1. Peter John FitzSimons was born on 29 June 1961 and is an Australian author, journalist, and radio and television presenter.
22 Facts About Peter FitzSimons
1. 2.
Peter FitzSimons is a former national representative rugby union player and was the chair of the Australian Republic Movement from 2015 to 2022.
3.
Peter FitzSimons attended Peats Ridge Public School and Knox Grammar School before going in 1978 to Findlay High School, Ohio, for a year as an exchange student on an American Field Service Scholarship.
4.
Peter FitzSimons then completed an arts degree at the University of Sydney, residing at Wesley College from 1980 to 1982.
5.
Peter FitzSimons first played club rugby with the Sydney University Football Club and then with the Manly RUFC in Sydney in the 1980s under the coaching of Alan Jones.
6.
Peter FitzSimons played seven test matches at lock for the Australian national rugby union team between 1989 and 1990, debuting against France in Strasbourg in November 1989, on the Wallabies 1989 tour of Europe.
7.
In On a Wing and a Prayer, former Wallabies winger David Campese criticised Peter FitzSimons for starting a brawl in Australia's first Test against France in 1990.
8.
Peter FitzSimons has written for The Sydney Morning Herald since 1988, and has been a sports columnist for that publication since 1987.
9.
Peter FitzSimons regularly appears on the Australian Foxtel program The Back Page, formerly hosted by rugby league journalist Mike Gibson and now Tony Squires.
10.
Peter FitzSimons writes a more general version of "The Fitz Files" in The Sun-Herald on Sundays, focusing on community activities and events in Sydney.
11.
In January 2006 Peter FitzSimons began co-hosting a breakfast radio program with Mike Carlton on Sydney radio station 2UE.
12.
Peter FitzSimons was brought onto the 2UE breakfast show in an attempt to boost the program's dwindling ratings.
13.
Peter FitzSimons is a prolific writer and is one of Australia's best-selling non-fiction writers.
14.
Peter FitzSimons has written books about subjects such as Nancy Wake, the shipwreck of the Batavia, Sir John Monash, Breaker Morant, Charles Kingsford Smith and John Eales.
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Peter FitzSimons is or was involved with a range of community organisations.
16.
Peter FitzSimons began by launching a petition in late 2017 on Change.
17.
The refurbishment would be cancelled, although no funds were allocated to any grassroots sports facilities as Peter FitzSimons wished, and later had a similar level of funding directed to a new stadium in Penrith.
18.
Peter FitzSimons is married to Australian journalist and TV presenter Lisa Wilkinson.
19.
Peter FitzSimons has identified himself as an atheist and a Republican.
20.
Peter FitzSimons has explained his regularly wearing of the bandana due to his children giving it to him to wear, so he wears it for them.
21.
Peter FitzSimons is at times referred to informally as "Pirate Pete" due to his wearing of the headwear.
22.
On 13 June 2011 Peter FitzSimons was named a Member of the Order of Australia for service to literature as a biographer, sports journalist and commentator, and to the community through contributions to conservation, disability care, atheism, social welfare and sporting organisations.