Richard Wilkins

Richard Stephen Wilkins was born on June 19, 1954, in Auckland, New Zealand. He initially pursued a career in music, performing as ‘Richard Wilde’ and securing a worldwide deal with PolyGram. In 1980, he brought his band, Wilde And Reckless, to Australia, releasing singles and an EP, and touring with Grace Jones. Transitioning behind the scenes, he worked as the Promotions and Marketing Manager for Sydney radio stations 2Day FM and 2UW. In 2006, he returned to the stage to play Vince Fontaine in “Grease: the Arena Spectacular.”

Wilkins’ television career began in 1987 as one of the original hosts of MTV Australia on the Nine Network. He further expanded his broadcast presence by hosting the game show ‘Keynotes’ in 1992 and the Australian version of ‘Entertainment Tonight’ in 1999. For numerous years, he hosted the Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks telecast and presented at various major events, including the Australian leg of the Live Earth concert in 2007. Since September 2011, he has also been a weekend announcer on smoothfm. In 2014, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant contributions to charity and the entertainment industry.

Throughout his career, Richard Wilkins has served as the Nine Network’s Entertainment Editor, providing daily insights and interviews from the entertainment world. He has covered prestigious events like The Academy Awards, The Golden Globe Awards, and the ARIA Awards. In September 2011, he released his autobiography, ‘Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms,’ which became a best-seller. In 2017, he marked his 30th anniversary with the Nine Network, continuing his role as a host for events such as the annual G’Day USA Gala and the ARIA awards. Wilkins has also received two Australian Commercial Radio Awards for Best Music Special, acknowledging his work with John Farnham and Michael Bublé.