Osher Günsberg

Osher Günsberg (born Andrew Jonas Günsberg), recognised by his former stage name Andrew G, is a British-Australian television and radio presenter and journalist. He is the host of the reality TV series ''The Bachelor Australia'', ''The Bachelorette Australia'' and ''Bachelor in Paradise Australia''. He is also the narrator of the factual TV series ''Bondi Rescue'' as well as the host of the music talent show ''The Masked Singer Australia''.

He is also known for his hosting roles on Channel ''Australian Idol'', ''Live to Dance'' on CBS and radio shows including ''Take 40 Australia'' and '' The Hot Hits''. Günsberg also narrated the factual television program '' Recruits''. He was a regular contributor to '' The Project''.

Early life

Günsberg was born Andrew Jonas Günsberg in London, England to a Czech-Jewish father and a Lithuanian mother. Günsberg moved to Australia when he was four months old. He grew up in Brisbane, where he held an interest in music, learning to read and write sheet music as well as play several instruments. He later worked as a roadie, before performing in several Brisbane-based bands.

Music

Osher was active in the Brisbane band scene between 1994 and 1997, playing electric bass in Feeble's Junky and double bass in Resin Dogs.

Radio

At 20, Günsberg started working as a "Black Thunder" driver and did on-air midnight-to-dawn shifts for B105 radio station in Brisbane, during which time he bore the nickname "Spidey". He filled in for late-night announcing shifts, before taking on the role of the regular midnight-dawn announcer.

In 1998, he left B105FM to join SAFM for the afternoon shift. It was at SAFM that he adopted the stage name of "Andrew G", after his program director shortened his surname to its first letter. This change led to confusion between Günsberg and Australian former rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos, Andrew Gee. In 2009, he decided to drop his abbreviated stage name and revert to his full surname.

From 2004 to 2009, he formally hosted the Australian radio chart countdown programme ''Take 40 Australia'', which airs on nearly 100 stations nationwide.

In December 2009, he launched a re-formatted version of ''The Hot Hits'', bringing the show live every week around Australia from Los Angeles. The show was re-named ''The Hot Hits Live from LA''. In July 2010, after only six months on air, the show was nominated for an Australian Commercial Radio Award in the category of "Best Syndicated Program".
2010 ACRA nominees.

In November 2015, Southern Cross Austereo announced that Günsberg would join HIT 105's breakfast show with Abby Coleman and Stav Davidson. He also hosted Summer Breakfast across the Hit Network with former ''The Bachelor Australia'' contestant Heather Maltman.

Podcasts

''Better Than Yesterday''

In 2013, Günsberg began releasing "The Osher Günsberg Podcast", a weekly interview show where he openly discusses and shares his own mental health journey, while having conversations with high profile guests. In 2019, the show's name changed to "Better Than Yesterday" to reflect the way that the podcast had developed from a straight interview conversation in the early years to a deeper exploration of how his guests overcome life's challenges. "Better Than Yesterday" is now released on a Monday and Friday in Australia.

''DadPod''

In 2019, Osher started a second weekly podcast with Charlie Clausen called "DadPod". As the two men both became fathers to babies within a month of each other, the show follows their learnings as they "forge a new understanding of what it is to be a modern father and how they helped their partners have the best birth possible."

Television

Channel /h2>

For seven years, Günsberg worked mainly in live broadcasting hosting the flagship request show, ''By Demand'' (later '' whatUwant'') and various late night shows (including ''The Joint'').

In 2006, it was announced that Günsberg would be leaving Channel

Network 10

Günsberg has appeared on ''Studio 10'', '' The Project'', ''All Star Family Feud'', ''Thank God You're Here'', ''Celebrity Joker Poker'', ''Good News Week'', ''Ready Steady Cook'', '' Celebrity Name Game'' and '' Chris & Julia's Sunday Night Takeaway''.

In 2003, Günsberg became co-host (with Channel co-star James Mathison) of ''Australian Idol'' on Network Ten. For this role, Günsberg was nominated for the Silver Logie in 2004. After Mathison announced that he was moving on to other projects, Günsberg hosted the seventh season of ''Australian Idol'' solo in 2009. He was also the compere of Network Ten's game show ''The Con Test''.

He appeared on a celebrity episode of the Australian version of ''Ready Steady Cook'' in October 2005. As a committed vegan, his recipe ideas were not extremely well received by the audience. According to Günsberg, the audience's response when he revealed tofu on the menu, was "similar to the look you see on peoples faces when they view two dogs rooting on the side of the road — puzzled, curious, but all together uncomfortable."

He was one of the co-hosts of the televised Australia Day Eve celebrations on 25 January 2006. In October 2006, he was a contestant on the Australian comedy TV Show, ''Thank God You're Here'', and played in ''Celebrity Joker Poker'', winning $10,000 for charity. In 2007, he hosted ''The Con Test''. In February 2007, he appeared as himself on the soap opera ''Neighbours''. From 2007–09, he co-hosted the Sydney New Year's Eve telecast alongside Kim Watkins and Fuzzy.

Günsberg also narrated the Network 10 / Cordell-Jigsaw productions, ''Bondi Rescue'' and the second season of '' Recruits''. He was a contestant in Season 2 Episode 34 of ''Good News Week'' that aired on Channel 10 on 14 September 2009. He has been an occasional guest host for Charlie Pickering and was a regular contributor to '' The Project''. Since 2013, he has been the host of the reality television series ''The Bachelor Australia''. Since 2015, he has been the host of the reality television series ''The Bachelorette Australia''.

In 2017, Günsberg made a cameo appearance as himself on episode 4 of ''Offspring''. Günsberg assumed his role as ''The Bachelor Australia'' host on ''Offspring'' and popped up in a kitchen scene with Nina (played by Asher Keddie). He offered Nina some friendly advice as she hosted a dinner party with her boyfriend Harry (played by Alexander England) and his ex-girlfriend Georgie (played by Emily Barclay).

Since 2018, he has been the host of the reality television series ''Bachelor in Paradise Australia''.

In July 2019, it was announced that he will be the host of the music talent show ''The Masked Singer Australia''.

CBS

In October 2010, CBS announced that Günsberg would be the host of the Paula Abdul dance competition ''Live to Dance''. The show made its debut in January 2011 on CBS. It was announced that ''Live to Dance'' would not return for a second season.

ABC

In 2012, Günsberg co-hosted the photographic competition show ''Photo Finish''. In 2017, he made a cameo appearance as himself in the first episode of '' War on Waste''.

Personal life

Günsberg holds dual British and Australian citizenship.

In 2008, he married Israeli actress and producer Noa Tishby. On 27 December 2011, he announced on Twitter that his marriage to Tishby was over.

In September 2010, Günsberg exhibited a year of daily photographic self portraits (June 2009 – June 2010) at Mart Gallery in Surry Hills, Sydney, with part of the proceeds going to Lifeline.

At the age of 38, he decided to change his name to 'Osher' – Hebrew for 'happiness' – in order to signal his changed outlook and attitude toward life. He claims that 'something about being Osher just feels right'. He is an avid cyclist. In October 2016, following criticism for attending Derby Day during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, Günsberg stated "I say that I’m vegan because it's the quickest way to get the explanation across but the truth is I've never really called myself vegan".

In December 2016, Günsberg married freelance makeup artist Audrey Griffen, becoming a stepfather to her daughter Georgia. The couple met while Osher was filming season two of ''The Bachelor Australia'', where Griffen was working as a makeup artist. Their son, Wolfgang 'Wolfie' Günsberg, was born in August 2019.

Mental health advocacy

In August 2017, he revealed he had been suffering from depression for many years, as well as social anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.

His memoir, ''Back, After the Break'', was published by HarperCollins in August 2018. He has been open about his battles with psychosis, alcoholism, and suicidal ideation.

References

External links

*

Andrew G's Australian Idol Biography

Günsberg's MySpace

Official Blog

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gunsberg, Andrew
Living people
1974 births
Australian game show hosts
Australian Idol
Australian music critics
Australian music journalists
Australian radio presenters
VJs (media personalities)
English emigrants to Australia