Thornlands comedian Anne Ferguson-Howe is delighted to be hosting her own late night television talk show for women, The Very Anne Show. Photo courtesy of Anne Ferguson-Howe
COMEDIAN?Anne Ferguson-Howe will take her unique style of humour from the stage to television this week when her own late night talk show for women, The Very Anne Show, airs on Digital 31.
In 2009, Anne, from Thornlands, was the first woman to win the grand final of the prestigious Green Faces comedy competition, held each year in Canberra, and remains the only woman ever to have won it.
She then went on to perform a range of comedy work, including support for comedian Bev Killick (Busting Out!) and for the comedy show Puppetry of the Penis.
In 2010, she also worked as tour manager and support act for Tommy Raudonikis and the now late Arthur Beetson in their Birth of Origin show, and this year is touring with the comedy troupe Wild Women of Comedy, which is performing nationally.
Anne said Digital 31 offered her a show of her own after she spent much of last year co-hosting the Logie-nominated The Late Nite Show, also on Digital 31, with Scott Black.
She said The Very Anne Show would feature as guests women from in and around Brisbane who she met while performing comedy at a variety of charity luncheons.
"Digital 31 felt it was time for a women's show, and offered me six episodes initially, with a view to carrying on if we pick up an audience," Anne said.
"The show has a guest once a week a sexologist, a dress designer and stylist, a comedy promoter who is also a staunch feminist, and others.
"The show also has a segment called This Week's Top Bloke, which asks the viewers to nominate a man who has done an act of kindness to a woman some form of chivalry.
"It's an opportunity to let the girls know there are still gentlemen out there."
Anne said the show would also take a light-hearted, comedic look at "handy household hints" plus put a humorous spin on etiquette for women living in the 21st century.
She said she looked forward to presenting the show to women, using humour to "tell it how it is", and to introducing women "who have, against all odds in Australia, broken through the glass ceiling".
Catch Anne Ferguson-Howe in The Very Anne Show each Wednesday from July 18, at 9.30pm on Digital 31.
The show will repeat on the following Friday, also at 9.30pm.