{{Short description|Australian television presenter and singer}} {{redirect|Jo Beth|a similar name|JoBeth}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2011}} {{Infobox person | name = Jo Beth Taylor | birth_name = Joanne Rebecca Guilfoyle | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1971|05|29}} | birth_place = Perth, Western Australia | years_active = 1984–present | spouse = {{hlist |Jamie Jardine (married 1992–97)|Thomas Muster (married 2000–05)}} | children = 1 }} '''Joanne Rebecca Guilfoyle''' (born 29 May 1971), known professionally as '''Jo Beth Taylor''', is an Australian television presenter, actress and singer most well known for hosting 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.<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/247549 AusStage Jo Beth Taylor], Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2016.</ref> 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 5 and performing professionally when she started her career on the television program ''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''<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DDXx3SooEc YouTube Running For our Lives music video], Australia. Retrieved 5 February 2016.</ref> and in 1988 joined a band named ''Street Cafe'' and played regularly around Perth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.streetcafe.info/mas/history.html|title=Street Cafe HistoryStreet Cafe Entertainmet. (sic) Alan Laguda. Lisa Stewart}}</ref> Taylor moved to Melbourne in 1989 and recorded a demo tape, which found its way into the hands of 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".{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
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.<ref name="jobethtaylor.com">{{cite web|url=http://jobethtaylor.com/jo-beth-taylor-bio/|title=Jo Beth Taylor – Jo Beth Taylor Bio}}</ref>
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<ref name=aus/> and spending 9 weeks in the Top 50.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jo+Beth+Taylor&titel=99+Reasons&cat=s |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309025232/https://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jo+Beth+Taylor&titel=99+Reasons&cat=s |archive-date=9 March 2016 |title=australian-charts.com - Jo Beth Taylor - 99 Reasons}}</ref> Taylor's debut album was also titled ''99 Reasons'', however it failed to reach the top 100.<ref name=aus/> "You Don't Own Me" was released as the second and final single from the album and was not a commercial success, charting at No. 137 on the ARIA Chart.<ref name=aus/> Taylor was nominated for Best New Talent at the ARIA Awards in 1992.<ref name="jobethtaylor.com"/>
===1993–1997=== A new track titled "A Prayer For Jane", penned by Steve Kipner who worked with Olivia Newton-John and Tina Turner, was released as a single in 1993. Taylor wrote the song about a friend who had taken their own life. The song reached No. 61 on the Australian Charts.<ref name=aus/>
In February 1993, Taylor took over the hosting role of the top-rating Nine Network program ''Australia's Funniest Home Video Show''. This made Taylor not only the sole woman to be hosting a prime-time show in Australia, but at just 22 years old she was also the youngest person. Taylor also sang the shows opening theme song, titled "The Funny Things You Do". Throughout 1995 and 1996 Taylor also starred in the stage shows ''Cinderella'' and ''The New Rocky Horror Show''.
In 1995, whilst still hosting on ''Funniest Home Videos'' Taylor earned the role of co-host on the long running variety program ''Hey Hey It's Saturday'' following the departure of Ernie Carroll's Ossie Ostrich. On a number of occasions Taylor would host the entire show by herself, when Daryl Somers was away. Taylor would regularly perform music on the program. She was with the team when they celebrated their 25th Anniversary of the show at Disneyworld.
1996 saw Taylor make a brief return to music with the release of "I Love My Dog", a single for the ''101 Dalmatians Movie'' soundtrack; reaching No. 95 on the ARIA chart.<ref name=aus/> During this time, Taylor hosted a number of specials for the Nine Network, including the ''Vision for a Better World'' Telethon and the ''40 Years of Television'' special which was filmed on the set of Taylor's sometime day job, ''What's Up Doc?''.
In mid-1997 Taylor's time as host on ''Funniest Home Videos'' and co-host on ''Hey Hey'' came to an abrupt end when she failed to show for work for Episode 37 on Sat 25th Oct, later explaining she suffered a nervous breakdown.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/jo-beth-taylor-had-the-courage-to-survive/story-e6frexlr-1225878628847 | title=Jo Beth had courage to survive| date=11 June 2010}}</ref> 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'' on Episode 39, Sat 08 Nov.
===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''<nowiki/>'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.<ref name="smh.com.au">{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/TV--Radio/Jo-Beths-TV-return/2005/01/18/1105810895112.html|title=Jo Beth's TV return|date=18 January 2005}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/making-a-clean-break/2007/10/02/1191091106602.html|title=Making a clean break|date=4 October 2007}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/jo-beth-taylor-on-im-a-celebrity--get-me-out-of-here-says-porn-rumours-led-her-to-leave-showbiz/news-story/e0bbaff518d2c5a958519075fabcdec6|title=Jo Beth Taylor discusses porn rumours on I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!|date=7 February 2016|work=NewsComAu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/television/jo-beth-taylor-on-im-a-celebrity--get-me-out-of-here-says-porn-rumours-led-her-to-leave-showbiz/news-story/e0bbaff518d2c5a958519075fabcdec6#load-story-comments |title = The porn rumours really hurt me|date = 7 February 2016}}</ref>
Taylor travelled to Ethiopia and Uganda in 1996 as an ambassador for World Vision Australia to meet her sponsor child and film a documentary.<ref name="jobethtaylor.com"/>
Taylor's first marriage was to guitarist Jamie Jardine from 1992 until 1997.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.immedia.com.au/im_m/archive/Volume1-1997/eliezer-970311.html | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/19991206130000/http://www.immedia.com.au/im_m/archive/Volume1-1997/eliezer-970311.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=1999-12-06 |title = InMusic&Media – Christie Eliezer}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In 1995, they purchased a historic 500-hectare property on the northern NSW coast.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://televisionau.com/2015/12/1995-december-16-22.html|title=1995: December 16–22|date=15 December 2015}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.addictiveentertainment.com.au/celebrities.htm|title=Gold Coast agency Celebrities Entertainment guest speakers master of ceremonies emcees MC's Brisbane Queensland hosts coordinators stars hosting award performers Sydney Brisbane Melbourne Adelaide Perth Darwin Canberra Mt Isa|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125000305/http://www.addictiveentertainment.com.au/celebrities.htm|archivedate=25 November 2011}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mamamia.com.au/jo-beth-taylor-engaged/|title=I'm A Celebrity's Jo Beth Taylor is engaged for the third time|date=11 May 2016|work=Mamamia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newidea.com.au/jo-beth-taylor-50th-birthday|title=Jo Beth Taylor: 'I love getting older!'|date=24 May 2021|work=New Idea}}</ref>
In 2019, Taylor moved back to Perth after living in Melbourne and Noosa with her son since 2005.<ref name="smh.com.au"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/jo-beth-taylor-joins-heat-noosa|title=Jo Beth Taylor joins The Heat Noosa|date=8 November 2005 }}</ref> She has been practicing Iyengar Yoga since 2010 and is studying as a yoga teacher trainee.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jo Beth Taylor {{!}} Jo Beth Taylor Bio|url=https://jobethtaylor.com/jo-beth-taylor-bio/|access-date=2020-10-11|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Film ! Role ! class="unsortable" | 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 Australia<br/>Returned for the 10th Anniversary episode<br/>Nominated—Logie Award for Best New Talent (1994)<br/>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 Meldrum |- |1995 || ''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=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Film ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1995 || ''Cinderella'' || Cinderella || 3–28 January, Sydney State Theatre<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/22798 AusStage, Cinderella], Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2016.</ref> |- | 1996 || ''The New Rocky Horror Show'' || The Usherette/Columbia || 10 February – 16 March, Brisbane Lyric Theatre<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/27985 AusStage, The New Rocky Horror Show], Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2016.</ref><br/> 22 March – 14 April, Newcastle Civic Theatre<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/27173 AusStage, The New Rocky Horror Show], Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2016.</ref> |- | 1999 || ''Happy Days – The Arena Mega Musical'' || Laura || 15 October, Sydney Superdome<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/106978 AusStage Happy Days – The Arena Mega Musical – Sydney], Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2016.</ref><br/>25–26 October, Melbourne Park<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/106979 AusStage Happy Days – The Arena Mega Musical – Melbourne], Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2016.</ref><br/>1–2 November, Hindmarsh Entertainment Centre<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/106980 AusStage Happy Days – The Arena Mega Musical – Adelaide], Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2016.</ref><br/>6 November, Perth Entertainment Centre<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/106981 AusStage Happy Days – The Arena Mega Musical – Perth], Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2016.</ref><br>29–30 November, Brisbane Lyric Theatre<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/106982 AusStage Happy Days – The Arena Mega Musical – Brisbane], Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2016.</ref> |- |}
==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" |+ Album, with selected details and chart position shown !rowspan="2"|Title !rowspan="2"|Album details !Peak chart positions |- !style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"|AUS<br/><ref name=aus/> |- ! scope="row"| ''99 Reasons'' | * Released: 5 August 1991<ref>{{cite book|title=The ARIA Report|volume=80|page=22|date=4 August 1991|publisher=ARIA}}</ref> * Label: Melodian (D30468) * Formats: CD, Cassette | 109 |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ List of singles, with selected chart positions !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Title !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Year !scope="col" colspan="1"|Peak chart positions !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Album |- !align="center" width="50"|<small>AUS</small><br><ref name=aus>Australian (ARIA} chart peaks: *Top 50 peaks: {{cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Jo+Beth+Taylor|title=australian-charts.com > Discography Jo Beth Taylor|publisher=Hung Medien|accessdate=15 October 2015}} *Top 100 peaks to December 2010: {{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia|edition=PDF|page=276}} *''99 Reasons'' (album): {{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/qVJNnwA.jpg|title=ARIA Albums Chart w/c 19-8-1991|publisher=ARIA|via=Imgur.com|accessdate=22 August 2020}} *"You Don't Own Me": {{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605213523/http://i.imgur.com/DkGCr8v.jpg|url=https://i.imgur.com/DkGCr8v.jpg|archivedate=5 June 2015|title=Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 2015-06-05|accessdate=2 October 2015|publisher=Imgur.com|url-status=live}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|"99 Reasons" |rowspan="2"|1991 |align="center"|31 |rowspan="2"|''99 Reasons'' |- !scope="row"|"You Don't Own Me" |align="center"|137 |- !scope="row"|"A Prayer for Jane" |1993 |align="center"|61 | Non-album single |- !scope="row"|"I Love My Dog" |1996 |align="center"|95 | ''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. {{awards table}} |{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | 1992 | "99 Reasons" | Best New Talent | {{nom}} |<ref name="ARIA1992A">{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070926235813/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1992 | url = http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1992 | title = Winners by Year 1992 | publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) | archive-date = 26 September 2007 | access-date = 4 December 2013 }}</ref> |- {{end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0852597|name=Jo Beth Taylor}}
{{Unreferenced category|People educated at Carine Senior High School|date=March 2018}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Jo Beth}} Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:Australian women pop singers Category:Australian television presenters Category:Actresses from Perth, Western Australia Category:People educated at Carine Senior High School Category:21st-century Australian singers Category:21st-century Australian women singers Category:Australian women television presenters Category:Musicians from Perth, Western Australia