{{Short description|Australian radio broadcaster}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=May 2013}} {{Infobox presenter |name = Wippa |image = Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli, 2015.jpg |caption = Wippa in August 2015 |birth_name = Michael Wipfli |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|9|29|df=yes}} |birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |show = ''Fitzy, Wippa & Kate'' |station = Nova 96.9 |timeslot = |show2 = |station2 = |timeslot2 = |style = Breakfast show |country = Australia |spouse = {{marriage|Lisa Robertson|2013}} |children = 3 |network=Nova Network }} '''Michael Wipfli''' (born 29 September 1979), commonly known as "'''Wippa'''", is an Australian radio presenter and comedian who is a co-host on the Nova 96.9 breakfast show ''Fitzy, Wippa & Kate'' alongside Ryan Fitzgerald and Kate Ritchie.
==Early life== Wippa was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1979 to John and Christine Wipfli. His father is from Switzerland, where his surname originates;<ref name=sbs>{{cite web |date= |title=Shaun Micallef Joins Australian Comedy Icons Aaron Chen, Lizzy Hoo, Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, Dilruk Jayasinha, Nina Oyama and Arj Barker on the Adventure of a Lifetime in Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/aboutus/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Shaun-Micallefs-Origin-Odyssey_Premieres-24-September-2024_Media-Release_Final.pdf |website=Special Broadcasting Service }}</ref> and moved to Melbourne when he was 20-years-old.<ref name=sbs/> His ancestral background was explored on the 2024 TV series ''Origin Odyssey'', hosted by Shaun Micallef.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Six comedians travel to their ancestral homelands, with Shaun Micallef in tow, to discover how their roots have shaped their identities |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sbs-on-demand-shaun-micallefs-origin-odyssey/2024/sep/24/six-comedians-travel-to-their-ancestral-homelands-with-shaun-micallef-in-tow-to-discover-how-their-roots-have-shaped-their-identities |access-date=2024-10-01 |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian Media Group }}</ref> He has two sisters: Louise and Kate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://showandtellonline.com.au/whats-on-our-mind-today/tight-five-with-michael-wippa-wipfli | title=Tight Five with Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli | date=11 June 2013 }}</ref>
Wippa completed building management certificate at TAFE and was part of a freelance building crew, which gave him the freedom to do some casual work in entertainment.{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}
==Career== thumb|Fitzy and Wippa After completing a short radio course, Wippa worked in Port Augusta. He returned to Melbourne and become a regular on the "Hamish & Andy" Saturday morning show.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.profiletalent.com.au/michael-wipfli.html|title=Michael Wipfli | Profile Talent}}</ref>
Wippa got his headlining start on the Em, ''Wippa and Ollie'' breakfast show on 92.9 in Perth in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/full-coverage/royal-wedding/a/-/article/9118323/wippa-heads-for-the-royal-wedding/|title=Wippa heads for the royal wedding|accessdate=6 June 2012}}</ref>
In 2009, Wippa joined Nova's drive show ''Ryan, Monty and Wippa''. During an on-air stunt seeing Wippa eat 12 'whopper' burgers over the course of a show, he gained the alternative nickname 'Whopper'. Ryan Shelton left at the end of 2010 to focus on television, and Monty moved to Nova Sydney's ''Merrick, Dools and Monty'' breakfast show.
In November 2010, it was announced that Wippa would be joining Ryan Fitzgerald to host ''Fitzy & Wippa'' in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/mates-to-drive-novafox-fm-radio-war/story-e6frf96o-1225957403701|title='Fitzy' and 'Wippa' to drive FM radio war|accessdate=5 May 2012}}</ref> Fitzy and Wippa were nominated for the 2011 Australian Commercial Radio Awards in the best on-air team, Metro FM category.<ref>[http://www.commercialradio.com.au/acras/files/uploaded/file/Finalists_Winners%20Lists/2011%20ACRA%20Finalists.pdf 2011 ACRAs, finalists]</ref>
Wippa appeared as a celebrity contestant on the Nine Network's quiz show ''Millionaire Hot Seat'' in 2012 where he became the first contestant to go home without reaching the $1000 question after he famously answered "tropical bird" to the simple $500 question "What is a pecan?".<ref>(9 May 2012) [https://radioinfo.com.au/news/wippa%E2%80%99s-epic-fail-eddie%E2%80%99s-hot-seat Wippa's epic fail in Eddie's Hot Seat], ''radioinfo''. Retrieved 22 September 2020.</ref>
On 27 November 2015, Wippa joined radio co-host Fitzy to host a one-off special ''Up Reasonably Late with Fitzy and Wippa'' on Network Ten.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=TV Tonight|first=David|last=Knox|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2015/11/airdate-up-reasonably-late-with-fitzy-wippa.html|title=Airdate: Up Reasonably Late with Fitzy and Wippa |date=27 November 2015|accessdate=28 November 2015}}</ref>
In 2016, Fitzy and Wippa were team captains on ''All Star Family Feud''. Wippa's mother, sister and grandmother Norma were on his team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rynostv.com/wippa-whips-fitzy-in-all-star-family-feud/|title = Wippa Whips Fitzy in All Star Family Feud|date = 26 April 2016}}</ref> They also appeared in ''Shark Tank Australia'' to spruik Wippa's product the "Mup", a mint in the bottom of a coffee cup.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nova969.com.au/fitzy-wippa/shark-tank-pitch|title = Fitzy & Wippa turn down buckets of cash on Shark Tank – Fitzy & Wippa NovaFM|date = 22 June 2016}}</ref> Fitzy and Wippa also hosted the Nine Network show ''20 to 1'' for one season.{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}
In September 2020, Wipfli was announced as a celebrity contestant on the revived new season of ''The Celebrity Apprentice Australia'' in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2020/09/upfronts-2021-nine.html|title=Upfronts 2021: Nine|publisher=TV Tonight|date=16 September 2020|accessdate=16 September 2020|first=David|last=Knox}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2020/09/16/nine-upfronts-2021-major-tentpoles-return-nine-revives-beauty-and-the-geek/|title=NINE UPFRONTS: MAJOR TENTPOLES RETURN + NINE REVIVES BEAUTY AND THE GEEK|publisher=TV Black Box|date=16 September 2020|accessdate=16 September 2020}}</ref>
In November 2025, the Nine Network announced that Wipfli will guest co-host on ''Today'', joining Samantha Armytage during the holiday season while regular hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo are on leave.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samantha Armytage joins Wippa to host Today over summer |url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/samantha-armytage-joins-wippa-to-host-today-over-summer/ |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=Mediaweek}}</ref>
In February 2026, ''Fitzy, Wippa & Kate'' will move from Nova 96.9 Sydney breakfast to host a national drive show.<ref>[https://mumbrella.com.au/nova-flips-sydney-breakfast-and-national-drive-913181 Nova flips Sydney breakfast and national drive] ''Mumbrella'' 30 January 2026</ref>
== Personal life == Wippa married Lisa Robertson in 2013. They have three children.{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category-inline|Michael Wipfli}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wippa}} Category:Living people Category:Nova (radio network) announcers Category:1979 births Category:Australian people of Swiss descent