31 Facts About Daryl Somers

Daryl Paul Somers is an Australian television personality and musician, and a triple Gold Logie award-winner.

Daryl Somers rose to national fame as the host and executive producer of the long-running comedy-variety program Hey Hey It's Saturday and continued his television celebrity and status as host of the live-performance program Dancing with the Stars.

Daryl Somers lived in the Melbourne suburb of Prahran and was educated at the Christian Brothers College, St Kilda.

Daryl Somers started professional TV work on 14 July 1971, after being spotted by Ernie Carroll and invited to audition.

Daryl Somers's audition consisted of him doing an impersonation of Mr Magoo.

Daryl Somers was paid $75 a week as the Melbourne host of Cartoon Corner.

Daryl Somers told the Sydney Sun-Herald that despite the perception of Hey Hey as a children's show, '40 per cent of our audience' were, in fact, adults.

In 1976 Daryl Somers branched out to become host of a revival of the music show Bandstand for Channel 9.

Unlike Countdown, which showcased only original artists and insisted on the right to premiere new releases Daryl Somers' Bandstand featured a mixture of video clips and local artists performing current hits by others.

Daryl Somers told Dale Plummer of the Sydney Sun-Herald in November of 1976 that his show had 'a wider age group than the others, and surveys show we have a much higher rating generally.

In 1980, Daryl Somers replaced Tony Barber on the quiz show Family Feud and hosted the program for three years and 713 episodes.

Daryl Somers had long hoped to host his own variety and chat show.

Daryl Somers had stood in for Graham Kennedy on In Melbourne Tonight in 1975 and briefly hosted other programs when their regular presenters were absent.

In November 1983, John Blackman withdrew from involvement in The Daryl Somers Show, though it is not clear whether this was the reason the show was not renewed the following year.

Daryl Somers continued to host Hey Hey it's Saturday as a morning children's show during this period.

Daryl Somers won his first Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian TV in 1983.

Also in 1983, Daryl Somers was crowned King of Moomba with Edna Everage as his court jester.

In late 2004, Daryl Somers returned to the small screen when he made the move to sign with Nine's arch rival, the Seven Network, hosting Dancing with the Stars, a live program where 10 celebrities compete each week in a dance competition.

On 30 November 2007, Daryl Somers announced that he would leave Dancing with the Stars.

Daryl Somers was replaced by actor Daniel MacPherson, who was the host from season 8 till season 14.

Daryl Somers revealed the show's return is "not out of the question" and speculated that one or two reunion specials could be made in the near future.

In 2021, Dancing with the Stars was revived by the Seven Network, with Daryl Somers returning as host.

Later that year it was reported that Daryl Somers was working on a Hey Hey It's Saturday 50th anniversary special that would air on Seven.

Daryl Somers released two comedy albums in 1975 and 1976 co-credited to Ossie Ostrich.

Daryl Somers could get it right down to the very edge of pop but there was always that slight cabaret vibrato that gave him away.

Daryl Somers released an album on the Sony BMG label titled Songlines in 2005.

Daryl Somers has been a part of the Logies since his early days of television, either as host, winner, or nominee.

Daryl Somers has been host five times and co-host in 2006.

In 1990, Daryl Somers played the Billiard Marker in the stage production of The Hunting of the Snark.

In 2013, Daryl Somers was announced as part of the performing line-up of Harvest Rain Theatre Company's 2014 season, playing Nicely Nicely Johnson of Guys and Dolls.

Daryl Somers himself had appeared in brownface or blackface on multiple episodes, including a tribute to the late Ricky May in 1988 and in blackface to make fun of singer and frequent guest Kamahl.