Hamish Blake
Hamish Blake | |
|---|---|
| Born | Hamish Donald Blake December 11, 1981 Glen Waverley, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Entertainer, comedian, television and radio host, actor, writer |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Known for | Hamish and Andy, Lego Masters Australia |
Hamish Donald Blake (born 11 December 1981) is an Australian entertainer, known for his work as a comedian, television and radio host, actor, and writer. Since 2003, he has teamed up with Andy Lee to form the comedy duo Hamish and Andy, celebrated for their live shows and their widely listened-to drive-time radio program Hamish & Andy. In his solo career, Blake has featured on Australian television programs such as the 2008 Great Debate at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and has been a frequent guest on shows including Spicks and Specks, Rove, and Thank God You're Here.
In April 2012, Blake alongside Lee received a Logie Award for their television series Hamish and Andy's Gap Year. On an individual level, Blake has twice been honoured with the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, winning in 2012 for Hamish and Andy's Gap Year and again in 2022 for Lego Masters. Additionally, in 2022 he was awarded the TV Week Bert Newton Award recognizing him as the most outstanding presenter.
Early life
Blake was raised in the Melbourne suburb of Glen Waverley. He is the middle sibling among three children; his elder brother Lachlan works as a solicitor, while his sister Sophie pursued an arts degree. His parents separated when he was seventeen years old. During his childhood, Blake enjoyed British comedy classics such as Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and Blackadder. His education included attendance at Glen Waverley South Primary School, followed by secondary schooling at Caulfield Grammar School and St Leonard's College, from which he graduated in 1999.
After taking a gap year, Blake commenced studies at the University of Melbourne, enrolling in a combined Science/Commerce degree with interests in artificial intelligence and computer science. However, shortly after beginning university, he met Andy Lee, which redirected his ambitions toward comedy. Subsequently, Blake left university to focus on comedy alongside Lee. His initial stand-up competition during university resulted in a third-place finish and qualified him for a statewide final, where he emerged victorious.
Hamish and Andy
Beginning in 2003, Blake partnered with fellow comedian Andy Lee to create the duo Hamish and Andy. Their breakthrough act at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival revolved around a road trip undertaken in Blake’s old car. They initially hosted drive-time slots on SYN Radio and developed Radio Karate for community television channel Channel 31, collaborating with Ryan Shelton among others. In 2004, Radio Karate earned an Antenna Award for best comedy program, which led to an offer for a national television show on Australia's Seven Network.
Their program The Hamish and Andy Show debuted on Seven Network in March 2005; however, it was cancelled after just two weeks due to low viewership despite favorable reviews regarding their talent. Blake has remarked on the limited creative freedom they experienced during this time. Following this, they created the mockumentary The Greystone 2800, which won the Melbourne Comedy Festival Short Film competition and attracted the attention of comedian Rove McManus. This connection resulted in appearances on McManus’s Network Ten program Rove Live.
Supported by McManus’s production company Roving Enterprises, they developed Real Stories, a satirical current affairs show that aired on Network Ten in 2006. Blake highlighted that this project allowed them greater creative control as they were responsible for writing, acting, directing, filming, and producing it alongside Ryan Shelton and Tim Bartley.
In 2006, Hamish and Andy launched their nationwide drive-time radio show on the Today Network, rapidly gaining popularity with nearly one million listeners in Melbourne by the end of that year—surpassing established host Derryn Hinch. By August 2008, their program had reached number one status in four out of Australia's five major metropolitan markets and expanded its broadcast across the country by early 2009.
In 2008, they made guest appearances on Ten’s quiz show Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?, hosted by Rove McManus, as well as on the soap opera Neighbours. On 19 November 2008, they presented a special episode titled Hamish & Andy Re-Gifted: A Very Early Christmas Special during Rove.
Additionally, they have appeared multiple times on Channel Ten’s programs Good News Week and The Project. Blake is also a founding member of the "rock-insult" band Coolboys and the Frontman along with Andy Lee and Jack Post.
Solo career
Blake has made numerous appearances on Australian television programs such as Spicks and Specks, Thank God You're Here, Twentysomething, Australia's Brainiest Comedian, The Librarians, The Panel, Rove, Talkin' 'bout Your Generation, and The Footy Show. Additionally, he took part in the British adaptation of Thank God You're Here. In 2008, he featured in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival's televised Great Debate.
He contributed a monthly column to Cosmopolitan and was honored with the TV Fugly Award for Spunkiest Male TV Personality in 2008. The Eather corporation named him comedian of the year in 2007, and in 2009, he was ranked as the most influential celebrity on television. On 20 January 2010, Blake commenced writing a column for the Herald Sun.
Together with his wife Zoë Foster Blake, Hamish co-wrote the dating guide Textbook Romance. After scaling back his daily radio program to a weekly podcast format, he pursued new ventures including a role in ABC's comedy series Twentysomething and co-starring with Bret McKenzie in the New Zealand-filmed feature film Two Little Boys.
In 2019, Blake took on hosting duties for Nine Network's reality competition show Lego Masters Australia, alongside judge Ryan McNaught. The network followed up in 2021 with a Christmas-themed spinoff titled Lego Masters Bricksmas Specials, where celebrities teamed with former contestants to compete for a $20,000 Kmart Wishing Tree donation.
October 2022 saw Blake launch the podcast How Other Dads Dad with Hamish Blake, featuring interviews with guests including Rob Sitch, Adam Hills, Stan Grant, Max Gawn, Dave Hughes, and Ben Lee.
Personal life
Hamish wed Zoë Foster Blake in 2012. The couple has two sons named Sonny and Rudy.
Actor
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Real Stories | Various | Appeared in 8 episodes |
| 2008 | Neighbours | Fred | Single episode |
| 2009 | The Librarians | Jake Jackson | One episode |
| 2010 | I Love You Too | Patrick | |
| 2012 | Two Little Boys | Deano | |
| 2011–2013 | Twentysomething | Billy | Featured in 12 episodes |
| 2015 | Now Add Honey | Alex Kilstein | |
| 2016 | Molly | Television Crew | TV miniseries |
| The Wrong Girl | Hamilton | ||
| 2018 | Ralph Breaks the Internet | Pyro (voice) | |
| 2021–present | Bluey | Jack's Dad (voice) |
As himself
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal 2004 | TV documentary film |
| 2004–2005 | Hamish & Andy | Appeared in 6 episodes |
| 2005–2009 | Rove Live | Participated in 40 episodes |
| 2006–2009 | Thank God You're Here | Featured in 10 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation | Appeared in 3 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | The Project | Participated in 20 episodes |
| 2011 | Hamish & Andy's Gap Year | Featured in 20 episodes |
| 2005–2011 | Spicks & Specks | Appeared across 53 episodes |
| 2012–2014 | Various appearances including Hamish and Andy's Gap Year Asia, Euro Gap Year, and co-hosting Logie Awards | Multiple episodes and events |
| 2017–2018 | True Story with Hamish & Andy | Featured in 20 episodes |
| 2019–present | Host of Lego Masters Australia and related specials | |
| 2024 | Guest appearance on The Assembly | Single episode |
Writer
| Year | Title | Number of Episodes Written |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Hamish & Andy | 6 |
| 2006 | Real Stories | 8 |
| 2005–2009 | Rove Live | 40 |
| 2011 | Hamish & Andy's Gap Year | 10 |
| 2012 | Hamish & Andy's Euro Gap Year | 7 |
| 2009–2012 | Caravan of Courage | 4 |
| 2013 | Hamish & Andy's Gap Year Asia | 6 |
| 2014 | Hamish & Andy's Gap Year South America | 6 |
| Years | Title | Episodes Produced |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–2010; 2015–2017 | Hamish & Andy (radio show) | Over 2,420 |
| 2018–present | Hamish & Andy (podcast) | More than 232 |
| 2006 | How Other Dads Dad | Over 19 |
E. J. Whitten Legends Game
During the years 2008 and 2009, Blake and his teammate Lee took part in the E. J. Whitten Legends Game. Lee played representing Victoria, while Blake was a member of the All-Stars, where he scored the decisive goal in 2008 and added two more goals in the following year.
Mr. New York State 2011
In a challenge featured on Hamish and Andy's Gap Year, Andy entered Hamish into the Mr. New York State bodybuilding contest within the Heavyweight category. Blake stood as the sole competitor exceeding the minimum weight limit, ultimately earning the title of Mr. New York State 2011 for that division.
| Year | Award | Division | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Mr. New York State | Heavyweight division | Template:Won |
Awards and nominations
Blake was honored in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his "contributions to the arts as an entertainer, and to community service."
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Logie Awards | Most Popular Presenter | Template:Nominated |
| 2012 | Template:Nominated | ||
| Most Popular Personality on TV | Template:Won | ||
| 2013 | Most Popular TV Presenter | Template:Won | |
| Most Popular Personality on TV | Template:Nominated | ||
| 2014 | Most Popular Presenter | Template:Nominated | |
| 2015 | Most Popular Personality on TV | Template:Nominated | |
| 2022 | Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter | Template:Won | |
| Most Popular Personality on TV | Template:Won | ||
| 2023 | Most Popular Personality on TV | Template:Nom | |
| Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter | Template:Nom | ||
| 2025 | Gold Logie — Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Template:Nom |
See also
External links
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1981 births
- Living people
- Hamish & Andy
- Australian radio personalities
- Australian podcasters
- Australian male comedians
- People educated at Caulfield Grammar School
- Comedians from Melbourne
- Gold Logie winners
- Australian game show hosts
- RMITV alumni
- People from Glen Waverley, Victoria
- Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia