Johanna Griggs
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Johanna Leigh Griggs |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | 17 October 1973 Harbord, New South Wales |
| Occupation | Television presenter |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Employer | Seven Network |
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
| Spouse(s) | Todd Huggins (since 2006) Gary Sweet (1994–1997) |
| Children | Two |
| Website | Better Homes and Gardens |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Australia
| ||
| Women's Swimming | ||
| Commonwealth Games | ||
 |
1990 Auckland | 100 m backstroke |
Johanna Leigh Griggs (born 17 October 1973) is an Australian television presenter and a former competitive swimmer. She won a bronze medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games and has been the host of Better Homes and Gardens on the Seven Network since 2005.
Commonwealth Games – Swimming career
Griggs represented Australia at the Auckland Commonwealth Games in 1990—winning a bronze medal in the 100m backstroke event.
In winning the 50-metre backstroke race at the Australian Swimming Championships in 1993, Griggs recorded the fastest time in the world (that year) for the event. The day following that swim, she announced her retirement from competitive swimming.[1]
Her career was cut short after a battle with chronic fatigue syndrome that began when she was 17. She had previously attempted a comeback in 1992, however the exertion of that comeback hospitalised her with pleurisy, and ultimately caused her to withdraw from the 1992 Olympic trials.[1]
Television career
Griggs was the first guest on the long-running ABC programme Live and Sweaty. As part of the programme, sporting guests were asked to donate various body parts to the "Sporting Hall of Fame". Griggs donated her appendix.
She appeared as a Swedish tourist in an episode of Home and Away in 1992.[2]
Griggs built a solid career in media, and in the late 1990s was a regular panelist on the Network Ten program Beauty and the Beast. At this time she was also dating rugby league footballer Luke Ricketson.
She later joined the Seven Network. From 2001 to 2006, Griggs hosted Australia's longest-running sports program, Sportsworld with Matthew White on Sunday mornings.
Griggs hosted several seasons of lifestyle type shows, including Auction Squad and House Calls to the Rescue. She participated in the Australian Open coverage, and was the first Australian woman to solely host an Olympics coverage when she covered the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.[3]
In 2005, she replaced Noni Hazlehurst as the primary host of the long-running lifestyle program Better Homes and Gardens.
In 2009, after previously acting as a fill-in presenter for Seven News Sydney weekend sports bulletin, she took on the role full-time, replacing Alex Cullen, who moved to the weeknight role. In November 2010, Griggs resigned from Seven News to spend more time with her family.
Griggs covers several sporting events for Seven Sport.
Personal life
Griggs, who was previously married to actor Gary Sweet, has two sons, Jesse and Joe.
On 25 November 2006, Griggs (then 33) married building foreman Todd Huggins (who was then also 33) in a private ceremony at their home in Collaroy Plateau, Sydney.[4]
In September 2009 Griggs was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters from Macquarie University, Sydney.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Sunny side up". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 February 2010.
- ^ Moran, Jonathon (2 April 2014). "Johanna Griggs did a cameo on Home & Away in 1992: she can swim, but she can't act". dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
- ^ "Johanna Griggs". Saxton Speaking Bureau. Retrieved 3 January 2007.
- ^ "Griggs marries in secret". The Herald Sun. 2006. Retrieved 27 November 2006.
- ^ "Television presenter Johanna Griggs honoured by Macquarie University". 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2009.