Cal Wilson

Cal Wilson (5 October 1970 – 11 October 2023) was a New Zealand stand-up comedian, author, radio and television presenter based in Australia. Wilson wrote the New Zealand sitcom Willy Nilly from 2001 until 2003.[1] She then appeared in numerous comedy and television shows, including being the host of Sleuth 101 and voiced Petal and Thorn in the children's TV series Kitty Is Not a Cat.[2] Wilson also co-hosted several radio shows.

Not to be confused with Callum Wilson or Carl Wilson.

Cal Wilson
Born(1970-10-05)5 October 1970
Christchurch, New Zealand
Died11 October 2023(2023-10-11) (aged 53)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • writing
  • radio
  • television
Years active1997–2023
Spouse
Chris Woods
​
(m. 2008)​
Children1
Websitecalwilsoncomedy.com

Early life and education

Wilson was born in New Zealand on 5 October 1970.[3] After high school in Christchurch, she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Canterbury.[4]

Comedy career

Wilson co-founded the Court Jesters improv group in 1990[5] and was part of the New Zealand team that won the World Theatresports title in Los Angeles in 1994.[6]

Wilson then moved to stand-up comedy full-time and in 1997 was the inaugural winner (with Ewen Gilmour) of New Zealand's most prestigious comedy award, the Billy T.[7] She also regularly appeared on TV3's Pulp Comedy.[8] From 2003, she began living in Melbourne.[9]

In 2001, Wilson won the "Best Newcomer" award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.[10] She appeared to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2004.[11]

Her 2006 show, Up There, Cal Wilson, sold out at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.[12][13]

Television

During her early career, Wilson was a writer for the New Zealand sitcom Willy Nilly from 2001 until 2003.[1][14] In 2007, she was part of the ensemble cast of the Australian sketch comedy TV show The Wedge.[15] She was also a writer for the series. In 2008, Wilson appeared in the eighth series of the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with series 7 winner Craig Monley.[16]

In 2010, Wilson became the host of the program Sleuth 101[15] and also took part in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Great Debate.[17] During this time Wilson began making an appearance on the New Zealand TV comedy show 7 Days. She appeared in several episodes of the series until 2018.[18]

Wilson appeared as a guest on the UK comedy quiz show QI in 2012[19] and in the following year was captain of "Team Cal" on the Australian light entertainment television series Slide Show.[20]

In 2018, Wilson voiced Petal and Thorn in the children's TV series Kitty Is Not a Cat.[21] In 2019 she recorded a Netflix Original Comedy Special titled Comedians of the World representing New Zealand. She toured a stand-up show, Gifted Underachiever, in 2019.[2] In 2022, Wilson participated in the eighth season of the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[22][23] In August that year, it was revealed that Wilson would host the seventh season of The Great Australian Bake Off alongside Natalie Tran and new judges Darren Purchese and Rachel Khoo.[24] The following year in mid-2023, Wilson featured in SBS's Who the Bloody Hell Are You?[25]

During her television career Wilson also made appearances on various Australian comedy shows including SkitHOUSE, Rove Live, Thank God You're Here,[15] Good News Week, Spicks and Specks,[26] The Project, Celebrity Name Game, Show Me the Movie!,[27] Would I Lie to You? Australia, SlideShow, Have You Been Paying Attention? and Hughesy, We Have a Problem.[28]

Radio

In 2007, Wilson co-hosted, with Akmal Saleh, the drive time radio show The Akmal Show with Cal Wilson (later called The Wrong Way Home with Akmal, Cal and Ed), which aired on Nova FM in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.[29][30] Before that role, she was a regular guest on the Triple M program Get This.[30]

In 2009, Wilson co-hosted Mornings on Nova 100 (Melbourne) with Dylan Lewis.[31][32] She resigned from Nova 100 in November 2009.[33]

Personal life and death

Wilson married Chris Woods in 2008. The couple had a son and lived in Sunshine, a suburb of Melbourne.[34][35]

Wilson died on 11 October 2023, at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, Sydney, from a rare and aggressive form of cancer, six days following her 53rd birthday. She had been in hospital for two weeks before her death.[3][36][37]

Filmography

Voice roles

References
  1. Screen, NZ On. "Cal Wilson | NZ On Screen". nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  2. "Token Profile page". Excellence Through Guesswork. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  3. O'Brien, Kerrie (11 October 2023). "Comedian Cal Wilson dies, aged 53". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  4. "Page Title – Canterbury College – Armson Collins Architectural Drawings Collection – University of Canterbury – New Zealand". canterbury.ac.nz. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  5. "Cal Wilson – Onya Soapbox". onyasoapbox.com. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  6. "It's Cal Wilson's Line – Arts, News, Theatre". NZEDGE. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  7. "Cal Wilson". platinumspeakers.com.au. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  8. Screen, NZ On. "Pulp Comedy Presents Cal Wilson and Friends | Television | NZ On Screen". nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  9. O'Brien, Kerrie (10 October 2023). "'We are devastated' – Comedian Cal Wilson dies, aged 53". Stuff. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  10. "Melbourne International Comedy Festival-awards". Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  11. "Cal Wilson – Celebrity Speakers". 1 March 2021. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  12. "Cal Wilson | Captive Audience". captiveaudience.nz. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  13. Hunter, Tim (21 April 2006). "Up There, Cal Wilson". The Age. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  14. "Willy nilly. Season one [videorecording] / director, Mike Smith ; producers Judith Trye, John Gilbert". natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  15. McManus, Bridget (11 February 2010). "Comedian has 101 moments of sleuth". The Age. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  16. "Bake Off Australia host Cal Wilson dies aged 53". The Independent. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  17. Lewdon, Courtney (4 May 2013). "The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Great Debate: 11 May". Ryno's TV. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  18. "Comedian and actor Cal Wilson dies, age 53". Radio New Zealand. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  19. "QI Series J episode guide". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  20. "Cal Wilson: It Could Have Been Me – Brisbane Australia Events". brisbane-australia.com. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  21. "Kitty Is Not a Cat series 3 (2020) – The Screen Guide – Screen Australia". screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  22. "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here 2022: Meet The Celebrities". 10 Play. Network 10. 3 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  23. Cartwright, Lexie (3 January 2022). "Full I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! cast finally revealed". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  24. Molk, Steve (29 August 2022). "New judges and hosts announced for THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BAKE OFF". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  25. "Cal Wilson gave undercover cop the finger... but got off!". PerthNow. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  26. Casey, Mark (17 March 2009). "Comedy's it girl". NewsComAu. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  27. "What's on TV: Thursday, April 12". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 March 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2023. Show Me The Movie! Ten, 7.30pm ... Joining them this week are actor Nicholas Hammond, comedian Cal Wilson, actor-comedian Merrick Watts and actress Shari Sebbens.
  28. "Hughesy, We Have a Problem: Apr 3". TV Tonight. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2023. Guests tonight on Hughesy, We Have a Problem are Ross Noble, Chrissie Swan, Dave O'Neil and Cal Wilson.
  29. "The Akmal Show with Cal Wilson – Nova". Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2007.
  30. Javes, Sue (6 August 2007). "Fourth time lucky – Radio". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  31. "Cal Wilson | Inspire Speakers". 19 March 2023. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  32. "Biggest ever Melbourne International Comedy Festival". ABC News. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  33. "Cal Wilson – Contact & Book – Australian Comedian". Entertainment Bureau. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  34. Guertin, Lachlan (11 October 2023). "Popular New Zealand comedian Cal Wilson dies aged 53". Yahoo News. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  35. "A ray of Sunshine has her last laugh". Brimbank & North West. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  36. "Rare cancer revealed as the cause of Cal Wilson's death as stars pay tribute to 'shining soul' of comedy". ABC News. 12 October 2023.
  37. "Cal Wilson's cause of death revealed: Kiwi comedian's secret battle with rare, aggressive cancer; on-set collapse". New Zealand Herald. 12 October 2023.
  38. "NFSA – Search the Collection". collection.nfsa.gov.au. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
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