Tell us a bit about the life you’re leaving behind.
SNAPSHOT: I don’t have to catch the Belgrave line into uni or work anymore! Mum isn’t gonna have to be buy me stationary, undies or lunch box snacks anymore! I won’t have to ride my non-fixie hard rubbish bicycle to the station anymore! No more strictly op-shop clothing. No more listening to music through crappy airplane head phones!
What did you do when you found out you’d won?
Screamed heaps. Hugged anyone and everyone around me. Drank a lot. Posted a giddy status on Facebook. And Instagram. And Twitter. Ate a chicken salad on Oxford St (Sydney) at 1am. (Not in chronological order)
What do you look forward to most about the job?
Festivals. I can’t wait to be amongst an atmosphere I can run amok in as well as present (which is apparently my job now)! I always wanted to be the dude that messed up presenters interviews at festivals. Now I’m going to get to interview those people. I will not be protecting their reputations…
Were you and Bridget Hustwaite best buddies or fierce competitors?
I’d like to think we’re good mates. We got to know each other pretty damn well in the competition purely because we spent a lot of time together feeling hell nervous about what our next challenge was – red carpet interviews, live television, presenting an award at the ASTRA Awards, and so on.
What was the most challenging part of the audition process?
Being told a few hours before the ASTRA Awards that I was going to be interviewing Rove McManus. I was heaps anxious about it! I knew I only had three minutes with him and I was worried I’d spend all of it fanboying him. In the end I pulled together, fanboyed him for the first minute, then remembered to interview him.
And the best bit?
The overwhelming feeling of knowing that your whole life changed in a second. The announcement has completely shaken up my world! The best bit is that it’s now my job and I don’t have to conform to anyone or change my personality for TV because I got chosen because of who I am. I’m really humbled by that and can’t wait to get into it.
Celebrity you’d really love to (and now hopefully will) meet?
I wanna meet Drake. I don’t even really wanna interview him. I just wanna hang out with him for the day. Have him blow some cash on me.
Do curls actually get the girls?
I wish it was true…
Marty Smiley comes to a telly near you soon.
