Dave Hughes | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hughes in 2011 | |
| Born | David William Hughes Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia |
| Other names | Hughesy |
| Occupation(s) | Comedian, television and radio presenter |
| Years active | 1992−present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | Official website |
David William Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, television and radio presenter. He is known for his larrikin personality, drawling Australian accent, and deadpan comedic delivery.[1]
Hughes has previously been co-host ofHughesy & Kate onNova 100,KIIS Network andHit Network,Hughesy, Ed & Erin withEd Kavalee &Erin Molan on2DayFM and a panellist onThe Masked Singer Australia onNetwork 10.
After graduating from the all-boysChristian Brothers' College, Warrnambool in 1988, where he wasdux of the school,[2] Hughes briefly studiedinformation technology atSwinburne University in Melbourne, and then accounting atDeakin University in Warrnambool before dropping out to eventually pursue a career in comedy.[3]
After leaving university, it was seven years before Hughes found work as a stand-up comedian and he did a variety of jobs including working at an abattoir, as a bricklayer's labourer and a shop assistant.[3]
After dreaming about being a comedian since he was a youngster, his first comedy gig came at age 22 when he was living inPerth doing labouring jobs and he decided, "I'm going to have a crack". Appearing onstage he acknowledges that he was "just horrible" but after three attempts over six months he gained his confidence and went on to become a headline act.[3]
He is a regular performer at theMelbourne International Comedy Festival. Some of his shows have been released on CD (Dave Hughes: Whatever), and on DVD (Dave Hughes, Live,Dave Hughes - Handy[4] andDavid Hughes - Pointless).
Hughes had his first break on mainstream television when he was asked to do stand-up onHey Hey It's Saturday,[5] a show Hughes revered growing up. Hughes recalled in a 2021 50-year anniversaryHey Hey special that he had not been more nervous before or since that set.[6]
Hughes co-hosted theABC comedy talk showThe Glass House along withWil Anderson andCorinne Grant. However, it was axed in 2006 amid political controversy.[7]
He has had guest spots on television programsThe Fat,Rove Live,The Panel,Thank God You're Here,Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation,The Project,Studio 10,All Star Family Feud,Under Melbourne Tonight,[8]Spicks & Specks,The Living Room,Celebrity Name Game,Would I Lie to You? Australia andHave You Been Paying Attention?.
For ten years (2003–2013), Hughes was a co-host of theAustralian Football League-themed Network Ten Saturday night showBefore The Game alongsideMick Molloy,Anthony Lehmann,Andy Maher andNeroli Meadows.
Hughes worked on Australian television showRove in 2007, with a weekly "Hughesy Loses It" segment. In 2008–09, the segment evolved into a recurring segment known as "Help me Hughesy" where he would rant about a given topic.[9]
On 20 July 2009, Hughes began co-hosting the half-hour Channel 10 showThe 7PM Project, which later expanded to become the hour-longThe Project. His regular co-hosts wereCharlie Pickering andCarrie Bickmore. In June 2011, Hughes was one of the few people to be granted a one-on-one interview with the Dalai Lama during his visit to Australia.[10]
In December 2013 Hughes resigned from his full-time position onThe Project to return to stand-up comedy. Hughes would, however, appear once a week on the show from wherever he was around the country. Hughes is quoted as saying, "It's definitely a tough decision, as we have had so many unbelievable moments on the desk. You meet some of the biggest stars in the world and chat with them and have some wonderful times." Hughes later stated his reason for leavingThe Project in 2016 withMia Freedman on her podcastNo Filter:
The news cycle is so set, it's just the same. The news cycle rarely changes. We talk about the same things endlessly and no one's got the answers. Nothing's changed in so long. But to sit there every night and talk about the same things, it's just too much. I'm a comedian, so yeah, that's really why.[11]
Hughes began a year-long round of stand-up engagements around Australia, in Adelaide in February 2014, where he and his family will be based for five weeks before moving onto other venues.[12][needs update]
In October 2014 Hughes guest-starred in an episode of ABC-TV'sJulia Zemiro's Home Delivery, in which Zemiro accompanied Hughes back to his home-town of Warrnambool to reminisce about his childhood and to explore what influenced him to embark on a career in comedy.[13]
Hughes was the new solo host ofAustralia's Got Talent in 2016.[14]
Hughes returned toNetwork Ten in 2018 to host a new panel show,Hughesy, We Have a Problem.[15][16] From 2019 to 2023, he was a panellist onThe Masked Singer Australia for its full run.[17] In 2025, Hughes appeared as a contestant on theeleventh season ofI'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[18]
In December 2001 Hughes joined comediansKate Langbroek andDave O'Neil to co-host a weekday breakfast programHughesy, Kate & Dave from 6am to 9am on Melbourne'sNova 100. In the past, he has worked for theTriple M network of Australianactive rock radio stations.Dave O'Neil later left the station to joinVega 91.5.
In November 2014Australian Radio Network announced the show would relaunch on itsKIIS Network of stations inSydney,Melbourne,Brisbane andAdelaide in the drivetime slot, replacingRosso on Drive onKIIS 106.5 andMix 101.1, and local announcers on97.3 FM andMix 102.3. The show commenced on 27 January 2015, anchored by former90.9 Sea FM and2DayFM announcer Matty Acton. The show was pulled from theKIIS Network on 24 November 2016, a week prior to their final show. Hughes and Langbroek were unable to farewell listeners.
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In September 2017Southern Cross Austereo announced that Hughes andKate Langbroek would join theHit Network in 2018 to replaceHamish and Andy.
In January 2019Kate Langbroek and her family moved toBologna, Italy and Langbroek continued to host the show until June. In August 2019, it was announced that Kate will file reports for the show for the remainder of the year.Ed Kavalee filled in as co-host until December.
In December 2019 Kate Langbroek resigned from the show confirming that she will extend her time in Italy.Ed Kavalee has been announced as her replacement from January 2020 and the show was renamedHughesy & Ed. It was also announced that the show will air from 5pm until 7pm.
In November 2020, Southern Cross Austereo announced that Hughes,Ed Kavalee andErin Molan would replace Jamie Angel to hostThe 2Day FM Morning Crew with Hughesy, Ed and Erin Molan from Monday, January 18, 2021. A one-hour highlights package will air nationally at 6pm across theHit Network.
In August 2024,Southern Cross Austereo announced thatHughesy, Ed & Erin had been axed with2Day FM taking a new direction.[19] The last show aired on Wednesday 7 August.Jimmy & Nath will host breakfast for the remainder of the year.
In 2005 Hughes appeared in a series of television commercials for the Australian car manufacturerHolden.[citation needed]
In 2009 Hughes appeared in a three embedded advertising zoot review shorts promoting the return ofSamboy Chips in which he reveals his favourite flavour is Atomic Tomato and shows off his signature "Conga Line" chip eating technique.[20]
Early in his career, Hughes had a brief appearance in an episode ofNeighbours in 1998.
Hughes has also appeared inEd Kavalee's comedy filmsScumbus, which aired on Ch-10 in 2012 and the yet-to-screenBorder Protection Squad.
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS [21] | ||
| Whatever |
| 86 |
TheARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres ofAustralian music.[22][23]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Whatever | Best Comedy Release | Nominated | [24] |
| 2007 | Live | Won | ||
| 2009 | Dave Hughes Is Handy | Nominated |
He married Holly Ife, a reporter with theHerald Sun, on 31 December 2006.[25] They have three children together.[26][27][28]
Hughes hashaemochromatosis.[29] He gave up drinking alcohol when he was 22 after deciding that it had become a bad influence in his life.[30] Hughes is avegan.[31]
Hughes is a keen supporter of theCarlton football team in theAFL[32] and even asked theDalai Lama to bless Carlton; after doing so, the Dalai Lama commented: "It probably won't do much, and it didn't."[10]
During the 2007Logie Awards, which he co-hosted withAdam Hills andFifi Box, Hughes referred to radio shock-jockKyle Sandilands as a "massive dickhead" to applause and laughter from the audience. Later that year, when interviewed onEnough Rope withAndrew Denton, Sandilands said of Hughes, "I hate him – the next time I see him I'm going to punch him in the throat."[33] Hughes retorted by releasing an official apology, which said in part that Hughes was "sincerely and deeply sorry that Kyle Sandilands is a massive dickhead" and that "massive dickheads have the same rights as normal people."[34]
(Hughes graduated from) the Christian Brothers' College, Warrnambool, where he graduated dux in 1988
Media related toDave Hughes at Wikimedia Commons
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