Libbi Gorr
MC, Facilitator, Debater & Keynote Speaker
Libbi Gorr is one of Australia’s finest live hosts and broadcasters. Warm, witty and smart, she has an exceptional ability to entertain, inspire, challenge and motivate, bringing a unique blend of journalism and humorous observation to all her work, all sharpened with her incisive law trained brain.
Overwhelmingly her voice is encouraging and empowering. She is a bold and beautiful storyteller across screen, audio and live stage platforms. Libbi is a talent who creates her own work as well, and an agile presenter who can do humour pathos, empathy sass gravitas and beyond without a crunch of the emotional gears.
Libbi is a key member of the new ground-breaking DISRUPT RADIO brand, which commences streaming through Digital radio to Melbourne Sydney and Brisbane, and across Australia on the internet, in the second half of 2023. This comes off the back of hosting live shows to packed houses across Australia and New Zealand with acclaimed fast 800 medico Michael Mosely and his GP wife Claire Bailey, of Fast 800 cookbook fame. Libbi kicked off the year with her BOLD CONVERSATIONS series at Melbourne’s prestigious Malthouse Outdoor Theatre, offering live discussions under the stars about pressing social issues of our time with humour, diversity and perceptiveness.
In fact, since first bursting onto TV screens as Elle McFeast alongside Andrew Denton in Live and Sweaty in 1991, Libbi has created a huge and innovative portfolio of work like no other. Not only did Libbi become Australia’s first solo late night TV host, with Live and Sweaty, McFeast Live from the Bowels of Parliament House and she also produced an impressive array of quality award-winning programs including: Breasts, Sex Guys and Videotape, The Whitlam Dismissal (all ABC), What Women Want (Channel 10) and The IF Awards (SBS).
Post McFeast, Libbi has been admired and followed in her broadcasting work in radio and on television on a national level with legions of fans. On ABC Radio Melbourne, Libbi presented “This Weekend Life”, a set of weekend programs reflecting current news and social analysis, with an emphasis upon relationships, wellbeing, social change and the complexities of human nature. Her light touch with difficult issues – particularly pertaining to work, family and drive for success – is steeped with heart, humour and insight.
Libbi in demand by the BBC for both their domestic and international channels on both Radio and television, to connect the world to the Australian and Melbourne experience. This all kicked off during COVID times and has continued to this day. She has appeared on the iconic BBC Breakfast show four times now in this capacity, as well as BBC World News and BBC Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland and The Lunch Time Live Radio Program and is a regular on the Jeremy Vine Show BBC2.
At home in Australia, in 2019 Libbi travelled to the Northern Territory to make reports for the ABC Remote Communities program and was featured on ABC News and ABC news Breakfast with that three story slate. Libbi also filed reports for the ABC TV flagship current affairs program 7.30 across 2015 – 2018.
So there is both a sense of history and a trailblazing angle to Libbi’s work still, as she turns her gaze to contemporary issues, mindsets and people, with the respect and wisdom of someone who has built a career in a public life. Politics, Sport, People, Arts, Family Issues, Health Wellness, Business and Leadership are all areas Libbi has immersed herself within.
Libbi Gorr graduated from Melbourne University Law School in 1987 and in recent years she has studied fine arts and philosophy. Her first book, Mummy Manners (an etiquette guide for managing other children’s mothers and assorted Mummy dilemmas) was published by Harper Collins in 2011 and her second book, Bedtime Poems for Edible Children, was published in August 2012.
In 2024 Libbi was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women as a Trailblazer for her work across television, radio, journalism, teaching and live performance – and her efforts in forging a path for women in the arts and broadcast mediums.