{{Short description|New Zealand television presenter (born 1977)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Dominic Bowden | image = Bowden set.jpg | image_size = 200px | birth_name = Dominic Joseph Bowden | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|12|15|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Auckland]], New Zealand | death_date = | years_active = 1999–present | occupation = Host | spouse = {{marriage|Claire Robbie|2008|2012|reason=divorced}} }}
'''Dominic Joseph Bowden''' (born 15 December 1977) is a New Zealand television personality, host and voice actor. He is best known as the host of New Zealand reality series including ''[[New Zealand Idol]], [[Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand TV series)|Dancing with the Stars New Zealand]] and [[The X Factor (New Zealand)|The X Factor New Zealand]]''. When based in Los Angeles, he hosted the American reality music competition show, ''[[The Next Great American Band]]'' and as a Hollywood reporter for the [[WhitebaitMedia|Erin Simpson show]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-07-13|title=Dominic Bowden steps up his hosting game with new job at E! in Sydney, Australia|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/94703092/dominic-bowden-steps-up-his-hosting-game-with-new-job-at-e-in-sydney-australia|access-date=2021-10-24|website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Dominic Bowden|url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/dominic-bowden/screenography|access-date=2021-10-23|website=www.nzonscreen.com|language=en}}</ref> Bowden has been called "New Zealand's [[Ryan Seacrest]]."<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2021-10-23|title=Dom Bowden is back: The reinvention of a reality TV king|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/wellbeing/300434309/dom-bowden-is-back-the-reinvention-of-a-reality-tv-king|access-date=2021-10-24|website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref>
==Early life== Bowden was born in [[Auckland]], New Zealand, where he attended [[Sacred Heart College, Auckland|Sacred Heart College]]. His parents are a surveyor and a business manager.<ref name=":2" />
Bowden is a graduate of the [[Auckland University of Technology]], with a Bachelor of Communication Studies, majoring in Television which he achieved in 2000.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2021-10-23|title=Dom Bowden is back: The reinvention of a reality TV king|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/wellbeing/300434309/dom-bowden-is-back-the-reinvention-of-a-reality-tv-king|access-date=2021-10-23|website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=October 21, 2012|title=TV3 Announces Dominic Bowden as Host of the X Factor NZ|url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1210/S00400/tv3-announces-dominic-bowden-as-host-of-the-x-factor-nz.htm|access-date=2021-10-24|website=www.scoop.co.nz}}</ref>
==Career== After graduating from [[Auckland University of Technology|AUT]], Bowden began hosting the popular Saturday morning Children's television programme, ''[[Squirt (New Zealand show)|Squirt]]'' for [[TVNZ]].<ref name=":2" /> Bowden then moved into live television on the weekly late-night music show Space.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Space {{!}} Series {{!}} Television |url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/space-2000/series|access-date=2021-10-24|website=www.nzonscreen.com|language=en}}</ref> He also traveled the country with British popstar, [[Robbie Williams]] for a television special, ''Robbie Williams: Be Here Now''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dominic Bowden {{!}} National Anthem|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/tv2_minisite_story_skin/423235|access-date=2021-10-24|website=tvnz.co.nz}}</ref>
Bowden, then moved to [[Australia]] and into radio, working as a roving nightly reporter for [[Austereo]], on [[2Day FM]].{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} Then in 2004, it was announced Bowden would return to New Zealand as the sole host of ''[[New Zealand Idol]]'' for [[TVNZ]]. The ''Idol'' series one grand final was watched by a quarter of the country's population.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}
During this time, for six months Bowden hosted his own nightly radio show for [[MediaWorks Radio]] on [[More FM]], called Most Wanted.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} He also appeared as a contestant on [[Treasure Island (show)|Celebrity Treasure Island: Series 1]] and Shock Treatment.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} As well as hosting the successful game-shows, ''[[Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader]]'' and ''Dare to Win'', which had a similar format to ''[[Minute to Win It]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}
Bowden has worked as a reporter for the magazine news show ''[[20/20 (US television series)]]'', traveling to Los Angeles to interview [[Ryan Seacrest]] for a television special in New Zealand.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} Shortly after, Bowden signed with Seacrest's then agent [[William Morris Endeavor]] and moving to Los Angeles. He was selected by ''[[American Idol]]'' executive producers [[Nigel Lythgoe]] and [[Ken Warwick]] to host "[[The Next Great American Band]]", which was cancelled after one season.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}
In 2014, Bowden co-hosted the all access show with [[Lacey Schwimmer]] for [[Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 19)]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dominic Bowden lands big break on US television|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/dominic-bowden-lands-big-break-on-us-television/ZZU5I3WSKDS33RG4IH234ZCFKY/|access-date=2021-10-23|website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
Bowden was the sole host of the [[The X Factor (New Zealand series 1)|first]] and [[The X Factor (New Zealand series 2)|second]] series of the New Zealand version of ''[[The X Factor (New Zealand TV series)|X Factor]]''. He was also the host of the revived sixth season of ''[[Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]'' in New Zealand, alongside [[Sharyn Casey]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tv3.co.nz/Shows/DancingWithTheStarsNZ/Cast/Hosts.aspx|title=Dancing with the Stars NZ {{!}} The Hosts|website=www.tv3.co.nz|access-date=2016-04-21}}</ref> Both of these shows aired on [[TV3 (New Zealand)|TV3]].
Bowden was the host of [[The Hype (2015 TV series)|The Hype]] on the [[E!|E! Network]] in Australia and New Zealand, alongside [[Ksenija Lukich]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Josie|title='The Hype': Ksenija Lukich and Dominic Bowden - NEW E! Show|url=http://www.josiesjuice.net/2015/10/the-hype-ksenija-lukich-and-dominic.html|access-date=2021-10-24|language=en-GB}}</ref> The show first aired October 2015, but is no longer screening on E!.
===Other work=== Bowden has co-hosted the televised [[Qantas Television Awards]], [[New Zealand Music Awards]], Girlfriend Model Search, NZ Color Trophy Awards and the Christmas at St Matthews Music Special. He has also been enlisted as a weekly columnist for the ''[[New Zealand Woman's Weekly]]'', ''New Idea'' and ''The TV Guide''.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}
He appeared on ''[[Shortland Street]]''{{'}}s 15th anniversary show. He has done voice over work for Bond and Bond and [[Burger King]], as well as appearing in numerous TV commercials, as well as narrator for season 2 of ''[[Ice Road Truckers|IRT World Deadliest Roads]]''{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}.
As an actor, Bowden appeared in the independent feature ''[[The Devil Dared Me To]]''. The film had its world premiere at Austin's ''[[South by Southwest Festival]]'' and received a standing ovation. In addition to his film role, he had small roles on the television series ''[[Hercules: The Legendary Journeys]]'', ''[[Xena: Warrior Princess]]'' and ''[[Shortland Street]]''. He also played himself on ''[[Go Girls]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}
He also interviewed stars for between-movie fillers on [[SKY TV (New Zealand)|Sky Television]].{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}
==Personal life== Bowden married [[TV3 (New Zealand)|TV3]] reporter Claire Robbie in 2008. The couple separated and divorced in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10876956|title=The Diary: Dominic Bowden 'too busy to look for love'|date=12 April 2013|via=[[The New Zealand Herald]] }}</ref>
During the filming of Bachelor New Zealand, it was revealed that Bowden had briefly dated one of the contestants.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bachelorette admits she used to date host Dominic Bowden|url=https://www.zmonline.com/spy/bachelorette-admits-she-used-to-date-host-dominic-bowden/|access-date=2021-10-23|website=ZM|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-04-17|title=The Bachelor Recap: Karina reveals she dated host Dominic Bowden, and chaos ensues|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/91638026/the-bachelor-recap-who-dated-dominic-bowden|access-date=2021-10-24|website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref>
Bowden's family are [[Catholic Church|Catholic]], and he attends mass when he is in New Zealand.<ref name=":2" />
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ !Year !Title !Role !Note |- |1996 |[[Squirt (TV series)|Squirt]] |Host |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2000 |I Got 2 Babe |Singer |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2000-2001 |Space |Host |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2001 |[[Treasure Island (TV franchise)|Celebrity Treasure Island]] |Contestant |Was eliminated after first episode.<ref name=":0" /> |- |2004-2012 |[[Close Up (TV programme)|Close Up]] |Reporter |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2005-2006 |[[New Zealand Idol]] |Host |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2006 |Shock Treatment |Cast |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2007 |[[Shortland Street]] - 15th Anniversary Special |Presenter |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2007 |Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old? |Presenter |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2007 |The Next Great American Band |Host |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2008 |Dare to Win |Host |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2009-2013 |[[The Erin Simpson Show]] |Reporter |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2013-2015 |[[The X Factor (New Zealand TV series)|The X Factor (NZ)]] |Host |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2015 |[[Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand series 6)|Dancing with the Stars]] |Host |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2015-2016 |[[The Hype (2015 TV series)|The Hype]] |Host |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2017 |The Bachelor New Zealand |Host |<ref name=":0" /> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|1012950}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070913003440/http://www.actors.co.nz/people/viewAnybody.aspx?anybodyId=46672 Dominic Bowden profile at Karen Kay Management]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowden, Dominic Joseph}} [[Category:1977 births]] [[Category:Auckland University of Technology alumni]] [[Category:New Zealand Idol]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:New Zealand television personalities]]