Jo Beth Taylor

Joanne Rebecca Guilfoyle (born 29 May 1971), known professionally as Jo Beth Taylor, is an Australian television presenter, actress and singer. She hosted three weekly programs at the same time in the 1990s on the Nine Network: Australia's Funniest Home Video Show (1993–1997), Hey Hey It's Saturday (1995–1997) and What's Up Doc? (1996–1997), before taking a hiatus from television for more than two years.

Upon her return, Taylor hosted StarStruck (2000), which was to be her last regular role until Dirty Jobs (2007). During the 1990s, Taylor also had a music career with the release of an album and four singles, and had starring stage roles in musical theatre. In recent years, Taylor has appeared on reality television programs Dancing with the Stars (2010) and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (2016).

Career 1984–1992 Taylor began singing at the age of five and performed professionally on the television programme Perth's Young Entertainers at the age of 13 in 1984. At the age of 15 she released a music video Running For Our Lives and in 1988 joined a band named Street Cafe and played regularly around Perth. Taylor moved to Melbourne in 1989 and recorded a demo tape, which was seen by Molly Meldrum, who signed her to Melodian Records. When Taylor signed her record contract Meldrum suggested she change her name to Jo Beth as Joanne "wasn't good".

In 1990, Taylor toured with Indecent Obsession as the support act for Debbie Gibson. After becoming friends, Gibson invited Taylor to go to New York City, where she then lived for a year. During this time Gibson wrote and produced five tracks on Taylor's debut album 99 Reasons. While in New York Taylor also worked with Jelly Benetez who produced five tracks on her album.

Taylor moved back to Australia and released her first single "99 Reasons" in 1991. The song hit the Australian Top 40, peaking at No. 31 Taylor's debut album was also titled 99 Reasons, however it failed to reach the top 100. As she finished both programs without warning, emergency replacements were called in, with Getaway presenter Catriona Rowntree temporarily replacing her on Funniest Home Videos, before Kim Kilby was brought in as a permanent host, whilst Livinia Nixon replaced her as co-host of Hey Hey It's Saturday.

1999–2010 After more than two years off-screen, Taylor made her return television appearance on In Melbourne Tonight in August 1999, singing "I Want You Back". Taylor joined the cast of the Australian stage production, Happy Days: The Arena Mega Musical in October 1999. Taylor played Laura, a character created for the stage show, who was in cahoots with Jon Stevens' Frank (also an original character) to put the famous diner out of business. The music selected for the Happy Days production was almost entirely from the 1960s. Taylor's songs included "Stand By Me", "You Don't Own Me" and "Smell Him".

Taylor returned to Australia's Funniest Home Video Show as a guest in late 1999 for the shows 10th Anniversary special. She performed the program's theme song, "The Funny Things You Do", and Stevie Wonder's version of "Happy Birthday". Taylor also returned as a guest and performer for the final episode of Hey Hey It's Saturday 's original run in November 1999.

In 2000, Taylor hosted Starstruck, a Saturday night talent quest show, in what was her final regular television role for more than seven years. Taylor appeared as a guest on Greeks on the Roof in 2003 and on Australia Unites: Reach Out to Asia in 2005, a joint venture by the Seven, Nine, and Ten networks to raise money for the Boxing Day Tsunami. In 2005 Taylor was announced as co-host of Nine's new lifestyle program Scotty's Place (later renamed Our Place), but was replaced before the first episode.

In 2006, Taylor joined Noosa's radio station Zinc 96.1 FM morning crew with Jamie Dunn and Agro for six months. Taylor co-hosted an Australian version of Dirty Jobs on the Nine Network with Ben Dark between October and November 2007 and made an appearance on Mornings With Kerri-Anne in 2009 during a travel infomercial segment. Taylor returned for the second Hey Hey It's Saturday reunion show on 7 October 2009.

Taylor was amongst the line up of celebrities competing in the tenth season of Dancing with the Stars on the Seven Network. She was eliminated in the fourth week. On 13 November 2010 episode of Hey Hey It's Saturday she returned to the show as a contestant during one of the game segments. She returned again on 27 November 2010 to judge Red Faces on the series finale.

2016–present Taylor returned to screens again after a six-year absence as a contestant on season two of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in January 2016. She entered the South African jungle on Day 1 and chose World Vision Australia as her charity. She later appeared as a co-host on Studio 10 and a contestant on All Star Family Feud on 1 August 2016.

Personal life After disappearing from television in mid-1997, Taylor moved to San Diego, California, and remained out of the public eye for more than two years. She returned to Australia in August 1999 and revealed in an interview with Ray Martin that her disappearance was due to a nervous breakdown. In 2016, during an episode of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Taylor confirmed her abrupt disappearance in 1997 was due to being exhausted and stressed due to work pressures, along with the negative effect a falsely rumoured sex tape was having on herself and her family. Taylor described that time of her life as extremely difficult and explained that her mental instability and weaknesses were not talked about back then, but that she is not ashamed.

Taylor travelled to Ethiopia and Uganda in 1996 as an ambassador for World Vision Australia to meet her sponsor child and film a documentary. In 1995, they purchased a historic 500-hectare property on the northern NSW coast. Taylor's second marriage was to tennis player Thomas Muster. Taylor and Muster married in Austria in 2000 and had one child, Christian (born 2001). Their wedding photos and story appeared in Woman's Day magazine. Taylor and Muster separated in 2002 and divorced in 2005.

In 2016, Taylor married her third husband, Matt Bennell, in South Africa. The pair had first met in Noosa around 2006 when their sons played on the same indoor soccer team, and maintaining a close friendship for eight years before beginning a romantic relationship.

In 2019, Taylor moved back to Perth after living in Melbourne and Noosa with her son since 2005. She has been practicing Iyengar Yoga since 2010 and is studying as a yoga teacher trainee.

Filmography Television Year Film Role Notes 1984–1986 Perth's Young Entertainers Performer 1991 Blind Date Herself Celebrity episode 1993 Sale of the Century Co-host Guest host for one week 1993 Getaway Presenter Guest presenter 1993–1997, 1999 Australia's Funniest Home Video Show Hostess Became the youngest female to present on prime time TV in AustraliaReturned for the 10th Anniversary episodeNominated—Logie Award for Best New Talent (1994)Nominated—Logie Award for Most Popular Light Entertainment Personality (1996) 1994 Vision for a Better World Co-host Telethon co-hosted with Larry Emdur in Africa 1994 Frontline Herself 1 episode: The Night of Nights 1994, 1999 Carols By Candlelight Performer 1995–1997, 1999, 2009–2010 Hey Hey It's Saturday Co-host Returned for final show and three episodes during reunions and revival 1995 This Is Your Life Performer Performed for Molly Meldrum1995 Rock Eisteddfod Challenge National Final Hostess 1996–1997 What's Up Doc? Hostess Filled in for the regular hosts on occasion over this period 1996 40 Years of Television Hostess Nine Network Special Presentation 2000 StarStruck Hostess Hosted first season only 2003 Greeks on the Roof Herself Appeared in one episode, interview and performance 2004 Renovation Rescue Herself Guest renovator 2005 Australia Unites: Reach Out To Asia Herself Joint venture between Seven Network, Nine Network and Network Ten 2007 Dirty Jobs Presenter First regular television role in seven years 2009 Mornings With Kerri-Anne Presenter Infomercial presenter for travel segments 2010 20 to 1 Herself 2010 Dancing with the Stars Contestant Eliminated 3rd 2016 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Contestant

Stage Year Film Role Notes 1995 Cinderella Cinderella 3–28 January, Sydney State Theatre 1996 The New Rocky Horror Show The Usherette/Columbia 10 February – 16 March, Brisbane Lyric Theatre 22 March – 14 April, Newcastle Civic Theatre 1999 Happy Days – The Arena Mega Musical Laura 15 October, Sydney Superdome 25–26 October, Melbourne Park 1–2 November, Hindmarsh Entertainment Centre 6 November, Perth Entertainment Centre 29–30 November, Brisbane Lyric Theatre

Discography Albums + Album, with selected details and chart position shownTitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsAUS Label: Melodian (D30468) Formats: CD, Cassette 109

Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positionsTitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbumAUS "99 Reasons"19913199 Reasons"You Don't Own Me"137"A Prayer for Jane"199361 Non-album single"I Love My Dog"199695 101 Dalmatians Soundtrack

Awards and nominations ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony held by the Australian Recording Industry Association. They commenced in 1987. 1992 "99 Reasons" Best New Talent