With a glittering career that has spanned more than five decades, showbiz legend Kerri-Anne Kennerley is one of our biggest stars. But there is one high-profile TV gig the former Studio 10 co-host now regrets.
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“I’ve always liked Sophie and my respect grew for her,” the 67-year-old tells New Idea.
But KAK’s love for Sophie did not extend to the show itself, with the presenter savaging Celebrity Apprentice – which is currently filming after a five-year hiatus.
“That was one of the biggest mistakes of my life,” a candid KAK admits. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, but no.”
Although, she did concede the contestants probably had a tougher job than she did.
“I wasn’t one of the poor suckers who were burning the candle at both ends,” she says.
But the early starts and evening filming schedule did grate with KAK. “It was such a wicked waste of time,” she says. “I’d never do it again.”
And she appears to be no fan of the show’s previous CEO, Mark Bouris. UK’s Lord Alan Sugar will front next year’s reboot, KAK quipped: “That would be better than Mark Bouris.”
Little wonder she had this to say when asked whether she would do another reality show: “Not at all!”
She also reveals she was asked by Ten to do the first season of The Masked Singer, but turned it down.
“I was overseas and I did an interview in London, and then one in Portugal, and it was just not something I was interested in, anyway,” she says.
KAK was axed from Ten’s Studio 10 in August as part of a wave of cost-cutting at the network, which also saw Natarsha Belling and stalwart Tim Bailey lose their jobs. But always one to seize a golden opportunity, KAK has bounced back by taking a role in the Broadway musical, Pippin.
KAK will play Pippin’s saucy grandmother Berthe in the show, which hits Sydney’s Lyric Theatre at The Star from November 24.
She’s now getting in top shape for the demanding role, which will see her singing – something she hasn’t done in public since the ’80s – upside down on a trapeze.
“I didn’t know what the next step would be [after leaving Studio 10], so I joined the circus,” she laughs.
But she’s aware of the tough and relatively short road ahead to be ready for the role.
“I’m terrified, scared to death, to be quite frank,” she says. “This will test me. But I’m looking at it like a great big health and fitness regime.”
On a personal level, it’s been a challenging couple of years for the TV icon after her husband John passed away last year. Reflecting on her loss, KAK says: “It’s sad and you miss talking to [John].”
“You miss their company, their input, their cuddles, and you have to be brave and get on with it. There is no easy way around it and there is no start or finish date or time to it. You just have to cope.”
As to whether the showbiz survivor will shift back to TV again, a philosophical KAK says: “If something comes along, great. If it doesn’t, I’ll just wait for the next thing.”
For more, pick up the latest issue of New Idea. Out now!
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