{{Short description|Australian cook and television personality}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Infobox person | name = Ash Pollard | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | image_upright = | image_size = <!-- DISCOURAGED per WP:IMGSIZE. Use image_upright. --> | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Ashley Pollard | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1986}} | birth_place = Tasmania | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = Cook, author, radio and television presenter | years_active = 2015–present | agent = Bravo Management | television = ''My Kitchen Rules''<br/>''Dancing with the Stars''<br/>''I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'' | title = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | spouse = <!-- Use article title or common name --> | partner = Peter Ferne | children = 2 | parents = <!-- over-rides mother and father parameters --> | relatives = | family = | awards = | website = {{URL|bravotalentmgmt.com/ash-pollard|Ash Pollard}} }}
'''Ashley Pollard'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.actorscentre.com.au/student-bios/ashley-pollard|title=Ashley Pollard|website=www.actorscentre.com.au|language=en|access-date=2018-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118182354/http://www.actorscentre.com.au/student-bios/ashley-pollard|archive-date=18 January 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> (born 1986) is an Australian cook, author, television and radio personality who came to public attention when she appeared on reality cooking show ''My Kitchen Rules'' in 2015.
== Early life and education ==
Pollard describes her childhood as "privileged". She grew up on the Gold Coast, where she attended All Saints Anglican School, graduating in 2003. She also attended Paradise Performers, a dance school based on the Gold Coast, all throughout her childhood until she was in grade 11.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/my-saturday-ash-pollard-set-to-swap-kitchen-for-dancing-with-the-stars/news-story/b438f5b5dda6056f560e2a16e08d1b7e|title=Subscribe {{!}} heraldsun|website=Herald Sun|access-date=27 June 2017}}</ref>
She then studied and graduated from the Actors Centre Australia in 2008.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2015/10/09/reality-star-reveals-what-its-really-like-to-compete-on-nationa/|title=Reality Star Reveals What It's Really Like To Compete on National Television|last=Blatchford|first=Emily|date=10 October 2015|work=HuffPost|access-date=6 May 2017|language=en-AU}}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> She subsequently worked in event management.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/ash-pollard-goes-from-the-mkr-kitchen-to-the-dancefloor-joining-the-cast-of-dancing-with-the-stars/news-story/d3ee8804e2b338f1add72c4793bb1e78|title=MKR star joins Dancing with the Stars|access-date=6 May 2017}}</ref>
== Career == Pollard first appeared on the 2015 season of ''My Kitchen Rules'' where she and her cooking partner, Camilla Counsel, finished fourth. They were introduced as "Melbourne socialites".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/my-kitchen-rules-2015-episode-46-recap-who-made-the-final-ash-and-camilla-or-will-and-steve-20150428-1mvjd2.html|title=My Kitchen Rules 2015 episode 46 recap: Who made the final, Ash and Camilla or Will and Steve?|first=Jim|last=Mitchell|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=28 April 2015 |accessdate=8 February 2017}}</ref>
In 2015, Pollard appeared on ''Dancing with the Stars'' where she and her dance partner finished third.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/dancing-with-the-stars-2015-emma-freedmans-tearful-victory-for-bone-marrow-charity-20150907-gjh9wc?deviceType=text|title=Dancing with the Stars 2015: Emma Freedman's tearful victory for bone marrow charity|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=7 September 2015 |accessdate=8 February 2017}}</ref>
She has also worked with Channel 7's website, Yahoo7 Be, presenting videos of various recipes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://au.be.yahoo.com/profile/ash-pollard/#page2|title=Ash Pollard'S ARTICLES|access-date=6 May 2017}}</ref> In late July 2017, she began writing 12 weekly blogs for Yahoo7 Be, sharing advice on how to deal with life's trickiest situations, everything from job interviews, to dealing with an ex.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://au.be.yahoo.com/lifestyle/a/36531229/ash-pollard-how-to-nail-that-job-interview/|title=Ash Pollard: How to nail that job interview|access-date=27 August 2017|language=en-AU}}</ref>
Pollard appeared in the 2017 season of ''I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/reality/im-a-celebrity-australia-2017-lineup-revealed-20170128-gu0puo.html|title=Look who is going into the jungle #ImACelebrityAU|first=Ebony|last=Bowden|date=29 January 2017|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=8 February 2017}}</ref> Her nominated charity was Beyond Blue.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/the-reason-ash-pollard-went-on-im-a-celeb/news-story/8cebadf2d1656b4dc62dd5b9e34982f4|title=Ash Pollard reveals heartbreaking secret reason she went on I'm A Celeb|work=NewsComAu|access-date=6 May 2017|language=en}}</ref> She stated she chose this charity because her mother's brother committed suicide.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/tv/ash-pollard-exit-chat-35777|title=Ash Pollard exit chat|work=Now To Love|access-date=6 May 2017}}</ref> She was evicted on 7 March 2017, after lasting 40 days in camp and finishing in seventh place.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ash Pollard eliminated from South African jungle on I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/ash-pollard-eliminated-from-south-african-jungle-on-im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here/news-story/d4a64b60e51218fb5afe6da1cd576450|publisher=news.com.au|accessdate=7 March 2017|date=7 March 2017}}</ref>
Pollard was a regular guest host on 2GB radio show, Nights with Steve Price, which she began in April 2017. Her segment with Price was called "Thursday Food with Ash Pollard", and she and Price spend each Thursday discussing cooking tips and all things food related.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://omny.fm/shows/nights-with-steve-price|title=Nights with Steve Price clips – Omny.fm|website=omny.fm|access-date=19 May 2017|archive-date=27 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027030315/https://omny.fm/shows/nights-with-steve-price|url-status=dead}}</ref> She finished this role in December that year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://omny.fm/shows/nights-with-steve-price|title=Nights with Steve Price clips - Omny.fm|website=omny.fm|access-date=2018-01-21|archive-date=27 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027030315/https://omny.fm/shows/nights-with-steve-price|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Pollard released her first e-book on 9 July 2017, a cookbook entitled ''Eat Me'', which she describes as a compilation of her go-to recipes at home.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/reality-favourite-ash-pollard-has-released-her-first-cookbook-titled-eat-me/news-story/12a28a23cb4f5fa05123c1c97ec38a42|title=Reality TV favourite Ash releases cookbook|access-date=9 July 2017}}</ref>
In December 2017, it was announced that Pollard would be relocating to the Central Coast, NSW to join Sea FM for breakfast radio alongside Daniel Gawned. She began this role on 22 January 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://radiotoday.com.au/ash-pollard-join-gawndy-sea-fm-breakfast-2018/|title=Ash Pollard will join Gawndy for SEA FM breakfast in 2018|date=2017-12-22|work=Radio Today|access-date=2018-01-21|language=en-US}}</ref> Their show runs 5am-9am on weekdays.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hit.com.au/shows/gawndy-ash-pollard|title=Gawndy & Ash Pollard|website=hit network!|language=en-au|access-date=2018-01-21}}</ref>
In 2023, Pollard competed in the second series of ''The Traitors'' and was chosen as a Traitor. However, she was banished by her fellow competitors and was eliminated in the third episode.<ref>{{cite web|last=Elphick|first=Nicole|url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/exhausting-psychological-reality-show-finds-new-celebrity-victims-20230808-p5dusu.html|title='Exhausting' psychological reality show finds new celebrity victims|date=11 August 2023|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Nine Entertainment Co.|access-date=27 August 2023}}</ref>
== Personal life == Pollard has misophonia (selective sound sensitivity syndrome).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/jungle-fever-takes-hold-for-im-a-celebrityget-me-out-of-here-stars-as-camp-adventure-begins/news-story/20db05364fbcaefdce5c3507958214b6|title=Jungle fever for I'm A Celeb stars|work=NewsComAu|access-date=6 May 2017|language=en}}</ref> She fosters animals, especially dogs, through the RSPCA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/my-saturday-ash-pollard-set-to-swap-kitchen-for-dancing-with-the-stars/news-story/b438f5b5dda6056f560e2a16e08d1b7e|title=Subscribe to the Herald Sun|website=Herald Sun|access-date=27 June 2017}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pollard, Ash}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:People from Hobart Category:People from Melbourne Category:Participants in Australian reality television series Category:People from the Gold Coast, Queensland Category:People educated at All Saints Anglican School