Michael "Wippa" Wipfli (born 29 September 1979) is an Australian radio presenter and comedian who is a co-host on the Nova 96.9 breakfast show Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie alongside Ryan Fitzgerald and Kate Ritchie.
Wippa | |
|---|---|
 Wippa in August 2015 | |
| Born | Michael Wipfli 29 September 1979 |
| Spouse |
Lisa Robertson (m. 2013) |
| Children | 3 |
| Career | |
| Show | Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie |
| Station | Nova 96.9 |
| Network | Nova Network |
| Style | Breakfast show |
| Country | Australia |
Early life
editWippa is the son of John and Christine Wipfli. He has two sisters: Louise and Kate.[1]
Wippa completed building management certificate at TAFE and was part of a freelance building crew, which gave him the freedom to do some casual work in entertainment.
Wippa married Lisa Robertson in 2013. They have three children named Theodore, Jack and Francesca.
Career
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After completing a short radio course, Wippa worked in Port Augusta. He returned to Melbourne and become a regular on the "Hamish and Andy" Saturday morning show.[2]
Wippa got his headlining start on the Em, Wippa and Ollie breakfast show on 92.9 (Perth radio station) in 2005.[3]
In 2009, Wippa joined Nova FM's drive show Ryan, Monty and Wippa. During an on-air stunt seeing Wippa eat 12 'whopper' burgers over the course of a show, he gained the alternative nickname 'Whopper'. Ryan Shelton left at the end of 2010 to focus on television, and Monty moved to Nova Sydney's Merrick, Dools and Monty breakfast show.
In November 2010, it was announced that Wippa would be joining Ryan Fitzgerald to host Fitzy and Wippa in 2011.[4] Fitzy and Wippa were nominated for the 2011 Australian Commercial Radio Awards in the best on-air team, Metro FM category.[5]
Wippa appeared as a celebrity contestant on the Nine Network's quiz show Millionaire Hot Seat in 2012 where he became the first contestant to go home without reaching the $1000 question after he famously answered "tropical bird" to the simple $500 question "What is a pecan?".[6]
On 27 November 2015, Wippa joined radio co-host Fitzy to host a one-off special Up Reasonably Late with Fitzy and Wippa on Network Ten.[7]
In 2016, Fitzy and Wippa were team captains on All Star Family Feud. Wippa's mother, sister and grandmother Norma were on his team.[8] They also appeared in Shark Tank Australia to spruik Wippa's product the "Mup", a mint in the bottom of a coffee cup.[9] Fitzy and Wippa also hosted the Nine Network show 20 to 1 for one season.
In September 2020, Wipfli was announced as a celebrity contestant on the revived new season of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia in 2021.[10][11]
In 2024, Wipfli appeared with Shaun Micallef on the show Origin Odyssey exploring Wipfli’s Swiss ancestry.[12]
References
edit- ^ "Tight Five with Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli". 11 June 2013.
- ^ "Michael Wipfli | Profile Talent".
- ^ "Wippa heads for the royal wedding". Retrieved 6 June 2012.
- ^ "'Fitzy' and 'Wippa' to drive FM radio war". Retrieved 5 May 2012.
- ^ 2011 ACRAs, finalists
- ^ (9 May 2012) Wippa's epic fail in Eddie's Hot Seat, radioinfo. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (27 November 2015). "Airdate: Up Reasonably Late with Fitzy and Wippa". TV Tonight. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ "Wippa Whips Fitzy in All Star Family Feud". 26 April 2016.
- ^ "Fitzy & Wippa turn down buckets of cash on Shark Tank – Fitzy & Wippa NovaFM". 22 June 2016.
- ^ Knox, David (16 September 2020). "Upfronts 2021: Nine". TV Tonight. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "NINE UPFRONTS: MAJOR TENTPOLES RETURN + NINE REVIVES BEAUTY AND THE GEEK". TV Black Box. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Six comedians travel to their ancestral homelands, with Shaun Micallef in tow, to discover how their roots have shaped their identities | SBS On Demand: Shaun Micallef's Origin Odyssey | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
