Richard Fidler
Richard Fidler | |
|---|---|
| Born | Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Author, radio broadcaster, television presenter |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | Hosting Conversations on ABC Local Radio; member of the Doug Anthony All Stars |
| Notable work | Saga Land, The Golden Maze, The Book of Roads and Kingdoms |
Richard Fidler is an Australian author and radio broadcaster, widely recognized for hosting the hour-long interview show Conversations on ABC Local Radio. During the 1980s, he first gained prominence as part of the Australian musical comedy trio, the Doug Anthony All Stars, alongside Tim Ferguson and Paul McDermott. The group ceased performing together in 1994.
Following his music career, Fidler ventured into television presenting with appearances on programs such as Race Around the World, Aftershock, Mouthing Off, and Vulture. In 2001, he became a member of the national committee of the Australian Republican Movement, leading its Constitutional Issues committee until his departure in 2007.
In 2005, Fidler relocated to Brisbane, Queensland, where he took on evening hosting duties at 612 ABC Brisbane. He subsequently moved to a daytime position that featured the long-form interview segment Conversations. Since 2012, he has dedicated himself solely to this program, broadcast on weekdays across Australia on ABC Local Radio (excluding Victoria) and on ABC Radio National. Conversations consistently ranks among the top five most downloaded podcasts in Australia. In 2018, the show was refreshed with a new title, Conversations, and welcomed former Radio National journalist Sarah Kanowski as co-host.
Awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2011, Fidler traveled to the United States and United Kingdom to investigate innovative public radio formats. He co-wrote Saga Land (ABC Books, 2019) with Kári Gíslason, which was shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards Douglas Stewart Prize. Additionally, he holds the position of immediate past-president and board member of Brisbane's Institute of Modern Art (IMA).
His publication The Golden Maze was shortlisted for General Nonfiction at the 2021 Australian Book Industry Awards, and The Book of Roads and Kingdoms secured the Nonfiction award at the 2023 Indie Book Awards.
Personal life
Fidler is married to Khym Lam, with whom he has two children.
Published works
- DAAS Book (1989) – Allen & Unwin/Haynes
- DAAS Kapital (1992) – Allen & Unwin/Haynes
- The Insider's Guide to Power in Australia (2007) – Random House Australia
- Ghost Empire (2016) – ABC Books
- Saga Land (2017) – HarperCollins Publishers Australia
- Golden Maze (2020) – ABC Books
- The Book of Roads and Kingdoms (2022) – ABC Books
Appearances
Fidler took part in the 2017 Brisbane Writers Festival and delivered the 2018 Seymour Biography Lecture at the National Library of Australia titled "Telling and writing the story."