‘I STILL GET NERVOUS!’
Andrew Denton is the king of interviewers – and for good reason. Over the course of his career, the Enough Rope creator has sat down with the likes of Princesses Diana and Mary, and Bill Clinton.
Now, 57-year-old husband to journalist Jennifer Byrne and father to Connor, 23, Andrew is back with a new show, Interview.
In the first episode, which aired last week, he chatted to Olympic swimmers Cate and Bronte Campbell and Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant. More guests will be revealed in the weeks to come.
Do you still get nervous before an interview?
Always. There’s not a single show where I don’t think at some point during the day, “God, I wish I wasn’t here. Why am I doing this for a living?!” I’m always nervous. But what really helps is talking to the audience during the breaks. I love that interaction.
Do you intend to ‘go for the jugular’?
I go out to ask fair questions – and fair questions can be tough questions. Even with somebody like a known fraud – for example Alan Bond – the challenge isn’t just to expose who they are, but to expose why they are who they are. That’s the key.
Who is still on your wishlist?
There are endless people on my bucket list. One is Rupert Murdoch – he’s one of the most fascinating individuals that’s walked the planet in the last century. I’d say yes to Trump but he seems shy… and Barack Obama – but he never calls.
You had bypass surgery last year. How are you doing now?
It was definitely a surprise, but as bad news goes, it was the best I could’ve had. Essentially I’m heart-attack proof for another 10-15 years. The bad bit was I thought I’d get a big pirate scar but I didn’t… that’s disappointing. INTERVIEW Tuesday, 9pm, Seven