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Guy Williams (comedian)

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Guy Williams
Williams in 2017
Born
Guy Malachi Jones Williams

(1987-09-19) 19 September 1987 (age 37)[1]
Christchurch, New Zealand
EducationNelson College
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington
EmployerWarner Bros. Discovery (New Zealand)
Height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)[2]
Relatives
Comedy career
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • Television
  • Radio
Years active2008–present

Guy Malachi Jones Williams (born 19 September 1987)[1] is a New Zealand comedian and television personality. Williams was a co-host on the satirical news and entertainment television programme Jono and Ben until the show's end in 2018.[3][4] In 2019, he began hosting New Zealand Today, a show detailing the lives and events of New Zealand towns and the people who live in them.[5]

Early life

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Williams was born in Christchurch to Gary and Roseanne Williams and moved to Nelson when he was twelve months old.[6] His younger brother is comedian Paul Williams. 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

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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.[19][20]

In June 2015, he began narrating Come Dine with Me New Zealand.[21]

In September 2015, Williams 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.[22]

He left The Edge in December 2016 to focus on other work, including television projects.[23]

In 2017, he recorded and released his first half hour stand-up special In an election year live at Q Theatre, Auckland.[24]

In 2019, he began hosting the satirical news show New Zealand Today,[5] which began as a popular segment on Jono & Ben.[25]

In 2020, Williams competed on the first season of Taskmaster NZ, the New Zealand version of the British television show. His brother, Paul, serves as the Taskmaster's assistant throughout the show.[26]

In 2023, Williams appeared on Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee.[27]

Personal life

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Williams was in a relationship with Golriz Ghahraman; it ended in late 2020.[28][29][30]

References

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  1. ^ a b "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. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  3. ^ "'We're gutted': Jono and Ben gets the axe after seven years". NZ Herald. 11 October 2018. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Farewell, Jono and Ben: What was the best bit on the show?". Stuff. 11 October 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  5. ^ a b "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 23 November 2017.
  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 – YOU CAN SENSE THE DESPERATION". Theatreview. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  20. ^ "When does standing up to bullies become bullying?". RNZ. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  21. ^ "Television and Radio - The University of Auckland Library". collections.library.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  22. ^ "Pigeon prose: Hear Guy Williams and Scribe's comedy song about birds". NZ Herald. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  23. ^ "Radio host Guy Williams leaving The Edge". Otago Daily Times. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  24. ^ Guy Williams (12 September 2017), Guy Williams - Stand Up Comedy - "In an election year" 2017, retrieved 23 November 2017
  25. ^ Reeve, Dylan (15 November 2018). "Farewell Jono and Ben: The 5 greatest NZ Today segments". Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  26. ^ "Guy Williams: If you midly criticise me I'll say its cancel culture and turn to the alt right".
  27. ^ Ward, Tara (24 March 2023). "Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont Spelling Bee is an absolute joy". The Spinoff. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  28. ^ Downes, Siobhan (1 September 2019). "At home with Guy Williams and Golriz Ghahraman". Stuff. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  29. ^ Mann, Britt (13 June 2020). "Golriz Ghahraman on growing up, Guy Williams, and the power of protest". Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  30. ^ McConnell, Glenn (5 September 2021). "Hive life: Golriz Ghahraman and Nicola Willis open up about sacrifices and motiviations". Stuff.
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