Jonathan Martin Biggins is an Australian actor, singer, writer, director, and comedian. He has appeared on film, stage and television as well as in satirical sketch comedy television programmes.

Early life and education

Jonathan Martin Biggins was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, and attended Newcastle Boys' High School in the mid-1970s. He said that it was "a fairly intimidating place to be if you weren't great at sports or maths. However once [I] joined the debating team, and went on to win the state finals, things started looking up."

Career

Film

Biggins' film appearances include Thank God He Met Lizzie, Gettin' Square and A Few Best Men.

Television

His television appearances include The Dingo Principle and Three Men and a Baby Grand, satirical sketch television comedy programmes (for which he was a writer/performer with Phillip Scott and Drew Forsythe). Jonathan has been seen on TV as a recurring guest panellist on Spicks and Specks.

Hosting

Biggins has hosted the afternoon radio shift for Sydney's 702. He presented the art panel programme Critical Mass. He hosted the New Year's Eve Gala Concert in 2010 at the Sydney Opera House, and An Audience with Stephen Sondheim (nominated for a 2008 Helpmann Award for Best Special event). He has hosted the AFI Awards, APRA Awards, Helpmann Awards, Parramatta Riverside's 20th Anniversary Gala, national and international conferences for AMP. He has also made appearances for KPMG, ICI, Commonwealth Bank, ABN-AMRO and the Art Gallery of NSW.

Stage

Biggins' has performed in numerous stage productions, as actor, singer, comedian and MC. Theatre credits include The Importance of Being Earnest (as John Worthing, replacing Geoffrey Rush), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Orpheus in the Underworld. He starred as Peter Sellers in Ying Tong, a play about Spike Milligan and The Goons, which was an Australian-wide hit. He has appeared on stage consistently over the years with the Wharf Revue. He also performed in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas Ruddigore and The Mikado.

Writing/directing

Biggins has directed the Wharf Revue since 2000. In 2004 Jonathan co-wrote and directed The Republic of Myopia for Sydney Theatre Company. He directed the Australian production of Avenue Q (2009–10). He also co-wrote, with Phillip Scott, some of the dialogue for The Man from Snowy River: Arena Spectacular, a stage musical based on the poem "The Man from Snowy River". He has written for the Sydney Morning Herald weekly magazine Good Weekend., Australian Wine Selector and is the author of four books, including The 700 Habits of Highly Ineffective People.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

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Personal life

He is married to Australian actress Elaine Smith, best known as Daphne Clarke in the soap opera Neighbours. He and Smith have twin daughters born in February 2000.