Hey Hey, It’s Saturday host Daryl Somers was recently recognised for his philanthropic work in Victoria and has been named Victorian of the Year for 2024.
The TV veteran and triple Gold Logie award-winner, 72, gave a speech as he accepted his award during a ceremony at Melbourne Town Hall on July 1. During his speech, Somers revealed he was “serious” about a Hey Hey It’s Saturday tour.
“I’m seriously considering going out and touring with the archives because we’ve digitised well over 20 years worth of Hey Hey,” he said.
“There are some marvellous backstories to things that happened over that time.”
Though best known for hosting the iconic long-running variety television program for 28 years between 1971 and 1999, Somers has also hosted other popular TV programs such as Family Feud and Dancing With The Stars.
On top of his career as an Australian television personality, Somers is also a musician and an active member of the Australian community, concentrating his time on his philanthropic work.
Somers is a Patron of Kids Under Cover which supports street kids in Melbourne and Sydney, the Yarrabah Special school for children with disabilities and the Lost Dogs Home in North Melbourne. He also supports the Western Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra, Wayjoll, and Generations in Jazz which operates in Victoria and New South Wales.
He has his own ticketing company called StageCenta in which he dedicated 10 per cent of the profits to Victorian charities such as Camp Quality, a charity for children with terminal illness. Somers also donates to several other cancer-related charities.
When Somers was named Victorian of the Year on July 1, 2024, he made a special dedicated to his wife, Julie, as well as thanking his team for their support.
“I relish the opportunity to publicly thank Julie for supporting me throughout my career,” he said.
“It is an honour. I’m a born and bred Victorian. You think about the highs and lows in life and this is a high for me at the end of a rather solemn week.”
