Where Young Talent Time’s child stars are now

Young Talent Time had a stellar cast of child stars on national TV who went on to greater things. See where they are now.

Young Talent Time was created to beat boring footy replays on Saturday nights, but it became much more than a filler show, engrossing the nation virtually overnight.

The series ran for 17 years from 1971 to 1988, with more than 34 young hopefuls and launched the careers of many Aussie stars, including Dannii Minogue, Tina Arena and Jamie Redfern. Gold Logie winner Asher Keddie and musical maestro John Foreman were two who appeared in the talent section.

While we know what happened with Minogue and Arena, where are the other former child stars now?

Then: Jamie Redfern

NOW: Jamie Redfern

Jamie Redfern

1971-72

Redfern was a huge favourite. But his stint was short-lived as after just nine months, he was spotted by Liberace and asked to tour with the singer in the US.

He went on the release four studio albums in the ‘70s. The same year, TV Week magazine also crowned him the King of Pop at the TV Week King of Pop Awards for 1974.

Redfern and his wife run a dancing and acting academy for children in Melbourne, where they live with their two daughters.

Then: Debra Byrne

NOW: Debra Byrne.

Debra Byrne

1971-1975

As one of the original members, Debra Byrne appeared on Young Talent Time for four years.

Since then, she’s appeared in movies and TV and stage with roles in Cats, Les Miserables, Sunset Boulevard and Mary Poppins.

Byrne has also been open about her struggles with heroin and cocaine. She also revealed she had been in a sexual relationship with a crew member as a teenager, and he was later charged with statutory rape. In 2014, she also came forward with claims that she was sexually assaulted.

THEN: Jane Scali

NOW: Jane Scali

Jane Scali

1971-76

Another member of the original cast, Scali is still a prominent on the showbiz circuit.

Not only does she dominate the Australian Cabaret circuit, but she has also starred in many musicals, including Annie and Grease, in which she played Sandy. Scali now lives in Sydney with her husband.

THEN: Sally-Anne Boyden

NOW: Sally Boyden

Sally Boyden

1972-76

Boyden was the youngest member to ever be recruited at the tender age of seven. She quit the show when was she 11 and went on to appear in films Lassie: A New Beginning and The Little Dragons. She struggled with an eating disorder and heroin addiction, which she overcame with the support of her friend and Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes.

These days she lives in London where she works as a back-up singer for Duran Duran.

THEN: Karen Knowles

Now: Karen Knowles

Karen Knowles

1974–80

Knowles was still in primary school when she joined the team. Since leaving YTT, she achieved a top-10 single and released three albums. She relocated to the UK, and appeared in the musical Big River with Aussie actor Cameron Daddo. In the early ‘90s, Knowles also briefly became a member of iconic Australian band The Seekers.

THEN: Jamie Churchill, top left.

NOW: Former Young Talent Time members John Bowles, Jamie Churchill and Joey Perrone.

Jamie Churchill

1988-1989

Churchill was the penultimate person to join the show before it was axed in 1989.

He went on to star on Neighbours and several TV commercials, before returning home to Tasmania to deal with his reported drug addiction and worked closely with the Salvation Army’s The Bridge Program, an initiative for those battling addiction. Today, Churchill credits the Salvation Army for helping him beat addiction. He had a son with Young Talent Time alum Rikki Arnot — she appeared on the talent show in 1971. But the couple are no longer together.

THEN: Bevan Addinsall

NOW: John Young and Bevan Addinsall.

Bevan Addinsall

1983-88

Bevan was one of the fan-girl favourites. Post YTT, Bevan didn’t hang up the microphone, and he still performs corporate gigs and on the cruise ship circuit.

Bevan enjoyed a return to the spotlight in 2009 when The Project host Peter Helliar and musical comedy trip Tripod penned Bevan: The Musical – a short rock opera about the singer’s life – for Merrick and Rosso’s Triple J radio show.

THEN: Vince Del Vito

NOW: Vince Deltito and Havana Brown.

Vince Deltito

1983-88
Another favourite with female fans, Deltito was with the production until it ended.

It was rumoured at the time that Vince and co-star Dannii Minogue were an item, much to the chagrin of teenage girls across Australia. Post YTT, Vince moved to Los Angeles to work as a music manager. He currently looks after Australian-born DJ Havana Brown and the pair became engaged in 2015.

THEN: Lorena Novoa

NOW: Lorena Novoa

Lorena Novoa

1984-1987

Novoa was popular for her bubbly style. After her stint, she joined the Victorian police as a constable where she was lead singer for police band Code One. Novoa also became an advertising jingle singer who was responsible for some of the biggest ‘ear worm’ jingles in recent Australian television history, such as ads for Beacon Lighting, Goulburn Valley Gold fruit.

THEN: Juanita Coco with Joey Dee.

Juanita Coco

1987-1988

One of the last crop to join the cast, the effervescent Coco was just 12 when she began to wow Australia with her prodigious talent. After the show ended, Juanita struggled to capitalise on her YTT fame. Tragically, She was killed in a car accident in Melbourne in 1993 at the age of 17 after attending her boyfriend’s birthday party.