Johanna Leigh Griggs AM (born 17 October 1973)[1] is an Australian television presenter and former competitive swimmer. She won a bronze medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Johanna Leigh Griggs |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | 17 October 1973 Sydney, New South Wales |
| Occupation | Television presenter |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Employer | Seven Network |
| Spouse(s) | Todd Huggins (since 2006) Gary Sweet (1994–1997) |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Australia
| ||
| Women's Swimming | ||
| Commonwealth Games | ||
 |
1990 Auckland | 100 m backstroke |
Griggs has been at the Seven Network since 1993 where she joined Seven Sport, first as a host at the Australian Open. She hosts the network's Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and the Australian Open, as well as being a presenter of their Melbourne Cup coverage. She has been the host of Better Homes and Gardens since 2005 and House Rules from 2013 until 2019.[2]
Commonwealth Games – swimming career
editGriggs represented Australia at the Auckland Commonwealth Games in 1990—winning a bronze medal in the 100m backstroke event.
Her career was cut short after a battle with chronic fatigue syndrome that began when she was 17. She had previously attempted a comeback in 1992; however, the exertion of that comeback attempt had hospitalised her with pleurisy, and it ultimately caused her to withdraw from the 1992 Olympic trials.[3] Nevertheless, she was able to successfully make a comeback in 1993 for the 50-metre backstroke race at the Australian Swimming Championships in 1993, where Griggs recorded the fastest time in the world (that year) for the event. The day following that swim, she announced her retirement from competitive swimming.[3]
Television career
editGriggs was the first guest on the long-running ABC programme Live and Sweaty. As part of the programme, sporting guests were asked to donate various body parts to the "Sporting Hall of Fame". Griggs donated her appendix.
She appeared as a Swedish tourist in an episode of Home and Away in 1992.[4]
Griggs built a solid career in media, and in the late 1990s was a regular panelist on the Network Ten program Beauty and the Beast. At this time she was also dating rugby league footballer Luke Ricketson.
She later joined the Seven Network. Griggs hosted Australia's longest-running sports program, Sportsworld, with Matthew White on Sunday mornings from 2001 to 2006.
Griggs hosted several seasons of lifestyle type shows, including Auction Squad and House Calls to the Rescue. She participated in the Australian Open coverage, and she was the first Australian woman to solely host an Olympics coverage when she covered the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.[5]
In 2005, she replaced Noni Hazlehurst as the primary host of the long-running lifestyle program Better Homes and Gardens.
In 2009, after previously acting as a fill-in presenter for Seven News Sydney weekend sports bulletin, she took on the role full-time, replacing Alex Cullen, who moved to the weeknight role. In November 2010, Griggs resigned from Seven News to spend more time with her family.
Griggs covers several sporting events for Seven Sport.[6]
Griggs was critical of organisers of the 2018 Commonwealth Games when the competitors were not included in the closing ceremony.[7]
Personal life
editGriggs grew up in the Sydney suburb of Harbord which is now known as Freshwater.[8] She was previously married to actor Gary Sweet, with whom she had two sons.[9]
On 25 November 2006, Griggs married building foreman Todd Huggins in a private ceremony at their home in Collaroy Plateau, Sydney.[10]
In September 2009, Griggs was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters from Macquarie University, Sydney.[11] She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2020 Australia Day Honours.[12]
References
edit- ^ "Johanna Griggs Results | Commonwealth Games Australia". commonwealthgames.com.au. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Knox, David (24 July 2019). "Johanna Griggs exits as House Rules host". TV Tonight. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Sunny side up". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 February 2010.
- ^ Moran, Jonathon (2 April 2014). "Johanna Griggs did a cameo on Home & Away in 1992: she can swim, but she can't act". dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
- ^ "Johanna Griggs". Saxton Speaking Bureau. Retrieved 3 January 2007.
- ^ "Johanna Griggs". yahoo.com. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ Clun, Melissa Cunningham, Rachel (16 April 2018). "Griggs hits back at claims Channel Seven knew plan to snub athletes". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Sunny side up". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "Seven star Johanna Griggs shares 'important' plea after husband's confronting diagnosis". 7NEWS. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "Griggs marries in secret". The Herald Sun. 2006. Retrieved 27 November 2006.
- ^ "Television presenter Johanna Griggs honoured by Macquarie University". 2009. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
- ^ "Ms Johanna Leigh GRIGGS". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 12 October 2024.