Carrie Bickmore's surprise TV role in new children's series
The former Project host will join the new ABC children's series Do Not Watch This Show created by comedian and author Andy Lee, who is taking his popular book franchise, Do Not Open This Book, to the small screen.
Bickmore, 44, will lend her voice to a 'pretty ugly' character in the new animation, which follows a pretentious blue monster named Wizz who has a full meltdown after discovering he's on TV.
Voiced by Lee himself, Wizz embarks on a mission to sabotage his TV appearances and stop you from watching.
Through a series of silly shenanigans, he enlists the help of his friends Tortoise, Lime and Kiwi, who are all voice by fellow comedians Denise Scott, Joel Creasey and Kura Forrester, respectively.
The first four episodes dropped on ABC iView on Friday with another eight, 11-minute episodes to come, among those will feature Bickmore and Lee's best mate Hamish Blake.
There will also be cameos from Chrissie Swan, Glenn Robbins, Tony Armstrong, Mick Molloy and Ben Fordham.
'We produced this with my company [Radio Karate], which has been awesome, and the casting was great fun,' Lee – who also voices the show's expert scientist Douglas – recently told Yahoo Lifestyle.
'There were a bunch of phone calls and favours, so I'm super grateful for everyone who wanted to be involved.'
Lee revealed that comedian Dave Hughes will also lend his voice to a goblin on the series, but he remained tight-lipped about who Bickmore will voice on the show.
'I felt a bit bad when I sent Carrie what her character looked like, because she plays a pretty ugly character,' Lee recalled.
'I told her, 'With the voice, we chose a different direction for how the character looks. It's not inspired by you!''
This will be Bickmore's second foray into the world of animation.
In 2023, she voice provided the voice of the Terrier triplets' mum on the beloved Aussie animation Bluey.
In the episode, which aired in Season 3, the terriers complain about being bored in the pharmacy as their mother tested lipstick colours on her arm in the background.
'That's a bit much. Ooh, Scarlett Bombshell!' her character could be heard saying.
It was a short and sweet cameo, but nonetheless it impressed Bickmore's two daughters, Evie, 10, and Adelaide, 7.
'My girls watching my 2 seconds of fame on the latest episode of Bluey!' she wrote on Instagram at the time, alongside a video of the pair watching her cameo.
'What a genuine thrill to be a part of such an incredible Aussie show. I think 'Terrier's mum' needs to be a regular character.'
In late 2023, one year after she excited The Project, Bickmore also made a heartwarming return to television on Celebrity Gogglebox Australia.
The beloved TV and radio personality played couch critic on the show with fellow radio star and best friend, Fifi Box.
'This was so much fun hanging on the couch watching tv with my bestie @bickmorecarrie laughter, tears, it was a lot!' Box captioned Instagram photos of them on the couch at the time.
The special episode benefited the mental health charity service, ReachOut Australia.
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