Melissa Kruger
28 August 1965 Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Education | University of Technology |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
| Employer | Seven Network |
| Known for | The Voice Australia |
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Notable work
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| Partner(s) | Craig McPherson |
| Children | 1 |
Sonia Melissa Kruger (born 28 August 1965) is a well-known Australian television presenter and actress. She has been a popular face in Australian media for over 20 years. Sonia is famous for hosting many big TV shows.
She is currently the host of Big Brother Australia and a presenter on The Voice Australia. Sonia also co-hosted the popular Australian show Dancing with the Stars. Many people also remember her acting role as Tina Sparkle in the 1992 movie Strictly Ballroom. She has also been a co-host of the morning program Today Extra.
While working at the Seven Network, Sonia reported on major events. These included the network's coverage of the Olympics, the Melbourne Cup, and the Australian Open. In 2023, she won the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television. This is a very important award in Australian TV.
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Early Life and Education
Sonia Kruger was born in Toowoomba, Queensland. She went to Beenleigh State High School and finished her studies there in 1982.
After high school, Sonia studied at the University of Technology, Sydney. She earned an Arts Degree. She also taught dance at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney.
Career Highlights
Sonia Kruger first became well-known in 1992. This was when she made her acting debut in the film Strictly Ballroom. She played the character Tina Sparkle. She also helped the film with its ballroom dancing scenes. This movie won an AFI Award. So far, this is her only acting role.
After her movie role, Sonia hosted a children's show. It was called Wonder World! and aired on the Nine Network.
Sonia has worked as an entertainment reporter for several Seven Network shows. These include Today Tonight, Sunrise, and 11AM. She also hosted a morning radio show in Sydney. This show was on Mix 106.5.
Dancing with the Stars
In 2004, Sonia joined the Seven Network to host Dancing with the Stars. This show is a dance competition. It is the Australian version of the UK show Strictly Come Dancing. Sonia co-hosted the show for eleven seasons. She worked with Daryl Somers and Daniel MacPherson.
In September 2008, Sonia was chosen to host another show. It was a makeover reality show called 10 Years Younger in 10 Days. The first episode had high ratings. However, the Seven Network did not make a second season.
In November 2011, Sonia announced she was leaving Dancing with the Stars. She also left the Seven Network to find new opportunities.
Moving to Nine Network
Sonia then signed a deal with the Nine Network in November 2011. She was confirmed to host her own daytime talk show. It was called Mornings. She hosted it with singer and actor David Campbell. This show replaced Kerri-Anne. Mornings started on 6 February 2012. It was later renamed Today Extra in 2016.
Sonia was also chosen to host 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 13 August 2012. It had 1.6 million viewers. This was the highest rating for the show since its third season.
On 22 February 2015, it was announced that Sonia would join The Voice Australia. She became a co-host for the fourth season with Darren McMullen.
In November 2017, Sonia was announced as a co-host for Carols by Candlelight. She hosted this event with David Campbell.
Return to Seven Network
In November 2019, Sonia announced she was leaving the Nine Network. Her last show on Today Extra was on 15 November. 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 Sonia would host a new version of Big Brother. Because of this, she would not host Holey Moley. However, in October 2020, Sonia was confirmed as the host of Holey Moley.
In 2021, Sonia hosted The Voice again. This was after Seven Network gained the rights to the show. Sonia is also currently a co-host of Channel Seven's Dancing with the Stars. She works alongside her original co-host, Daryl Somers.
Sonia has been nominated for several Logie Awards. These include the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter. 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. She was nominated again in 2024.
Personal Life
Sonia Kruger was married for six years to James Davies. Their marriage lasted from 2002 to 2008.
After her marriage ended, she began a relationship with Craig McPherson. He is an executive producer for TV. Sonia and Craig wanted to have a child for many years. They tried different methods, including IVF. In August 2014, Sonia announced she was pregnant. She had conceived using IVF with a donor egg. In 2015, Sonia gave birth to her daughter.
