Toni Pearen

Toni Michelle Pearen (born 5 June 1972) is an Australian entertainer, actress, singer, songwriter and television presenter. She initially became recognisable through her role on soap opera E Street from 1989 until 1992. She had a limited pop music career in the mid-1990s with the release of one album, Intimate (November 1994), which provided two ARIA certified gold singles, "In Your Room" (November 1992) and "I Want You" (April 1993). She played the role until 1992 when she left to pursue her music career. In 1994, she briefly returned to TV, this time playing Beth Armstrong on Home and Away.

Pearen also appeared in a number of films including All Men Are Liars, Colin Fitz Lives! and On the Dead Side, all released in 1995. From 1995 until 2002 Pearen lived and worked in the United States, guest starring in multiple television shows such as JAG.

Upon returning to Australia in 2002, Pearen landed the role as host of Nine's Australia's Funniest Home Video Show beginning February 2003. In an interview with ninemsn, she said the show was a perfect fit for her, and it "reminds us that strange things happen every day, and you need to laugh."

After Australia's Funniest Home Video Show Pearen took on a guest starring role with the soap Out of the Blue for five episodes, and in 2010 had a small part in the World War II miniseries The Pacific, produced by Steven Spielberg – the follow-up to Band of Brothers.

Pearen began appearing on the eighth season of the Seven Network's Dancing with the Stars.

In 2021, Pearen participated as a contestant in the seventh season of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Australia.

Music career After leaving E Street, Pearen became a success in the Australian Dance Pop scene in 1992 and 1993, scoring two consecutive top 10 In early 2003 during an appearance on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Pearen revealed she could be aiming to revive her music career in the near future. It was later revealed that part of the reason for her hiatus in the United States was to find the time to write new music. Although she has made musical performances at Carols by Candlelight in 2003 and ABBA Mania in 2006, very little of any plans to return to music did not happen until August 2008 when a new untitled demo track appeared on Pearen's Official MySpace page. Later in September 2008 another new untitled demo was added. On 21 October 2008 The Daily Telegraph reported on plans that Pearen is considering to start work on her long-awaited follow up album to 1994's Intimate, with achieving Top 5 on Dancing with the Stars as her inspiration.

In 2022, Pearen made her long-awaited return to the music industry and released a song called "1972". This was inspired by Pearen celebrating her 50th birthday in 2022 and how the world has evolved since her birth year of 1972. It and a subsequent single "Whatever Will Be" were collaborations with Pipi Le Oui and feature on the Two Tribes compilation Two Tribes 2021-2025.

Dancing with the Stars performances In late 2008, Toni Pearen joined the cast of the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars. Pearen's partner is Henry Byalikov from the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia.

She was eliminated on 19 October 2008.

Personal life Pearen began her singing/acting studies at Lynda Keane Studios Sydney with Lynda Keane and Greg Anderson.

She dated her Home and Away co-star, Mat Stevenson in 1994. Pearen married Osmond in the north western New South Wales town of Moree on 17 November 2007. Pearen's Los Angeles-based actor friend Kym Wilson was her bridesmaid.

Pearen gave birth to a son in 2009 and a daughter in 2012.

Filmography Main Television and film roles Year Title Role Notes 1988 A Country Practice Patty Morrison First acting role 1989–1992 E Street Toni Windsor First regular role 1994 Home and Away Beth Armstrong Recurring role; 19 episodes 1995 All Men Are Liars Angela Feature film, Leading role 1995 On the Dead Side Feature film 1997 Colin Fitz Lives! Pandemonium Fan Feature film 2003–2007, 2011 Australia's Funniest Home Videos Host Longest serving host of the show to dateReturned for the 21st Anniversary episode 2008 Out of the Blue Justine Appeared in five episodes 2011 Tough Nuts Matilda 'Tilly' Devine Foxtel

Discography Albums TitleDetailsPeak chart positionsAUS "In Your Room"199210 ARIA: Gold Intimate"I Want You"199310 ARIA: Gold 2022Two Tribes 2021-2025"Whatever Will Be Will Be" (Pipi Le Oui) 2023

Awards and nominations ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards are a set of annual ceremonies presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.