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Wendy Harmer is one of Australia’s best-known humorists with a hugely successful career taking in areas as diverse as journalism, stand-up comedy, top-rating breakfast radio, television, theatre and bestselling books, both fiction and non-fiction.
STUFF, a four-part television documentary series which Wendy has produced, written and presented, premiered on ABC TV in 2008. The series examines, in a lighthearted and penetrating way, what a person’s ‘stuff’ says about them and what society’s stuff says about us.
Wendy’s children’s book series about Pearlie the park fairy have sold more than 600,000 copies in Australia and internationally since the first title PEARLIE IN THE PARK was published in 2003 by Random House. The subsequent books in the series; PEARLIE AND THE LOST HANDBAG, PEARLIE AND OPAL, PEARLIE AND THE LOST DOLL, PEARLIE AND JASPER, PEARLIE AND THE CHRISTMAS ANGEL, PEARLIE AND SAPPHIRE, PEARLIE AND GREAT AUNT GARNET, PEARLIE AND HER PINK SHELL, PEARLIE AND THE FAIRY QUEEN, PEARLIE IN CENTRAL PARK have outsold all previous Random House books for children in their age-group becoming instant bestsellers. PEARLIE IN THE PARK, a stage show adapted by Wendy, played at the Seymour Centre in Sydney and toured regional NSW in 2005 and toured nationally in 2007.
The animated television series based on Wendy’s PEARLIE books co-produced by Sticky Pictures and Canadian broadcaster Nelvana, premiered on Network Ten in October 2009 and aired on Nickelodean Australia and 11 other countries around the world. Wendy developed the series as Creative Producer and wrote many of its episodes.
In 2005 Wendy’s first novel FAREWELL MY OVARIES, chick-lit for the slightly more mature woman, was published and made the annual Australian bestseller list. This was followed with her second novel, LOVE AND PUNISHMENT, which examined revenge in a blackly humorous way. Her latest novel ROADSIDE SISTERS was published in April 2009 and her first teen novel I LOST MY MOBILE AT THE MALL was published in November 2009.
In 1993 she joined Sydney radio station 2 Day FM to lead the Breakfast Show team. During the 11 years she hosted this program it was rated number one in 84 out of 88 surveys. The news of her departure brought 3000 emails from disappointed listeners. She has written for numerous Australian magazines and has been a contributing columnist for The Australian Women’s Weekly, New Weekly, The Australian Weekend Magazine and HQ. She is currently one of Australia’s lead columnists with weekly columns in the Sunday Telegraph.
Wendy has written seven books for adults which include four humorous non-fiction books including NAGGING FOR BEGINNERS (2007) a how-to guide for women, IT’S A JOKE, JOYCE (1989) a book on Australian women’s humour, LOVE GONE WRONG (1991) a humorous look at failed relationships and SO ANYWAY (1997) a collection of her weekly columns from The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Weekend Magazine.
Wendy has written two plays: BACKSTAGE PASS and WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH MARY JANE? which has been enormously successful in promoting a wider understanding of the disease anorexia nervosa. Wendy wrote the libretto for Baz Luhrmann’s Opera Australia production of LAKE LOST.
Wendy was the host of the much-loved ABC TV series THE BIG GIG (from 1989 – 1991) and hosted the Logie Awards in 2002. Wendy is a veteran of the Edinburgh, Montreal and Glasgow-Mayfest Festivals and has worked extensively in London, America and Ireland, appearing at the Edinburgh Festival five times. In 1990, her one-woman show LOVE GONE WRONG received a “Pick Of The Fringe“ award and transferred to London and Wendy followed this by beginning her career in radio on the ABC’s Radio National with her own drive time programme.in 1991.
Wendy has made contributions to books including AUSTRALIAN STORY, Ita Buttrose’s MOTHERHOOD, Marie Claire’s WHAT WOMEN WANT and THE BEST EVER SPORTS WRITING …200 YEARS OF SPORT WRITING.
Wendy is married to Brendan, a committed environmentalist, surfer and house-husband and has two children aged 8 and 10. She still finds time to be involved with the Manly Football club’s Eagles Angels club.
What the critics say:
“A comic encyclopedia” The Scotsman
“See her… appreciate how good she really is” Time Out London
“She’s hilarious” Sydney Morning Herald
“Fluent, impromptu wit” The National Times
“Bite and brilliant warmth” Stiletto Magazine
“Wickedly funny” RAM Magazine
“On the new frontier of feminist humour” The Australian
“Brilliant satire” The Sun News Pictorial
“Outrageous, irreverent and consistently challenging” The Age
“Devastating” The Age
“Hilarious…a warmth and sense of comic timing which puts her far ahead of the rest” Adelaide Advertiser
“Australia’s Queen of Comedy” The Melbourne Times
“Wendy Harmer just keeps getting better” The Melbourne Herald
“Please put Wendy back on Prime Time TV where she belongs” Australian Story viewer 2005
“Wendy, you are a very special lady” Australian Story viewer 2005
“When are you coming back to radio?” Australian Story viewer 2005
“Wendy is an inspiration.” Australian Story viewer 2005
“Sheer bloody talent and bravery. A great role model for us all.” Australian Story Viewer
“Come back to our TV screens, Wendy” Australian Story viewer 2005
Wendy Harmer is represented exclusively by HLA Management Pty Ltd. |
