# Denise Drysdale

Denise Anne Christina Drysdale (born 5 December 1948) is an Australian television presenter, variety entertainer, actress, singer, dancer and comedian. She is often affectionately known as "Ding Dong", a nickname invented by fellow performer Ernie Sigley. She was formerly a co-host of the morning show Studio 10.

## Early life
### Childhood

Born in the Melbourne suburb of Moorabbin, Drysdale and her family moved to Port Melbourne when she was three-and-a-half, where her parents ran the Fountain Inn Hotel. They lived there for eleven years, during which time Drysdale attended Kilbride Ladies Convent, South Melbourne.

### Career beginnings

Drysdale's career began soon after the move to Port Melbourne. Referring to regulations for public bars to cease serving alcohol at 6pm, she observed:
   During that time it was the 6 o'clock swill, and Mum didn't want her little girl seeing all that drinking, so she sent me to dancing, to May Downs. May Downs was an amazing woman. She taught us 150% is what you gave in any performance, or don't bother. And of course, that's got me into strife over the years.
By the age of six, Drysdale had won a number of dancing competitions. In 1955, she was mentioned by name, in a feature in The Age, as one of the youngest members of the cast of the pantomime Jack and Jill at the Tivoli Theatre.
At about ten years of age, she began her television career with GTV9 in Melbourne, working in the junior ballet on the Tarax Show. She was later sacked when she gained weight and developed breasts.
   We'd been there about a year and a bit, and on the holidays I had put on weight, but not much, and as you know, if you put someone in a nice tutu, they don't have bosoms—they have very flat chests. Pete Smith always said, "You grew boobs, they had to get rid of you." They couldn't do it today. And I've suffered to this day. I still stand on the scales six times a day to check whether I've put on half a pound or a pound.
Photographed by a Channel Nine photographer, Drysdale won the annual Girl of the Year Award in Everybody's magazine in 1964.
At age seventeen, Drysdale joined the new show Kommotion as a go-go girl, becoming Melbourne's first go-go dancer.
Drysdale was invited to tour Australia with Ray Brown & the Whispers. She was then offered a recording contract and appeared in 26 episodes of the ABC's Dig We Must.

## Career

In the 1960s, Drysdale appeared as a dancer on In Melbourne Tonight. In 1966, she performed on The Go!! Show, and was voted third most popular female vocalist by the readers of Go-Set. This popularity led to an invitation to perform for the troops in Vietnam for three weeks in 1967, along with Patti Newton, the Strangers, and Doug Owen. In 1969, she went to the Far East to entertain American troops.
In 1974, she became Ernie Sigley's barrel girl on The Ernie Sigley Show. It was here she gained the nickname 'Ding Dong'. In 1975, Drysdale and Sigley released "Hey Paula" as a duet; the single reached #2 on the Australian charts. Later that year Drysdale won the TV Week Gold Logie for the Most Popular Female Personality on Australian TV, and won her second Gold Logie the following year. In the same period, she also won consecutive Silver Logies.
Drysdale has appeared on numerous television shows, including The Norman Gunston Show, Celebrity Squares, Young Talent Time, Countdown, Division 4, Homicide, Bellbird and Celebrity Name Game. She has also worked in regional television in Victoria including guest appearances on BTV-6 Ballarat and hosting a morning magazine show on GLV-8 in the 1980s. As an actress, she has appeared in the movies The Last of the Knucklemen, Snapshot, and Blowing Hot and Cold.
On stage, she has appeared in plays and musicals, including Salad Days, Grease, The Barry Crocker Show, Two Gentlemen of Verona and Hello, Dolly! in 1994. She also spent two years in Sydney appearing on television shows Beauty and the Beast and "Weekend Sydney" between 1981 and 1983 before returning to her home town of Melbourne, Victoria.
In 1989, Drysdale joined Ernie Sigley to host In Melbourne Today, and in 1991 began a Sydney version of the show In Sydney Today. The two programs later merged to a single program: Ernie and Denise. Also in 1989, she was asked to fill in on Hey Hey It's Saturday due to Jacki MacDonald being ill and subsequently leaving. Drysdale stayed with the show for over a year before leaving due to ongoing rumours of a feud between her and host Daryl Somers. Over the years both have denied such rumours. In 1994, Drysdale returned to host an episode of Hey Hey It's Saturday in Somers' absence. She also returned for one of the reunion shows in 2009.
In the late 1990s Drysdale appeared in the reboot of IMT on the Nine Network.
In 1998, she joined the Seven Network to present her own show for the first time, called Denise. This program lasted four seasons.
In 2005, Channel 9 chose Drysdale as one of the 50 most important people on television for the last 50 years.
In January 2010, Drysdale joined Network Ten's new morning show The Circle alongside Yumi Stynes, Chrissie Swan and Gorgi Coghlan as host. She remained on the show for two seasons, leaving at the end of the 2011 season. She reappeared as a special guest on the final episode in 2012.
Drysdale regularly performed around Australia on the club circuit, often with her television partner, Ernie Sigley.
It was announced Drysdale would join as permanent co-host of Studio 10 in 2016 after appearing as a regular fill-in presenter, sharing the position with Ita Buttrose.
In June 2018, Drysdale joined the cast of Neighbours as Nance Sluggett. She made her first appearance on 3 October 2018.
In March 2024, she was announced as a contestant on the tenth season of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. On 10 April 2024, she was the first celebrity eliminated from the season.

## Personal life

Drysdale was married to scriptwriter and actor Christopher Milne for ten years until their separation in 1989. They have two sons, and a grandson. Drysdale sold her home in Victoria and moved to Queensland for its climate.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Film | Character | Type |
| 1979 | Snapshot (aka The Day After Halloween) | Lily | Feature film |
| 1979 | The Last of the Knucklemen | Whore | Feature film |
| 1989 | Blowing Hot and Cold | Shelley | Feature film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Character | Type |
| 1973 | Matlock Police | Shop Assistant / Maid | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1973, 1974 | Homicide | Kate / Margaret Brett / Midge / Jenny / Sue | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1973, 1974 | Division 4 | Gloria / Jill Bates / Wendy / Meredith Mckenzie / Shirley | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1975 | Bellbird | | TV series |
| 1976 | The Bluestone Boys | Nurse Peachum | TV series |
| 1976 | Me & Mr Thorne | Sally | TV movie |
| 1978 | The Truckies | | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1979, 1980 | Cop Shop | Josie Brown / Rhonda Mather | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1981 | And Here Comes Bucknuckle | | TV series |
| 1985 | Neighbours | Yvette | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1987 | Hey Dad..! | 'Have a Go' judge | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989 | The Flying Doctors | Marge Malarvy | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2010 | Sleuth 101 | Marjorie | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2014 | The Flamin' Thongs | Brenda Thong (voice) | TV series, 26 episodes |
| 2014 | Please Like Me | Ginger | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 2018 | Neighbours | Nance Slugget | TV series, 2 episodes |

### Television (as self)

| Year | Title | Character | Type |
| 1956 | The Tarax Show | Herself | TV series |
| 1962 | Sunnyside Up | Herself | TV series |
| 1963 | In Melbourne Tonight | Guest | TV series |
| 1966 | Four Corners | Go-go dancer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1966–1967 | The Go!! Show | Go-go dancer | TV series, 11 episodes |
| 1966–1967 | Kommotion | Go-go dancer | TV series |
| 1967 | Start Living | Herself | TV series |
| 1967 | Dig We Must | Herself | TV series, 26 episodes |
| 1968 | Uptight | Guest performer (singing "Rescue Me") | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1973 | The Barry Crocker Comedy Hour | Guest | TV special |
| 1973 | The Graham Kennedy Show | Guest | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1974–1976 | The Ernie Sigley Show | Barrel girl | TV series, 179 episodes |
| 1974 | Countdown | Guest performer (singing "The Loving Song") | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1975 | Countdown | Guest performer (singing "Green") | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1975 | Yooralla Telethon | Herself | TV special |
| 1975 | The 17th Annual TV Week Logie Awards | Gold Logie winner | TV special |
| 1975 | The Norman Gunston Show | Guest performer (singing "Having My Baby" with Norman Gunston) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1975, 1976 | Celebrity Squares | Panellist | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1976 | The 18th Annual TV Week Logie Awards | Gold Logie winner | TV special |
| 1976 | Ernie | Guest | TV series |
| 1976 | Countdown | Guest performer (singing "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight") | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1976 | Bandstand '76 | Herself (singing "Love May Be The Answer") | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1976 | The Bob Maumill Show | Guest | TV series, regular |
| 1977 | The Celebrity Game | Panellist | TV series |
| 1977 | Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal | Herself | TV special |
| 1977 | Six Tonight | Guest | TV special |
| 1978 | The 20s and All That Jazz | Herself | TV special |
| 1978 | The Peter Couchman Show | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1979; 1980 | Young Talent Time | Guest | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1980 | Celebrity Tattletales | Panellist | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1980; 1981; 1985 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1981 | The Don Lane Show | Guest performer (singing "Hey Paula" with Ernie Sigley) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1981–1982 | Beauty and the Beast | Regular panellist | TV series |
| 1982 | John Laws' Beauty and the Beast | Panellist | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1982 | Mastermind | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1983 | The Daryl Somers Show | Herself / Mary Loo Bannister in 'Detergent Place', Detergent Ad Lady / Mrs Jenkins | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1983 | Weekend Sydney | Host | TV series |
| 1989–1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2009, 2010 | Hey Hey It's Saturday | Co-host / "Red Faces" guest / Guest host | TV series |
| 1984 | The Love Game | Panellist (with Andrew Clarke & Red Symons) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984–1988 | Channel Seven Perth Telethon | Herself | TV special |
| 1984 | Life's a Risky Business | Herself | Film documentary |
| 1985 | Daryl Somer's Blankety Blanks | Panellist | TV series |
| 1985 | It's a Knockout | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1986 | Moomba Procession | Herself | TV special |
| 1986 | Channel Ten Telethon | Herself | TV special |
| 1986 | Late Night with Jono and Dano | Guest | TV series |
| 1986 | Star Search | Guest judge | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1987 | Have a Go | Regular guest judge | TV series |
| 1987 | Say G'Day | Regular guest | TV series |
| 1987 | You've Got to Be Joking | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1988 | Life Education Television Appeal | Herself | TV special |
| 1989, 1996 | Burke's Backyard | Celebrity Gardener | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989–1990 | In Melbourne Today | Co-host | TV series |
| 1989 | Carols By Candlelight | Herself | TV Special |
| 1991–1992 | In Sydney Today | Co-host | TV series |
| 1992 | Supermarket Sweep | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1992, 1994, 1995 | What's Cooking | Guest | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1992 | Sex | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1992 | People's Choice Awards | Presenter | TV special |
| 1993–95 | Ernie and Denise | Co-host | TV series |
| 1993 1996 | Sale of the Century | Herself | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Ernie and Denise in Paradise | Herself | TV special |
| 1994 | Martin St James | Herself | TV special |
| 1994 | The Beatles In Australia: 30th Anniversary | Herself | TV special |
| 1994 | Live It Up | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1994 | Midday with Derryn Hinch | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1994 | Homicide... 30 Years On | Herself | TV special |
| 1995 | TV Week Logie Awards | Herself | TV special |
| 1995 | TVTV | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1995, 1996, 1997 | This Is Your Life? | Herself | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1995 | 50 Fantastic Years | Herself | TV special |
| 1996, 2005 | Good Morning Australia | Guest | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Monday to Friday | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1996–98 | In Melbourne Tonight | Guest | TV series |
| 1996, 1997 | Burke's Backyard | Celebrity Gardener | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Midday with Kerri-Anne | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1996 | Television: The Way We Were | Herself | TV special |
| 1997 | Between the Lines | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1997 | Blankety Blanks | Contestant | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1997 | This Is Your Life: Denise Drysdale | Special Guest | TV series |
| 1996 | 40 Years of Logies | Host | TV special |
| 1997 | Our House | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1998–2001 | Denise | Host | TV series |
| 1998 | Celebrity Wheel of Fortune | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1998 | Eleven A.M. | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1999 | All Star Squares | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1999 | I Believe In Angels | Herself | TV special |
| 2001 | The Bob Downe Show | Herself (singing "Hey Paula" with Bob Downe) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2001 | The Big Schmooze | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2001 | The Election Chaser | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2002–03 | Dig & Dine | Host | TV series |
| 2002 | New Idea: 100 Fabulous Years | Herself | TV special |
| 2003 | This Is Your Life: The Showbiz Greats | Herself | TV special |
| 2003 | This Is Your Life: The Australian Women's Weekly 70th Birthday Party | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2003 | You Must Remember This | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2005 | The Price Is Right | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2005 | 50 Years 50 Shows | Herself | TV Special |
| 2006 | Get This | Herself | Podcast series |
| 2006 | Talking Heads | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2006 | Dusty: Little By Little | Guest (with Ross Coleman) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2006 | A Current Affair | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2006 | Today Tonight | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2006 | Made In Melbourne | Guest (with Bud Tingwell) | TV special |
| 2006 | TV Turns 50: The Events That Stopped a Nation | Herself | TV special |
| 2006–2014 | Spicks and Specks | Contestant | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 2007 | Bert's Family Feud | Game team captain | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2008 | Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2008 | This Is Your Life? Bert Newton | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2009 | The Real Graham Kennedy | Herself | ABC TV Special |
| 2009 | Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation | Panellist | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2010 | The Project | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2010 | You Have Been Watching | Panelist (with Adam Richard & Tommy Dean) | TV series, 1 episode 10: "Beauty and Fashion" |
| 2010 | Lights! Camera! Party! Television City Celebrate | Guest performer (singing "Hey Paula" with Ernie Sigley) | TV special |
| 2010–2011, 2013 | The Circle | Co-host | TV series |
| 2011 | You Have Been Watching | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2012 | Today Tonight | Guest (with Carmen Duncan & Hazel Phillips) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2013 | Celebrity Splash! Australia | Herself | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Tractor Monkeys | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2014 | Dirty Laundry Live | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2014 | Young Talent Time | Guest judge | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2014 | When The Beatles Drove Us Wild | Herself | TV special |
| 2014, 2015 | A Current Affair | Guest | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Darren & Brose | Herself | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2015–2023 | Studio 10 | Co-host | TV series |
| 2017 | Stop Laughing... This Is Serious | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2018–19 | One Fat Lady and One Thin Lady | Herself (with Jessica Rowe) | Podcast series |
| 2018 | Back In Time For Dinner | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2019 | Celebrity Name Game | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2021 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2023 | Christmas with the Australian Women's Weekly | Herself | TV special |
| 2024 | The Project | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2024 | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! 12th place | Contestant | TV series, 11 episodes |

## Stage / Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 1968 | Say It with Music | Singer | Lido Theatre Restaurant, Melbourne |
| 1968 | Say It with Music, Edition Two | Singer | Lido Theatre Restaurant, Melbourne |
| 1968 | Gaslight Gaieties | | The George Hotel, St Kilda |
| 1972 | Buttons | | |
| 1972 | Salad Days | | St Martins Theatre |
| 1972 | Grease | Cha-Cha | Metro Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1972 | Mirrors | Barbara | La Mama Theatre |
| 1974 | Dimboola | The Bride | Chevron Hotel, Melbourne |
| 1976 | The Sentimental Bloke | | |
| 1979 | The Barry Crocker Show | | |
| 1980 | Two Gentlemen of Verona | | |
| 1983 | Salad Days | | |
| 1994–95 | Hello, Dolly! | Ernestina Money | State Theatre, Melbourne, Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Her Majesty's Theatre Sydney, Festival Theatre, Adelaide, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth |
| 2001 | Upfront 7 | Comedian | Melbourne Town Hall |
| 2007 | Ding Dong Downe | Comedu duo (with Bob Downe) | Melbourne Athenaeum, Sydney Opera House |
| 2014, 2018 | Denise Drysdale | Comedian | Hopgood Theatre, Adelaide, Noarlunga Centre, Adelaide |
| 2019 | Saturday Night Fever | Cameo appearance | Sydney Lyric Theatre |
| 2023 | Alive and Kicking | Comedy duo (with Craig Bennett) | Glen Street Theatre & Australian tour |
| 2024 | The Two of Us | Comedy duo (with Normie Rowe) | Penrith Panthers |

## Discography
### Charting singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions :
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certification |
| Year | Title | AUS | Certification |
| 1974 | "Hey Paula" (with Ernie Sigley) | 2 | AUS: Gold |
| 1974 | "The Loving Song"/"Green" | 42 | |

## Awards and nominations
### Go-Set Pop Poll

The Go-Set Pop Poll was coordinated by teen-oriented pop music newspaper Go-Set and was established in February 1966 and conducted an annual poll during 1966 to 1972 of its readers to determine the most popular personalities.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 1966 | herself | Female Vocal | 3rd |

### Logie Awards

The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by magazine TV Week, with the first ceremony in 1959, known then as the TV Week Awards, the awards are presented in 20 categories representing both public and industry voted awards. Drysdale has won two Gold Logie awards for Most Popular Female Personality on Australian television.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| Logie Awards of 1975 | herself | Gold Logie | Won |
| Logie Awards of 1976 | herself | Gold Logie | Won |
In 1998, as part of Melbourne's Moomba Festival, Drysdale was crowned 'Moomba Monarch'.
In January 2008, Drysdale was awarded the 'Australia Day Citizen of the Year' award by Baw Baw Shire.
In 2018, Drysdale was honoured by Australia Post with her portrait featuring on a special collection of post stamps issued as part of "The Legends of Television" series.