Guy Williams (comedian)

Guy Malachi Jones Williams (born 19 September 1987)[1] is a New Zealand comedian and television personality. Williams was a co-host on satirical news and entertainment television programme Jono and Ben, until the show's end in 2018.[3][4] In 2019, he hosted faux news programme New Zealand Today.[5]

Guy Williams
Williams in July 2015
Born
Guy Malachi Jones Williams

(1987-09-19) 19 September 1987[1]
Christchurch, New Zealand
EducationNelson College
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington
EmployerMediaWorks New Zealand
Height1.98 m (6 ft 5 in)[2]
FamilyPaul Williams (brother)
Maria Williams (sister)
Comedy career
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • Television
  • Radio
Years active2008–present
Partner(s)Golriz Ghahraman

Early life

Williams was born in Christchurch to Gary and Roseanne Williams, and moved to Nelson when he was twelve months old.[6] He attended primary school at St Joseph's School,[7] and was educated at Nelson College from 2001 to 2005; in 2005 he travelled to Gallipoli with Prime Minister Helen Clark after winning a student essay competition.[8] He was a member of the school's 'A' basketball team from 2003 to 2005.[9]

He attended Victoria University of Wellington, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in political science in 2011.[10][11] While at Victoria University he held the positions of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association Activities Officer in 2009,[12] and ran for President in 2010, but withdrew his application for the latter.[13]

Career

Williams began performing stand up comedy in Wellington in 2007. In 2009 he performed as Dai Henwood's opening act after winning Dai's Protégé Project.[14] He is a regular performer in the New Zealand Comedy Festival in Wellington and Auckland.

In 2010, he started co-hosting on The Jono Project, where he appeared on TVNZ's breakfast show in a prank in which he claimed to be a promoter of commercial whaling in New Zealand as a way to save whales.[15] When the show was merged with WANNA-BEn in 2012 to form Jono and Ben at Ten, Williams followed. He was promoted to co-host in 2013.

In 2012 Williams won the Billy T Award for his debut solo show "On the verge of nothing".[16]

On 15 January 2014, it was announced in a press release that Williams would join The Edge in a new radio show, The Edge Afternoons with Guy, Sharyn & Clint with Sharyn Casey and Clint Roberts. In comedic fashion, he is quoted in the press release as saying: "It has been my dream to work on The Edge radio station ever since last week when they told me I would be working on The Edge radio station. I’m super excited to make my dream a reality."[17] In March 2014, Williams was selected by TV Guide magazine as New Zealand's Sexiest Male Television Personality, beating Shortland Street's Benjamin Mitchell, who had won the award for several years beforehand.[18] He also co-hosted The Xtra Factor, a follow-up programme of The X Factor with Casey and Roberts from March–May 2015.

In June 2015, he began narrating Come Dine with Me New Zealand.

In September 2015, he released a charity single entitled "The Pigeon Song", featuring Christchurch rapper Scribe. It peaked at the number two position in the New Zealand singles chart.

He left The Edge in December 2016. At the time, he cited this as being for advancements in his career.

In 2017, he recorded and released his first half hour stand-up special "In an election year" live at Q Theatre in Auckland.[19]

In 2019, he hosted faux news programme New Zealand Today,[5] which began as a popular segment on Jono & Ben.[20] The show only lasted one season before being cancelled, as part of Three's cost-cutting measures to ready the station for sale.[21][22] As of July 2020, Guy Williams has stated that New Zealand Today has been "resurrected and approved for development", and that a second season is possible.[23] The show was revived for a second season which is due to air in 2021.[24]

in 2020, Williams competed on the first season of Taskmaster NZ, the New Zealand version of the British television show. His brother, Paul, served as the Taskmaster's assistant.

Personal life

Williams is currently dating Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman.[25][26]

References
  1. "Tweet by Guy Williams". Twitter. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2016. I'm sooo tall! I was born in 1987
  2. Guy Williams, Sharyn Casey and Clint Roberts (1 April 2014). "Guy, Sharyn, and Clint's Podcast for Tuesday April 1st, 2014" (Podcast). Event occurs at 21:40. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  3. "'We're gutted': Jono and Ben gets the axe after seven years". NZ Herald. 2018-10-11. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 2018-11-15.
  4. "Farewell, Jono and Ben: What was the best bit on the show?". Stuff. Retrieved 2018-11-15.
  5. "NZ On Air funds local comedy, Guy Williams show and more". nzherald.co.nz. 10 December 2018. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  6. Guy Williams, Sharyn Casey and Clint Roberts (2 September 2014). "Guy, Sharyn, and Clint's Podcast for Tuesday Sept 2nd 2014" (Podcast). Event occurs at 14:40. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  7. Guy Williams and Sharyn Casey (3 August 2015). "Guy, Sharyn, and Clint's Podcast for Monday August 3rd 2015" (Podcast). Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  8. "Gallipoli student essay winners announced". 5 April 2005. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  9. Nelson College Old Boys' Register, 1856–2006, 6th edition
  10. "Roll of graduates". Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  11. Cawston, Rebecca (25 April 2013). "Williams on a roll laughing at all things Kiwi". Bay of Plenty Times.
  12. Wood, Jackson (27 July 2009). "By-Election manifestos". Salient. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  13. "VUWSA 2010 Annual Report" (PDF). VUWSA. p. 17. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  14. Schulz, Chris (28 April 2009). "Meet Dai Henwood's new sidekick". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  15. "TVNZ's Henry falls prey to prankster".
  16. "New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews - Theatreview". www.theatreview.org.nz. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  17. "Comedian Guy Williams Joins the Edge - Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz.
  18. "Nelson Guy voted sexiest man on TV". Nelson Mail. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  19. Guy Williams (2017-09-12), Guy Williams - Stand Up Comedy - "In an election year" 2017, retrieved 2017-11-23
  20. Reeve, Dylan (15 November 2018). "Farewell Jono and Ben: The 5 greatest NZ Today segments". Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  21. Greive, Duncan (16 October 2019). "MediaWorks wasn't bluffing: NZ Today and MAFS NZ cancelled, 7 Days faces huge cuts". The Spinoff. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  22. Greive, Duncan (18 October 2019). "MediaWorks quits television: Three will be sold – or closed". Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  23. Downes, Siobhan (17 July 2020). "Guy Williams show New Zealand Today could return for a second season". Stuff. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  24. "Don't worry – there's plenty to laugh about in 2021!". www.nzonair.govt.nz. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  25. Downes, Siobhan (1 September 2019). "At home with Guy Williams and Golriz Ghahraman". Stuff. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  26. Mann, Britt (13 June 2020). "Golriz Ghahraman on growing up, Guy Williams, and the power of protest". Retrieved 11 October 2020.
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