BEHIND KERRIE FRIEND

After introducing the contestants on Perfect Match, Kerrie Friend's main responsibility seems to be to stand around looking glamorous. She does a lot of this in her spare time, too. Constantly seen at opening nights and charity fund-raisers, often proving that brevity is the soul of wit, Friend, 25, invariably catches the jaundiced eye of the social columnists and is consequently on of the most photographed women in Australia. A former model, she appeared in more than 50 television commercials before becoming the hostesss-with-the-mostest on Perfect Match, the TV show that turned blind dating into a blood-curdling sport. Now she wants to become an actress

What do you like about working on "Perfect Match"?
The scope, I think. The scope of learning. I work alongside one of the best hosts in the country. I mean Greg [Evans] is the consummate professional. He's just incredible. I've really gained a lot of experience working with him.

Why did you leave modelling and move into television?
I was sick of being just a clothes horse. When you're a model, people don't respect any of your attitudes or anything. You are just there. Very few people want to know what the real person's like.

Couldn't the same be said of a game-show hostess?
Sure could. The thing is with a game-show hostess, okay, there might be 80 per cent of the female population that could do the job. I walk on to the set, I have a chat to Greg, I introduce the contestants. If they can read, basically, they could do the show. But there's so much more that's involved. It's a lifestyle. You're exposing yourself and not everybody can do that.

Does it bother you that people feel so free to criticise you? For instance, didn't someone describe you as looking like "a walking condom" in a red rubber dress you wore to a party?
That's what I'm saying about exposing yourself. That's why not everybody could do the job. I mean, sometimes I read things and I think "That was a bit unnecessary?oh, wow, that was a bit of a dig" But that's just the nature of the business. You've got to take the good with the bad. And if I'm not happy within myself, what the hell? It doesn't matter.

It's easy to characterise a game-show hostess as a bimbo. Do you think people underestimate your intelligence?
The thing is that I don't, so, if they do, that's their problem. That's what I'm saying about being content within myself.

What is your greatest ambition?
To be a film actress. That's why I've been taking acting classes for nearly four years. And, I mean, that's been a hard slog. That's where the bimbo thing doesn't concern me, because it's not me.

Do you have any material symbols of success?
I certainly don't live beyond my means. I have a nice apartment which has nice views of Sydney ?certainly nothing flash or fancy or absolutely wonderful, but it's very pleasant. I have a nice car, but there again, it's not like it's a Porsche or anything. It's just a nice car, a Honda Prelude. I have nice clothes, nice accessories, but nothing that's overly lavish.

It was rumoured that you went out with Sylvester Stallone when he was in Australia.
Yes. He was a really lovely person. Very intelligent. I had great raves to him about lots of different things. But when I say I went out with him, there was a group of us. It wasn't like he and I on a romantic date.

Do you resent all the speculation in the tabloids about your personal life?
People say, "Oh god, Kerrie, it must really annoy you when they write this about you ?who you're seeing and what you're doing." But it's just the nature of the business. Also, I'm a single girl, I'm working on a dating show, I mean, I'm a prime target for that speculation. Probably more so than anyone else in the country.

Are men always trying to ask you out?
Oh, no, not at all. I had more luck on the dating scene when I was a model. For some reason, some men put you in the untouchable category. And yet, if they just knew me ?I'm just like everybody else. I enjoy meeting people. I love it. But it's funny. I get approached much less that I used to.

What's your favourite way to spend a day off?
If I can get away, it's going to the beach, reading a book and going swimming. But I enjoy being at home, too. I enjoy watching videos. And I love going to the movies. You just sit there and you go right into that screen. Nothing else matters.

What are your interests?
Fitness. I go to the gym about five times a week. I love doing that. And I also study acting twice a week, soon to be three times a week because I'm taking an extra class this year, in character work.

Your family must be proud of you.
Mum's my biggest fan. I mean I'm sure people must get so bored with my mother telling them what I'm doing all the time. I go, "Mum, shoosh! My god." My dad's funny. He doesn't say an awful lot, but he's a real thinker. I get an awful lot of that from him, actually. I think an awful lot.

by Jane Cadzow


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