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| Ernie Sigley | |
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| Born | Ernest William Sigley 2 September 1938 Footscray, Victoria |
| Occupation | Game show host, Radio announcer |
Ernest William "Ernie" Sigley (born 2 September 1938, in Footscray, Victoria, Australia) is an enduring Australian entertainment personality known for his square-rimmed spectacles, the gap between his front teeth and his slapstick approach to comedy.[1]
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Radio career
Sigley's radio career began in 1952 as turntable operator on Danny Webb's breakfast program at radio station 3DB Melbourne. Television arrived in Australia in 1956, and Sigley made his TV debut as host of Teenage Mailbag on HSV-7 in 1957. Shortly after this, he decided to try his luck in London, gaining some work experience at the BBC. But a bigger break was to come with a two year contract at Radio Luxembourg. Ernie has been host of the afternoon program on Melbourne's 3AW since 1996, but on 16 September 2008 announced his retirement, presenting his last show on Friday 7 November. Regular fill in presenter Denis Walter replaced Sigley from Monday 10 November 2008.
Sigley then took on a part time role at the station replacing Paul Cronin as the fill in host on Nightline. Sigley partnered either Bruce Mansfield or Philip Brady in the Friday night slot but this lasted less than a month before it is believed an argument with management saw Sigley storm out of the building never to return. Longtime Nightline producer and current on air personality Simon Owen now fills the Friday night role.
Sigley is especially remembered for his 1964 association with the Adelaide leg of The Beatles tour of Australia. In one press conference, Sigley's questioning of The Beatles about their rock influences, and being able to discuss them (e.g. Buddy Holly), brought about an enthusiastic response from John Lennon, which contrasted strongly from all the questions asked by other interviewers during the conference.[citation needed]
Ernie Sigley has walked away from radio in January 2009 after a 57 year association with the industry. After Sigley retired from his 3AW afternoon program in November 2008 he became a Friday night fill in host with Nightline for a number of weeks. It is believed Sigley stormed out of a heated meeting with 3AW management.
Television career
Prime time
Sigley would later have prime time success as host of Adelaide Tonight on NWS-9 in the 1960s and early 1970s and The Ernie Sigley Show from 1974 – starring notable Australian media personalities such as Denise Drysdale, Noni Hazlehurst, Pete Smith and Joy Westmore – winning him a TV Week Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television in 1975.
The program came to an abrupt axing after an off-air outburst by Sigley, following the first show for 1976, directed at station owner Kerry Packer and producer Peter Faiman. Packer inevitably heard about the incident the next day, then flew down from Sydney to Melbourne with Don Lane. He dismissed Sigley in person, effective immediately, and replaced him with Lane.[2]
After the dismissal from Packer, the early evening variety show Ernie followed in 1976 on ATV-0, and in 1979, Saturday Night Live on HSV-7 co-hosting with Mary Hardy. He was involved in an infamous stoush with fellow TV star Don Lane at a Logies Ceremony in the 1990s.[2] Lane claims that he taunted Sigley about his weight, then punched at Sigley, intending to miss but accidentally connecting.[citation needed]
Game show host
Sigley was also host of the popular Australian game show, Wheel Of Fortune from 1981 to 1984, the regional variety program Six Tonight from BTV-6 Ballarat in 1982, and the daytime talent show Pot Luck in 1987, and also worked again in radio at 3DB in 1981 and later at 3AK and is now afternoon presenter at 3AW. Sigley returned to television in 1989 with Denise Drysdale, hosting GTV-9's morning program In Melbourne Today.
He is also a passionate supporter of the Western Bulldogs (formerly known as the Footscray Football Club).
References
- ^ "Channel Nine's fame factory". theage.com.au. http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/channel-nines-fame-factory/2005/12/30/1135915692159.html. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
- ^ a b Murphy, Jim (20 November 2008). "The retiring type? Not our little Aussie battler". The Age (Melbourne, Australia): p. 12.
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