Jamie Durie

Infobox Celebrity
name = Jamie Durie


caption =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1970|6|3|df=y
birth_place = New South Wales, Australia
residence = Sydney, Australia
death_place =
occupation =Landscaper, television presenter
spouse =
children =Taylor (daughter)
website =www.jamiedurie.com
footnotes =

Jamie Durie (born 3 June 1970) is an Australian landscaper and television personality. Formerly a prominent personality for the Nine Network, Durie has hosted a variety of programs for them, mostly "lifestyle" shows such as "Backyard Blitz", "Renovation Rescue" and "The Block".

Jamie is currently the host of the Seven Network's "The Outdoor Room" and PBS's "The Victory Garden".

Passions & life before television

Jamie was born in Manly, an oceanside suburb of Sydney, Australia, and has taken inspiration from the Australian countryside, as well as the country of his mother's birth, Sri Lanka. [cite web|url=http://au.blogs.yahoo.com/australias-best-backyards/9/jamie-durie-host-and-landscape-designer |title=Australia's Best Backyards - Jamie Durie Host And Landscape Designer|publisher=Australia's Best Backyards|accessdate=2007-08-07] Prior to his television presenting career, Durie was a member of Manpower Australia, a popular touring male striptease act similar to the Chippendales. In 1994 he posed nude for the art magazine "Black+White" alongside former fiancée Terasa Livingstone. On a special presentation for Cirque du Soleil's Australian tour of Alegría for the Nine Network, he revealed that he had previously auditioned for the troupe but was not accepted.

Durie is a passionate humanitarian and is the ambassador for Plan Australia. A television special was screened with Durie in this role as he visited families in Uganda affected by HIV.

Durie has also become a passionate horticulturist, thus beginning his own award winning landscape company, PATIO.

Television career

Durie hosted a variety of programs on Channel Nine, including those mentioned above, before his move to Channel Seven. He also hosted the multi-million dollar Nine program "Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice" and was involved with many other Nine programs.

In November 2006 it was announced on "Oprah" that Durie would become the show's new landscaper. During that first show he and designer Nate Berkus helped a woman and her family "freshen up" their home for an upcoming sale, due to the family suffering from financial problems and medical issues. [cite web |url=http://www.oprah.com/foodhome/home/decorating/slide/20061121/decor_20061121_350_112.jhtml |title=Home Upgrades on a Budget |accessdate=2006-11-25 |publisher=Oprah.com ]

On 17 January 2007 the Nine Network parted company with Durie. Nationwide newspapers reported that Durie asked for a pay rise of $2 million, which Nine declined to give. The next day it was announced that Durie would move to the Seven Network. [cite web |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21074773-1702,00.html|title=Jamie Durie dumped by Nine|accessdate=2007-05-06 |publisher=The Daily Telegraph ] In an interview with "Today Tonight" Durie stated that he had declined Channel Nine's offer of $2 million, not the other way round. He resigned and came to Seven because the network was moving in a direction which he thought was right. [cite web |url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/070118/2/123xb.html |title=Seven's green scheme attracts Durie|accessdate=2007-05-06 |publisher=yahoo.com.au ]

At Seven Durie appeared in the sixth season of "Dancing with the Stars", where he was eliminated seventh from a field of ten. His much publicised lifestyle show for Seven, "Australia's Best Backyards", went to air on July 29, 2007. Another project for Seven, "The Outdoor Room", was broadcast in 2008.

In September 2007, Durie started hosting the American public television series, "The Victory Garden", which airs on PBS. He hosts the 32nd season, which is the first season to air in high definition (upconverted from standard definition) on PBS HD.

Awards

Durie has won, and been nominated, for several Logies since beginning his hosting career in 2000. They are:
* 2000: Won the 'Most Popular New Talent - Male' (for his role in Backyard Blitz)
* 2003 - 05: Nominated in the 'Most Popular TV Presenter (for his role in Backyard Blitz)

References

External links

* [http://www.patio.com.au PATIO: Durie's landscaping company]
* [http://larundel.com.au Larundel Homestead - The garden that inspired Jamie Durie to change careers]
* [http://www.homesite.com.au/outdoors/ideas-and-designs/jamie-duries-10-tips-for-outdoor-rooms Interview: Recent interview with Jamie Durie about gardening and his environmental work]