Richard Wilkins

Australian entertainment and media great

1 episodeSept 2019

About Richard

Richard Wilkins - Australian entertainment and media great

Richard Wilkins has spent more than three decades at the forefront of Australian media and entertainment. His incredible talent and years of experience has led him to become Australia's most respected and accomplished TV presenter, radio presenter, and entertainment reporter, interviewing stars from around the world.

Richard pioneered Australian TV, becoming a household name hosting MTV Australia, the Sydney New Year's Eve telecast for almost 10 years consecutively, The Academy Awards, The Golden Globe Awards, the Today Show and breaking Australia's biggest entertainment stories and announcements.

Richard has also been made a Member of the Order of Australia for his significant service to the community and the entertainment industry.

Alongside having an incredible career, Richard is an amazing father and unbelievably generous.

Richard on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardwilkins/

Richard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardWilkins

In Richard’s words

Verbatim from the transcripts — each quote links to the moment.

“I always say it's more of a lifestyle than a job.”

Ep 457 ▶ 11:49

“I've always said that, you know, well, is, we'll play the ball but never play the man.”

Ep 457 ▶ 12:24

“It's like a tsunami of of superstars, really.”

Ep 457 ▶ 16:09

“So as your counsellor here today, I wouldn't worry about wanting to be a good dad and chase your dreams.”

Ep 457 ▶ 34:22

“If you never tell a lie, or if you always tell the truth, you never have to remember anything.”

Ep 457 ▶ 35:47

Richard’s advice on the show

How do you deal with guilt about chasing career dreams while also wanting to be a present parent?

Wilkins advises not feeling bad about wanting both a career and a good family life, noting that pursuing his own dreams ultimately made him better able to be present for his children, and that struggling with this balance is universal.

Ep 457 ▶ 32:58

What's a good guiding principle for living an honest, uncomplicated life?

Always tell the truth, because then you never have to remember what you said — lies compound and eventually catch up with you.

Ep 457 ▶ 35:47

How should you capture creative ideas that come to you at odd times, like in bed at night?

'Harvest the freshness' — act on the idea immediately when it's clear in your mind (e.g., get up and write it down) rather than trusting you'll remember it later, since such ideas are often forgotten by morning.

Ep 457 ▶ 42:08

How do you properly prepare for a big interview?

Preparation means taking it seriously — reading notes, anticipating follow-up questions based on possible answers, and avoiding questions the subject has already answered publicly, so the conversation can go somewhere genuinely interesting for both parties.

Ep 457 ▶ 46:19

Stories Richard told

Beating Russell Crowe for the original MTV Australia host job

Ep 457 ▶ 6:59

Wilkins recounts reading about Channel 9's plan to launch an Australian MTV and auditioning for the host role against several competitors including Russell Crowe, who was represented by the same agent; Wilkins got the job.

Teleprompters catching fire on old TV sets

Ep 457 ▶ 11:03

Wilkins describes how old-school teleprompters used paper fed under a hot light with a mirrored camera setup, and if a presenter paused too long, the script paper could visibly catch fire.

Accidentally leaking Robbie Williams' baby name

Ep 457 ▶ 18:14

After Robbie Williams told Wilkins privately the name they were considering for his new baby, Wilkins tweeted congratulations referencing the name, not realizing it hadn't been publicly announced yet, causing an awkward follow-up call from Williams.

Becoming a father to Adam at 18

Ep 457 ▶ 32:58

Wilkins describes having his first son Adam at age 18 with a then-16-year-old girlfriend; Adam has Down syndrome. The marriage didn't survive, and Wilkins eventually placed Adam in care while remaining part of his life, wrestling with guilt over prioritizing his career dreams.

Same-day turnaround flight to see Michael Bublé

Ep 457 ▶ 41:16

Wilkins recalls flying to meet Michael Bublé, having drinks and dinner, then heading straight to the airport to fly overnight back to Sydney rather than staying over, surprising Bublé who thought he was crazy.

Questions these interviews answer

Drawn from the episode transcripts.

How did Richard Wilkins become the host of Australian MTV?

After Kerry Packer bought MTV programming rights from Viacom for Channel 9, Wilkins read about the upcoming local version in the paper and auditioned, competing against Russell Crowe (then represented by the same agent) for the role, landing it in 1987.

From episode 457→

Does Richard Wilkins have children, and what has fatherhood been like for him?

Wilkins has five children. His first son Adam, born when Wilkins was 18, has Down syndrome; Wilkins wrestled with guilt over placing his career ambitions ahead of being constantly present for Adam, who now lives with another family in New Zealand but remains part of Wilkins' life.

From episode 457→

What is Richard Wilkins' philosophy on dealing with competitors in entertainment journalism?

Wilkins says he's become less competitive over his career and lives by the adage to 'play the ball but never play the man,' maintaining friendly camaraderie with rival entertainment reporters like Angela Bishop and Edwina even while competing for the same interviews.

From episode 457→

When Richard came up

Mentioned on 14 episodes Richardwasn’t on.

Tommy jokes that Richard Wilkins left the room during the pool story because he actually owns two pools.

Ep 1000

Mentioned as 'Dickie' whose bar the hosts sat in, described as a phenomenal experience.

Ep 1000

Discussed for his home bar, longevity in media, and early recovery from coronavirus in Australia.

Ep 983 ▶ 20:39

Used as an example of someone with many Clubhouse contacts despite not being on the platform.

Ep 970 ▶ 30:01

Used as an example of a famous person with a memorable phone number and known address.

Ep 782 ▶ 16:29

Former Daily Talk Show guest and Today Show host who contracted coronavirus and went into isolation.

Ep 659

Tommy mentions people dropping off slabs of Corona beer at Richard Wilkins's house after he got coronavirus.

Ep 643 ▶ 0:03

Tommy recalls visiting Richard Wilkins' private bar in Sydney during a previous Daily Talk Show episode.

Ep 596 ▶ 1:29:34

Mentioned regarding his son being on Dancing with the Stars, tangential to a discussion about subjective judging.

Ep 586 ▶ 8:08

Named as a prior guest on The Daily Talk Show and referenced in red carpet talk.

Ep 463 ▶ 42:15

Mentioned as a previous Daily Talk Show guest and Today Show colleague of Fordham's; referenced again regarding his haircut and complaints about his hair.

Ep 461 ▶ 0:00

Famous Australian entertainment reporter scheduled to appear on the show live from his home bar the next day.

Ep 456 ▶ 13:35

Episodes with Richard

Every episode featuring Richard Wilkins on The Daily Talk Show.

Richard Wilkins On Fatherhood & Pioneering Television

EP 457

47:35

15 September 2019

Richard Wilkins On Fatherhood & Pioneering Television

Richard Wilkins joined Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen on Episode 457 (15 September 2019) — "Richard Wilkins On Fatherhood & Pioneering Television". Richard Wilkins - Australian entertainment and media great Richard Wilkins has spent more than three decades at the forefront of Australian media and entertainment. His incredible talent and years of experience has led him to become Australia's most respected and accomplished TV presenter, radio...