Wildlife Warrior and Network 10’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! host Robert Irwin has been named Australia’s most popular broadcast personality in the Australian Talent Index’s 2024 Top Talent Report.
Just 20 years old, Irwin, a relative newcomer to Australian screens, took out the top broadcast talent spot, eclipsing the last report’s winner – comedian and TV personality Hamish Blake – in his debut appearance on the list.
Alongside his top broadcast position, Irwin was also voted number one broadcast talent by females and was considered to be the top celebrity who gives the most back to the community, according to the Australian Talent Index.
Irwin is the son of world-renowned conservationist and founder of Australia Zoo, Steve Irwin, where Robert now works. The multi-talented Robert Irwin has already won a Logie in 2013 for Most Popular New Male Talent following the TV series Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors, has co-authored a book series, Dinosaur Hunter and was runner-up in the junior category of Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year.
“I’m so excited to be honoured with the top spot in broadcast in this year’s Top Talent Report. Having an even greater platform to share my family’s message of conservation means the world to me,” said on the report, Robert Irwin.
Australia’s ‘Greatest Showman’ Hugh Jackman ranked number one on the overall celebrity list, alongside Chris Hemsworth, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie.
The Top Talent Report showcases the latest findings of the Australian Talent Index – a first-of-itskind comprehensive talent measurement system that gauges consumers’ awareness, attitudes, and sentiments towards a range of Australian talent, including celebrities, actors, broadcasters, sports stars, and politicians. A nationally representative sample of more than 7,000 Australians were surveyed by Lewers Research since the report’s inception, rating more than 400 personalities, and providing comments on how they felt about each one.
The Australian Talent Index is calculated by subtracting the proportion of people who disliked a personality from those who liked or loved them, giving each a score ranging from -100 (universally disliked) through to +100 (universally liked).
How broadcast talent ranks
Most trusted
Long-time Better Homes & Gardens presenter Graham Ross and iconic 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes were considered Australia’s most trusted broadcasters, followed by renovating queen Cherie Barber and Nine News presenter Peter Overton.
Best Awareness
In terms of awareness among Australian singer and The Voice coach Guy Sebastian topped the list.
Most Authentic
Celia Pacquola, comedian, writer, actor, and host of Thank God You’re Here, was considered to be the most authentic.
Most Likeable
When it came to likeability, comedian and Kenny star Shane Jacobsen took out the top spot.
Most Controversial
KIIS FM radio host Kyle Sandilands was considered Australia’s most controversial broadcaster, followed by shock jock Alan Jones on 2GB.
Most Entertaining
Australian comedian, radio and television presenter, writer and producer, host of The Front Bar and regular on Have You Been Paying Attention?, Sam Pang, topped the most entertaining list.
Most Relatable
KIIS FM radio host, Mitch Churi, who recently shared his weight loss journey to shed 40kgs, was named most relatable.
Breakfast TV and radio – most likeable
When it comes to breakfast TV and radio, Today Show presenter Sarah Abo was deemed the most likeable broadcaster, while The Fox radio host Fifi Box was dubbed the most likeable radio personality.
TV news and current affairs – most trustworthy
Nine’s Peter Overton and Liz Hayes were considered the most trustworthy broadcasters.
“The Talent Index is unique combining like and dislike into a single powerful metric. We developed the index to respond to the growing needs of studios, media operators and marketers to have access to a reliable, robust, and affordable way of measuring a personality’s appeal with an audience. Social media measurement is one dimensional and just not cutting it in 2024,” said Talent Corp managing director, Mark Noakes.
“We were excited to see Robert Irwin top the Talent Index for the very first time. It demonstrates that he is significantly more liked than disliked by audiences nationally. That makes him a great choice for Network 10 to cast him in the forthcoming series of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here”.
“We are excited to be involved for another iteration of the Australian Talent Index. It’s a comprehensive lens into how talent makes Australians feel,” said Lewers founder and managing partner, Lisa Lewers.
“In today’s competitive market, every marketing dollar must yield maximum impact. For media and marketing companies, understanding the true influence of celebrity endorsements and appearances is not just desirable – it’s essential”.
“In a world where the allure of celebrity partnerships and influencers is undeniable, the true impact of these collaborations often remains masked in uncertainty. Through data-driven insights, media and marketing companies gain invaluable insights into the preferences, behaviours, and influence of celebrities on Australians”.
Celebrity endorsement is big business, with brands investing millions to collaborate with well-known personalities. Irwin recently partnered with iconic Australian brand Hard Yakka, with its Australian head of marketing noting the company would be “hard pressed to find a more authentic endorsement.” Irwin also made his runway debut at the Melbourne Fashion Festival this month.
Hugh Jackman’s partnership with RM Williams helped increase the company’s earnings by almost 50% in just 12 months after engaging the actor as global brand ambassador in 2019. Jackman’s ambassadorship was fundamental to the company’s expansion into new international markets.
