Mel Buttle
Melinda Claire Buttle (born 25 January 1982) is an Australian comedian, television and radio presenter and writer. Buttle is co-hosting The Great Australian Bake Off alongside Claire Hooper.
Mel Buttle | |
---|---|
Born | Melinda Claire Buttle 25 January 1982 |
Nationality | Australian |
Occupation | Comedian, television and radio presenter, writer |
Television | The Great Australian Bake Off |
In April 2013, she was awarded the Directors Choice Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for her solo show 'How Embarrassment'. She wrote on and starred in Network Ten's This Week Live as a live correspondent. She was also a regular guest on radio stations Triple J, Nova and 612 ABC Brisbane and wrote weekly for the Queensland statewide newspaper The Courier Mail as well as ABC's The Drum.[1][2]
Early life
Buttle was raised in Samford, a semi-rural suburb north-west of Brisbane, Queensland. She completed her schooling as a boarder at St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School in Ascot, Queensland. She is one of only 20 students listed in the Notable Alumnae. She completed a Bachelor of Secondary Education (Drama) in 2003 at Griffith University and became a teacher at Calamvale Community College before moving to Perth in 2004 to complete a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing at Curtin University. Buttle began stand-up comedy as an open mic comedian in Perth before returning to Queensland in 2008 and representing the state at the Raw National Comedy Finals in Melbourne.[3]
Stand up comedy
In 2010, Buttle made her debut at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Brisbane Comedy Festival with her show "Sista Got Flow" for which she was nominated Best Newcomer. In 2011 she returned to the festival circuit with her second show "Buttle & Buttle". She also toured extensively with Comedian Josh Thomas as a support act for his Barry Award Nominated show "Surprise". In 2012 she performed her show "Stop It, You Are!" at the Sydney Fringe Festival which won her Best Comedy.[4] After a one-year hiatus teaching students with special needs at Everton Park State High School, Buttle returned to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with her show "How Embarrassment" which was well received by critics[5] and won her the Directors Choice Award.[6] "How Embarrassment" also debuted at Brisbane Comedy Festival[7] and nominated for Best Local Act at Sydney Comedy Festival 2013. Other notable live performances include stand up comedy at the Sydney Opera House, Homebake Festival,[8] Woodford Folk Festival,[9] Harvest Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow and Up Front Gala. In late 2012, Buttle opened for well known American comedian and actor, Aziz Ansari on his "Buried Alive" tour at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.[10]
Radio
In 2011, she began a weekly segment on Triple J's breakfast show with Tom Ballard and Alex Dyson titled Message in a Buttle, followed by Buttle Theatre and finally Mels Strongly Worded Letters concluding at the end of 2012.[11] In addition, she has regularly appeared on Triple J's Hack and Drive programs. Buttle is a regular guest on 612 ABC Brisbane and in 2011 she filled in on Afternoons with Richard Fidler with Katrina Davidson.[12]
During the summer of 2010 she filled in for Meshel, Tim and Marty on Nova 106.9 Breakfast. Buttle co-hosted Nova's national Saturday Session with Dave Thornton in 2011 and filled in for Hughesy & Kate on Nova Melbourne Breakfast with Tommy Little in June 2013.[13][14]
In August 2020, Buttle joined ABC Local Radio to host Weekend Afternoons.
Television
Buttle has appeared on The Circle, The Project, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering, Tractor Monkeys, This Week Live, Good News Week, Celebrity Name Game, Show Me the Movie! and Hughesy, We Have a Problem.
Buttle first appeared on Network Ten's The 7PM Project in 2010 as a Metro Whip reporter. In the same year, she covered the 2010 federal election for Network Ten's program The Circle. She has appeared in both season one and two of ABC's Tractor Monkeys as a panellist.[15] She has also performed stand up comedy on the Comedy Channel[16] and ABC2's Comedy Up Late. Buttle appeared weekly as a live correspondent on Network Ten's This Week Live and often reports for the "Metro Whip" on The Project.[17] Along with Ray Matsen, Buttle co-wrote the comedy mini series titled Fruit Unit for Network Ten, in which she also appeared.[18]
In July 2015, Buttle and Claire Hooper were announced as the hosts of the second season of The Great Australian Bake Off, which began airing on LifeStyle Food in October.[19] The series returned for a third season in October 2016, and a fourth season in January 2018.
Writing
Since 2011, Buttle has written a weekly column for the Queensland statewide newspaper, The Courier-Mail.[20] She is also a writer for ABC's The Drum[21] and Triple J's "J Mag". She has also been published in "Madison" magazine. She has written for television shows such as You're Skitting Me (ABC3)[22] and for Josh Thomas on his show Please Like Me (ABC2)[23] and co-wrote his live show "Everything Ever".[24]
Personal life
Since 2011, Buttle has co-produced the podcasts The Minutes and You're Welcome with friend Patience Hodgson from indie pop rock band The Grates. Both podcasts debuted at number two on the Australian iTunes Podcasts chart.[25] Buttle currently resides in Brisbane and is managed by Token Artists.[26][27][28]
References
- "Bachelorette". Pedestrian TV. 31 October 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Melinda Buttle | The Sit Down Comedy Club". Standup.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Melinda Buttle: Comedy Festival preview". NovaFM. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Mel Buttle: Stop it You Are! | SYDNEY FRINGE 2012". 2012.sydneyfringe.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Review: Mel Buttle in How Embarrassment". Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
- "Awards | Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2013". Comedyfestival.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Mel Buttle: How Embarrassment | Brisbane Comedy Festival 2013". Briscomfest.com. 10 March 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "HOMEBAKE 2012 " Mel Buttle". Homebake.com.au. 8 December 2012. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Mel Buttle". Woodfordfolkfestival.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Aziz Ansari: Buried Alive – Concert Hall, QPAC, South Bank, Brisbane – Tickets & Dining Packages". Qpac.com.au. 10 October 2012. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Tom and Alex's friends | Tom and Alex | triple j". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Katrina Davidson and Mel Buttle". Abc.net.au. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "melinda buttle". Token. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Josh Thomas and Melinda Buttle's "Comedy Fest" in studio". NovaFM. Archived from the original on 22 August 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Guests – Tractor Monkeys – ABC TV". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Mel Buttle @ Cracker Night 2013". YouTube. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "The Project". Retrieved 14 September 2014.
- "Fruit Unit, Episode 4 - This Week Live". Retrieved 14 September 2014.
- Knox, David (13 July 2015). "Claire Hooper, Mel Buttle to host The Great Australian Bake Off". TV Tonight. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
- "There's a funny guy, bossy boots, slacker and interrupter in every office". Couriermail.com. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
- "Mel Buttle – The Drum Opinion (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "You're Skitting Me". Mel Buttle. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Please Like Me – Abc Tv". Abc.net.au. 19 February 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Josh Thomas Performs Everything Ever | Beat Magazine". Beat.com.au. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "iTunes – Podcasts – The Minutes with Mel and Patience by Mel Buttle & Patience Hodgson". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Comedian/Writer". Mel Buttle. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- "Mel Buttle (MelindaButtle) on Twitter". Retrieved 9 August 2013 – via Twitter.
- "Mel Buttle". Token Artists. Retrieved 14 September 2014.