Libbi Gorr

Lisbeth Joanne "Libbi" Gorr (born 24 March 1965)[1] is an Australian broadcaster working in both TV and radio. Gorr is also an author, voice artist, writer and performer. She first came to prominence with the satirical television character that she created called "Elle McFeast".

Libbi Gorr
Gorr in 2015
Born
Lisbeth Joanne Gorr

(1965-03-24) 24 March 1965
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
EducationMethodist Ladies College, Melbourne
Alma materUniversity Of Melbourne
Occupations
  • TV personality
  • radio broadcaster
  • author
  • actress
  • voice artist
Years active1988−present
Known forCharacter Elle McFeast
PartnerStewart Burchmore
ChildrenChe, Dali

Early life

Gorr was born in Melbourne into a Jewish Australian family grew up in Murrumbeena and was educated at the Methodist Ladies' College. She began working in comedy while she was an arts and law student at the University of Melbourne. Gorr graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws in 1988.[1] After graduation she became an articled clerk with the Melbourne law firm Phillips Fox.[2] Gorr had her first regular media job as the voice of the Sportsgirl fashion chain when she was asked to "sound" like a photo of supermodel Elle Macpherson.[3]

She also performed with the Hot Bagels, an all-women cabaret group.[4]

Television

As the character Elle McFeast, Gorr performed in a number of award-winning television shows, including Andrew Denton's Live and Sweaty.[5][6] She hosted Live and Sweaty for another two years after his retirement from the show in 1993, becoming the first woman to host a Sports /comedy Tonight show in Australia.

In 1995 Libbi Gorr created McFeast: Live from the Bowels of Parliament House. This was a weekly 30 minute political satire / comedy show. The final credits featured Gorr dancing on the desks of Australian parliamentarians to “She’s so fine”, by the Easybeats. It ran for two seasons.

As McFeast she also created 14 TV specials, including Breasts,[2] Sex, Guys and Videotape,[7] Portrait of a Power Pussy[4] and the television show Elle McFeast Live. Gorr made the transition to appearing as herself on camera hosting the Marie Claire "What Women Want" forums, and the televised IF awards for film in Australia.[2] In 2001 a portrait of her, called "Excelle – Libbi Gorr", by painter Margarita Georgiadis, was entered in the Archibald Prize for portraiture. The painting was hung as a finalist. A photographic portrait by Petrea Hicks was also hung the following year.[8]

In 2003 she performed a live show "Dirty Sweet Cherry on Top!" at the Sydney Opera House[2]

In 2007 Gorr hosted the short-lived Channel Nine show The Catch Up.[9] The program, a revised version of the American program The View, ran for only four months before being cancelled due to poor ratings.[10] Gorr, however, received positive reviews.[11]

Gorr has contributed to Studio 10 on Network Ten as a studio panellist and Melbourne correspondent.[12]

In 2016, Gorr began presenting stories as a guest reporter for the ABC flagship current affairs program 7.30.

Radio and journalism

In January 2012, Gorr joined ABC Radio Melbourne[13] as host of the Sunday morning program.[14] She also regularly hosted Breakfast when Red Symons was the main presenter and on leave.[15]

In December 2021, Gorr announced her resignation from ABC Radio Melbourne to pursue her creative interests.[16] Her last show on ABC Radio Melbourne was on 19 December 2021.

Books

Gorr has authored two books for Harper Collins, The A–Z of Mummy Manners: An Etiquette Guide for Managing Other Children's Mothers and Assorted Mummy Dilemmas (2011)[17][14] and The Bedtime Poem For Edible Children illustrated by Bradley Trevor Greive (2012).[18]

Personal life

Gorr's partner is freelance producer and director Stewart Burchmore (brother of actor Rhonda Burchmore). They have two children and live in Melbourne.[19][20]

References
  1. Systems, Student Management (28 June 2006). "Student Information System". sis.unimelb.edu.au. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  2. "To Elle and back". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 February 2003. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  3. Brown, Damien (16 May 2009). "Wildchild backs our AFL push". The Mercury. p. 1. ProQuest 352895289.
  4. Enker, Debi (28 December 1997). "An Elle of a Year". Sunday Age. ProQuest 367083786.
  5. { On Denton's departure, Libbi created TV history when she took over as the host of Live and Sweaty in seasons three and four, the first female late night Tonight show host in Australia. After Live and Sweaty ended, Libbi then created and hosted McFeast:: Live From The Bowels of Parliament House, a weekly satirical politics program which ran on ABCTV Monday nights. The theme song was the Easybeats hit, She's So Fine and featured politicians miming the song whilst Gorr as McFeast danced on their desks at Parliament House."Libbi Gorr | Guests | The Late Session on SBS". sbs. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  6. Leedham, Nicole (12 December 1994). "The angel said no Elle". The Canberra Times. p. 40. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  7. Warden, Ian (20 June 1994). "I saw- Sex, Guys and Size". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  8. "Gossip". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 16 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  9. "Libbi Gorr leaves McFeast behind". The Age. 21 February 2007. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  10. Casey, Marcus (13 June 2007). "The Catch-Up cut loose by Nine". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 June 2007. Retrieved 14 June 2007.
  11. Idato, Michael (10 May 2007) The Catch-up left chasing ratings. The Age
  12. "Why was Ita the only one not wearing a beanie?". NewsComAu. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  13. "Libbi Gorr's North Bondi house sells for $355,000 above reserve". Domain. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  14. Webb, Carolyn (28 August 2015). "Libbi Gorr has a crack at a one-woman stage show". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  15. Gorr, Libbi (29 July 2017). "The Gift of Negative Feedback". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  16. "Libbi leaves ABC with love". ABC Radio. 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  17. Yeoman, William (12 April 2011). "Word's worth". The West Australian. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  18. Brophy, Kevin (May 2013). "The Bedtime Poem for Edible Children". The Journal of the Children's Book Council of Australia. 57 (2): 16. ISSN 0155-218X.
  19. "Libbi Gorr: To Elle and back". Northern Star Weekly. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  20. "The story of us". New Idea. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
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