THE STORY OF US
THE AWARDWINNING STAR AND HER DIRECTOR/ PRODUCER PARTNER ON LOVE AND THE FUNNY SIDE OF LIFE
She was the first woman on Australian TV to host a sports talk show – Live and Sweaty, which she fronted as her comedy creation Elle Mcfeast. So perhaps it’s only fitting that Libbi Gorr met the love of her life – entertainment and sports director/producer Stewart Burchmore – while filming the show more than 20 years ago. And their first encounter could not have been more memorable.
“We were at the snow to make a Live and Sweaty special and Stew was working as an audio director of Recovery – a entertainment/music show – at the time,” says Libbi, now a popular ABC radio presenter.
“The problem was that I couldn’t ski, so they had to work around me being absolutely terrible on the slopes. They needed a crew who could ski and do their job at the same time, and Stew was asked to come along because he could ski backwards and do the sound without a problem.
“Our first bump was literally a bump! I was skiing badly down a slope for a sketch when I went over a bump, lost complete control and, in order to stop going over a ledge,
I had to ski into Stewart!”
What were the couple’s first impressions of each other?
“That he was a safe place to land!” quips Libbi.
“And mine was, ‘Out of control!’” laughs Stewart.
Have the couple’s views of each other changed over the past two-and-a-half decades?
“Not much!” laughs Libbi. “We didn’t get together straight away, but when we finally did, we just thought, ‘That’s that! We want to be together. This is unique.’’”
As for what Libbi and Stewart love most about each other, the answer comes very easily.
“I’m going to say Libbi’s tenacity and dedication to the task at hand, plus the loving emotion that she exudes,” says Stewart, whose sister is much-loved performer Rhonda Burchmore.
“And I love Stewart’s organisational abilities,” says Libbi. “He’s also incredibly committed to family – and he has good legs! He has those Burchmore legs. Stewart has an innate ability to dance through life in his own way.”
These days, family life for the couple centres around Stewart’s adult daughters – Chloe and Ella – from his first marriage, and his and Libbi’s children, son Che, 14, and daughter Dali, 9.
“It’s a big, chaotic, diverse family and we love it,” says Libbi. “We’re very proud of our extended blended family. They’re gorgeous.”
Meanwhile, the fact that Libbi and Stewart both work in the entertainment industry is something they have always seen as a positive.
“It’s interesting, because what we do is same-same but different,” reflects Libbi. “I like to create stuff and be in front of the camera and the microphone, and Stewart likes to be in charge of where the camera is pointing and turning the microphone on and off.”
Not to mention that Libbi has been known to share stories of her life with Stewart on air.
“He’s my ‘adventure man’,” she says. “I generally talk about him on my Saturday breakfast show before the sun comes up so that I can’t get in trouble.” By Jackie Brygel • Libbi Gorr presents ABC Radio Weekends in Victoria, and will host ABC’S International Women’s Day special: The F Word on Sun. 10am (radio) and 11.15pm (ABC Comedy).