Richard Wilkins (TV presenter)
For decades, his familiar face and voice have been Australia's trusted guide to the world of celebrity and entertainment news.
Born 1954 (age 72)·New Zealand-Australian television presenter·Birthday: June 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born in New Zealand, Richard Wilkins made the leap across the Tasman Sea and became a fixture of Australian television. His career, beginning in radio, is defined by a remarkable longevity in the fickle world of entertainment journalism. As the Nine Network's entertainment editor, he became the man on the red carpet, interviewing stars at every major event from the Oscars to local film premieres with a consistent, approachable demeanor. Beyond the nightly news updates, his weekend shifts on smoothfm radio revealed a deeper, mellower connection with music. Wilkins didn't just report on the industry; he became a part of its furniture, a reliable and recognizable presence who chronicled pop culture shifts from the rise of MTV to the digital age, all while maintaining a reputation as one of the most unflappable professionals in the business.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Richard was born in 1954, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Richard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1954
#1 Movie
White Christmas
Best Picture
On the Waterfront
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Richard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1954Born
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1959Started school
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1967Became a teenager
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Could drive
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1972Could vote
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Turned 21
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1984Turned 30
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 40
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 50
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 60
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 70
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 72 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the primary entertainment editor for Australia's Nine Network for over three decades, becoming a household name.
- Hosted and produced numerous television specials, including coverage of the Academy Awards and the Logie Awards.
- Maintained a parallel career in radio, hosting popular programs on stations like smoothfm.
- Received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2016 for services to the media and entertainment industry.
- Authored the book 'Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins', showcasing a passion for theatre history.
Did You Know?
He is the father of actor and model Christian Wilkins.
He began his media career as a radio announcer in his native New Zealand before moving to Australia.
He is a trained pianist and has a deep knowledge of musical theatre.
He was once a contestant on the Australian version of 'Dancing with the Stars'.
He holds both New Zealand and Australian citizenship.
“I've always just loved talking to the people who make the entertainment we all enjoy.”
