Julia Morris


Comedy, Hosts/MC's, Media

The self anointed, ignobly titled “Lady J-Mo” was born the reasonably honorable Julia Carolyn Margaret Morris on April 20th 1968 in Sydney Australia.

It was during her lead performance in the local Musical Society’s production of Calamity Jane that folks began to suspect that this young and gifted oracle was destined for even bigger things.

Several years of honing her stand-up and variety skills followed, both as an entertainer in Club Med resorts and as resident MC at the Sydney Comedy Store. Then Julia got her big television break in 1995 on the Logie (Australia’s Emmys) award-winning comedy sketch show Full Frontal with Eric Bana.

Quickly becoming a household name on Australian TV, radio and the stage, a move to the comedy capital of the world was inevitable and by the turn of the century Julia was working in London, where her refreshing honesty captured the imagination of British comedy’s elite.

Whilst living in the UK, Julia hosted TV shows for the BBC, worked with everyone from Stephen Fry to Dame Edna, appeared in nearly every major international festival from Prague to South Africa, won the prestigious Herald Angel award at the Edinburgh Festival 2002 and was named Time Out London’s ‘Comedy Performer of the Year’ in 2004. She also wrote and performed three different one woman shows on London’s prestigious West End.

Since her return to Australia in 2007 with husband Dan and baby Ruby, Julia hasn’t stopped. She has featured on every commercial television channel, on Aussie shows including Good News Week, Sunrise and Thank God You're Here - and co-hosted Foxtel’s Astra Award-winning The Singing Office.

In April 2008 Julia and Australian opera superstar David Hobson not only won Channel 7’s hit celebrity duet show ‘It Takes Two’, but, with their interpretations of songs like “We Don’t Need Another Hero”, provided the nation with some of the most memorable TV moments the year.

Julia’s stand-up featured at the galas of both the 2008 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Sydney’s Cracker Comedy Festival Her stand-up shows were sell-outs in both festivals and also nominated for a Helpmann Award (Australia’s Tony Awards).

During It Takes Two, Julia discovered she was pregnant again and in November 2008 she delivered her second daughter, Sophie. She was quoted as saying “We are hoping not to be blessed again.”

Her return to tip-top health after the birth was speedy, no doubt aided by the fact that she had become the Australian face of both Kellogg’s All Bran and Fernwood Fitness Centres.

Julia used the final months of her second pregnancy to pen the memoirs of her time abroad, entitled “Don’t You Know Who I Used To Be?”, which were released to critical acclaim on April 1st 2009. Her current stand-up tour, the accompanying slideshow spectacular to the book, has already sold out at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the In Stitches Festival in Brisbane, Sydney’s Cracker Comedy Festival, as well as the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. So far the show has won Julia “Best Local (Australian) Act” in Time Out Sydney’s 2009 Comedy Awards and recently earned her a second Helpmann Award Nomination. Julia’s memoirs have even been featured as question on Australia’s version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”.

Julia hosted the official Gala opening nights to the 2009 Sydney and Adelaide Festivals (which also featured Bernadette Peters) to great public and critical acclaim. After a series of very successful appearances at the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal, Julia was asked to perform at Whoopi Goldberg’s All Star Gala. The night was a triumph and American networks were demanding meetings with this new international favourite.

Having secured USA management representation with the Levity Entertainment Group, Julia will now move between LA and Sydney, spinning her own special strands of royal comedy gold.

These days, apart from the business of show, Lady J-Mo undertakes various official, ceremonial and representational duties befitting her level of Royal Prerogative. And as the Lady says “Dementis Pro Is” or “I’m mad for it”!

AWARDS

  • Nominee - Helpmann Award* for Best Comedy Performer - 2009
  • Winner - Time Out Sydney Best Local (Australian) Act - 2009
  • Nominee - Helpmann Award for Best Comedy Performer - 2008
  • Winner - It Takes Two – Channel Seven Australia – 2008
  • Winner - Time Out London Comedy Performer of the Year - 2004
  • Winner - Herald Angel Award for Excellence in Live Performance - 2001


(*Australian version of the Tony/Olivier)

COLLEGIATE AWARDS

  • Logie* - Beauty and The Beast – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
  • Logie - In Melbourne Tonight - 1998
  • Logie - Full Frontal - 1995, 1996, 1997


(*Australian version of the Emmy/BAFTA)

AUSTRALIAN TELEVISION

  • Giving Back - celebrity charity special - 2009
  • 20 to 1 – Network 9 – Guest - 2007-9
  • The Today Show - Network 9 - Guest - 2009
  • Sunrise – Network 7 – Guest - 2008-09
  • The Morning Show - Network 7 - Guest - 2008-09
  • Mornings With Kerri-Anne – Network 9 – Guest - 2005–09
  • Good News Week – Network 10 – Regular Guest - 2008-09
  • It Takes Two – Network 7 – 2008 Series Winner
  • Deal Or No Deal – Network 7 – Guest - 2008
  • The Singing Office – Fox 8 – Presenter - 2007
  • Thank God You’re Here – Guest - 2007
  • 50 to 1 – Network 9 – Guest - 2007
  • Rove Live – Network 10 – Guest appearances - 2005–06
  • Beauty and The Beast - Panel Agony Aunt Show - Twice weekly panelist – 1996-00
  • In Melbourne Tonight - Network 9 - Monday night Variety show - Host - 1998-99
  • The Morris Report - Network 9 - Spoof News Programme – Host - 1999
  • Great Aussie Bloopers - Network 7 - 2 series – Host - 1996
  • Full Frontal – Network 7 – Lead Cast – 1995-97
  • Good Morning Australia - Network 10 - Morning chat show – 1994-95
  • Who Dares Wins - Regular Guest - 1995-97
  • The Midday Show - Network 9 - Daytime chat show - Regular Guest - 1991-98
  • 2 year Contract with Network 9 included many cross promotion ‘celebrity’ progs 1997-98
  • Various commercials and endorsements


INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL EVENTS

  • Just for Laughs Festival, Montreal Canada - 2009 - Artist
  • 1 year TV development - Writer/Performer - Picture This Television, NY, USA - 2006
  • Letterman Showcase Host - Cracker Comedy Festival, Sydney, Australia - 2006
  • Just For Pitching - Just For Laughs Festival, Montreal, Canada - 2005
  • Vodacom Funny Festival - Cape Town, South Africa - 2005
  • Edinburgh Festival – 2000/01/02/03/05
  • Singapore Comedy Festival - 2003
  • Omagh Comedy Festival (Northern Ireland) - 2002/03
  • Australian Fashion Awards - 1999 - Host
  • Robin Williams Live – Fox Studios Sydney - 1999 - Host/Support Act
  • Richard Pryor - Comedy Store, Los Angeles - 1997 - Support Act


USA TELEVISION

  • Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List - Guest - Season 3 Ep 6 - 2006


BRITISH TELEVISION - PRESENTING / ACTING

2006

  • Big Brother’s Little Brother – Channel 4 – Guest
  • Test The Nation – BBC2 – Celebrity Special Guest
  • Not Going Out – BBC1 - Ruth


2005

  • Eurovision 2005 – BBC3 – co-host


2004

  • Men In Frocks – Sky One – 6 part series - 8 Blokes think being female is easy - Host
  • Britain’s Wildest - Sky One - In search of Britain’s Wildest person - Celebrity Judge
  • Liquid News - BBC 3 - Entertainment News - Special Guest


2003

  • Liquid News - BBC 3 - Entertainment News - Friday Show Host - 6 month contract
  • The Live Floor Show - BBC 2 - Night time Variety Show - Stand-up Guest
  • Elvis Has Left the Building - BBC NI - Comedy Quiz show TEAM CAPTAIN 12 eps
  • Steven Fry’s Q.I. - ITV - Comedy Quiz Show - Rich Hall’s Team member
  • Wright Stuff - C5 - Morning News Discussion prog. - Special Guest Star
  • The Richest - Sky One - 20 part series - Celebrity Pundit
  • Spend It Like - Sky One - 6 part series - Celebrity Pundit
  • The Panel - Channel 2 (Ireland) Evening Comedy Chat Show - Special Guest Star
  • Celebdaq - BBC 3 - The Nasdaq of Celebrity - Special Guest Star
  • 100 Greatest Musicals - C4 - Musicals’ expert/Comedian


2002

  • Sex and The City Girls - C4 - A Series Four Round up - Celebrity Pundit
  • 100 Greatest Toys - C4 - Our favourite Toys ever - Celebrity Pundit
  • Britain's Sexiest - ITV - Finding Sexy Men and Women of Britain - Celebrity Judge
  • Liquid Eurovision - BBC Choice - Coverage of Eurovision Song Contest - Co Host
  • Wright Stuff - C5 - Morning News Discussion Prog. - Celebrity Pundit
  • Liquid News - BBC Choice - Entertainment News - Celebrity Pundit (twice per month)
  • The Stand-Up Show - BBC 1 - Stand-up Guest Star


2001

  • Chambers - BBC 1- Dram/Com Starring John Bird - Guest Star playing a Barrister
  • Happiness - BBC 1 - Paul Whitehouse sitcom - Guest Star - Aussie Friend ‘Bev’
  • The Stand Up Show - BBC 1 - Stand-up Guest Star
  • Liquid News - BBC Choice - Entertainment News - Celebrity Pundit (twice per month)
  • Heaven and Earth - BBC 1 - Secular and Sacred discussion show - Special Guest


2000

  • Edinburgh Or Bust - C4 - Documentary Covering Julia’s first Edinburgh Festival
  • Edinburgh Comedy - BBC 1 - Stand-up Guest Star
  • Global Pillage - C4 Comedy Lab - World News/Interest discussion Panel - Panelist
  • Liquid News - BBC Choice - Entertainment News - Celebrity Pundit (Twice per month)
  • The Stand-Up Show - BBC 1 - Stand-up Guest Star


BRITISH RADIO

2006

  • The Powder Room - BBC Radio 2 - sketches written/performed with Gina Yashere/Lucy Porter
  • Clive Anderson's Chat Room - BBC Radio 2 – Guest
  • Jono Coleman Show - BBC Radio - occasional co-presenting


2005

  • Robin and Wendy's wet weekend - BBC Radio 4 - Performer
  • Sunday Morning Show presenter – LBC


2004

  • Artists - BBC 4 - Sitcom - ‘Sam’ the Aussie Fitness Trainer
  • Loose Ends – BBC 2 - Ned Sherrin’s Chat Show – Regular guest interviewer
  • Paul Ross Show - LBC - Chat Show -Guest Co-host
  • Matthew Wright Show - LBC - Chat Show - Guest Co-host
  • Fred Macauley Show - BBC Scotland - Morning Comedy Show - Regular guest
  • Parson’s and Naylor’s Pull Out Sections - BBC 4 - Sketch Show - Regular guest


2003

  • Whole Nother Story - BBC 4 - sitcom - ‘Maddy’
  • Parson’s and Naylor’s Pull Out Sections - BBC 4 - Sketch Show - Regular guest
  • Loose Ends – BBC2 – Ned Sherrin’s Chat Show - Guest
  • Fred Macauley Show - BBC Scotland - Morning Comedy Show - Regular guest


2002

  • We Say Tomato - BBC 4 - Greg Proops’ International Sketch Show - Cast member
  • 4 At The Store - BBC 2 - Radio Stand-up - Special guest
  • Jonathan Ross - BBC 2 - Saturday Chat Show - Special guest
  • Fred Macauley Show - BBC Scotland - Morning Comedy Show - Regular guest


2001

  • Parson’s and Naylor’s Pull Out Sections - BBC 4 - Sketch Show - Regular guest
  • Audio Diaries - LBC - A weekly news review hosted by one alternating regular guest
  • Fred Macauley Show - BBC Scotland - Morning Comedy Show - Thursday co-host


2000

  • Audio Diaries - LBC - a weekly news review hosted by one alternating regular guest
  • Fred Macauley Show - BBC Scotland - Morning Comedy Show - Thursday co-host


AUSTRALIAN RADIO

  • Vega (Sydney) - Guest Breakfast team member - 2008
  • TTFM (Mix’ Melbourne station) - Breakfast team presenter - 1997


ONE WOMAN SHOWS AND MUSICALS

  • Don’t You Know Who I Used To Be? - venues across Australia, 2009
  • An Evening With Julia Morris – venues across Australia, 2008
  • Shoosh Please! - Melbourne, Sydney & New Zealand Comedy festivals, 2008
  • Julia Morris Live – venues through Australia, 2007
  • Ardal O'Hanlon tour support - venues across the UK, 2005
  • Dove sponsored Comedy Tour - venues across the UK, September 2005
  • 5065 Lift Arts Festival in aid of Fairtrade - The London Eye, 21st June 2005
  • Julia Morris in Unfounded and Sweeping Statements - Soho Theatre, London's West End - 2005
  • Will You Kids Get Out of That Pool Please! - Soho Theatre, London’s West End - 2003
  • Show and Tell - Soho Theatre, London’s West End - 2001
  • I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change! - Musical - Australia - 1999
  • Nunsence - Musical - Australia - 1991
  • Calamity Jane – Musical - Title Role - Australia - 1990


BOOKS

  • Don’t You Know Who I Used To Be? - Memoirs of Julia’s time abroad (Hachette, 2009)