The Scoop: Brisbane radio news, celeb chef, Channel 7 scramble
A Broncos star has opened up on his own personal motto and what drives him despite a disappointing NRL season for the club.
Entertainment
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Brisbane Broncos’ Patrick Carrigan has revealed the personal story behind one of his most sentimental tattoos, a quote that’s close to his heart since high school.
Speaking on Nova’s Ash, Luttsy & Susie O’Neill show, the 26-year-old forward shared that the small inscription on his right forearm, which he affectionately calls his “little barcode,” carries a much deeper significance.
The tattoo reads “The Man in the Arena,” a phrase from a famous speech delivered by US President Theodore Roosevelt in 1910. Carrigan explained how his mother and grandmother first introduced him to the quote during his school years, and it has since guided him through the highs and lows of professional rugby league.
“I’ve got ‘The Man in the Arena’ tattoo on my upper arm. My mum and nan showed it to me in high school, and it’s always been a big part of what I’ve done, especially when playing professional footy in the spotlight,” Carrigan said.
The quote, known for its message of resilience and perseverance, holds a special place in Carrigan’s life as he faces the pressures and criticisms that come with the game. He reflected on its meaning, saying, “You can’t make up for the people who are actually in the fight and doing it … as long as you keep on keeping on.”
GRANDAD AT 37
B105 breakfast radio host Matty Acton is preparing for an exciting new chapter in his life — grandfatherhood.
At just 37 years old, the beloved Brisbane radio personality is getting ready to welcome his first grandchild, a baby girl, in early October.
Matty’s stepson Ethan, 23, and his wife Maddy, tied the knot last year and are now expecting their first child. Reflecting on the unexpected milestone, Matty shared his thoughts with the Scoop.
“I’m super excited,” he said. “It’s a bit of a spin out, to be honest. I’m 37, Esther’s 40, and we’re going to be grandparents. It’s something you don’t expect at this age, but we’re really looking forward to it.”
Matty met his wife Esther when he was 18, working in his first radio gig in Toowoomba.
At the time, Ethan was just three years old, and Matty has raised him as his own ever since.
Now, as Ethan and Maddy prepare for parenthood, Matty is embracing the idea of being a hands-on, youthful grandparent.
“Everyone keeps asking me what I’m going to be called, but I’m going with ‘Grandpa,’ straight up,” Matty laughed.
“I don’t have any issues with that. It’s going to be weird on Grandparents’ Day, though — everyone will think it’s my kid!”
His younger children, Eden, 7, and Xander, 10, are just as excited for the new arrival, already deciding they will be known as “Yuncle” and “Yaunty” — short for ‘young uncle’ and ‘young aunty.’
While Esther is still deciding what her grandparent title will be, Matty has no hesitation leaning into the role.
However, he joked about some of the inevitable “back in my day” and “kids these days” moments that come with the territory.
As for advice for Ethan on fatherhood, Matty’s guidance was practical.
“I told him it’s hard, and no one can prepare you for the sleepless nights. But my biggest tip was to make sure your wife is happy, and your life will be smoother,” he said.
Matty is also embracing the playful chatter surrounding his new status, especially with some cheeky terms being thrown around.
When asked about being labelled a “GILF” (Grandad I’d Like to … well, you know), Matty chuckled. “I think it’s better if someone else calls you that rather than you saying it yourself, but I’ll absolutely take the compliment.”
With the birth of his first grandchild just around the corner, Matty Acton is ready for this next adventure, sharing his excitement with listeners and showing that age is just a number when it comes to being a grandparent.
CHANNEL 7 SCRAMBLES
Embattled network Channel 7 is scrambling to find well-connected politicians to appear on its election panel, one of the biggest local broadcast nights of the year, Scoop hears.
Fireworks are set to ignite on Sky News as former premiers and 2015 election opponents Annastacia Palaszczuk and Campbell Newman go head-to-head on the desk.
We hear Nine has secured Health Minister Shannon Fentiman and former minister Kate Jones.
Jones was instrumental in rallying support for the party to move against Palaszczuk in favour of her friend, Premier Steven Miles.
The national broadcaster has courted Deputy Premier Cameron Dick – another likely leadership contender – and David Janetzki, who hopes to take Dick’s job and become treasurer.
As for Channel 7, Scoop asked who they’d secured but was told the line-up has not yet been announced and wouldn’t be just yet.
HIGH AND DRY
It was meant to be a night of glitz and glamour, but Brisbane’s most exclusive Riverfire party ran out of booze. At the event, hosted by Brisbane Festival at The Star’s newly opened Sky Deck, several attendees revealed the drinks situation went flat. Attendees told The Scoop they were served drinks in “dirty cans” and the staff appeared to struggle to keep beverages flowing.
The luxurious party, a supposed highlight of the Brisbane Festival calendar, was anything but a bubbly affair — no champagne in flutes here! However, Brisbane Festival refuted the claims stating “were no empty glasses in sight”.
“Our guests enjoyed an incredible experience, complete with stunning views and plenty of entertainment – a testament to everyone having a good time there, were no empty glasses in sight!” CEO of Brisbane Festival Charlie Cush said.
A spokesperson for The Star stated, “We were delighted Sky Deck was the venue for Brisbane Festival to host their Riverfire event.”
Looks like the party ended up being more of a dry spell than a sparkling celebration.
QUIET DEPARTURE
Acclaimed Gold Coast chef Aaron Teece – who has cooked for the likes of Queen Elizabeth, Sir Richard Branson, Tom Hanks, Keira Knightley and Kate Moss – has quietly departed the lavish Glitter Strip wedding venue where Brittany Higgins recently tied the knot, for a new gig.
Teece was foundation executive chef at The Valley Estate in the Currumbin Valley, where Higgins and partner David Sharaz were married in June.
He took up the job when the $20m venue opened in mid-2021 after roles including personal chef for Hanks while he was on the Goldy filming Baz Lurhmann’s Elvis movie.
The NSW Northern Rivers-born chef, famed for his foraging and whose impressive CV includes a stint at the prestigious Harvey Nichols 5th Floor restaurant in London, has emerged as executive chef for the new Mondrian Hotel at Burleigh Heads being opened next year by luxury hotel chain the Ennismore Group.
BEHIND EDEN
While moviegoers may be enchanted by the sweeping, lush rainforests in Ron Howard’s latest survival thriller Eden, the reality behind the blockbuster’s filming is a far cry from its on-screen beauty.
Much of the star-studded movie, which stars Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Kirby and Jude Law, was shot in Stapylton, and the stunning rainforest-like backdrops seen in the film were just 1.3km from the M1 motorway, not far from the North Gold Coast landmark Yatala Pies.
The cast and crew had to endure the harsh realities of a sweltering Queensland summer during the film’s February shoot. With temperatures soaring in one of the region’s hottest spells, many believe the actors’ dishevelled looks on screen required little acting effort, and a storm halted filming on at least one occasion.
SECRET SPOT
Cigar-loving Brisbane restaurateur Simon Gloftis has revealed his secret sneaky smoking spot at the “non-smoking” Calile Hotel. The hip Fortitude Valley venue, where Gloftis operates top nosheries Hellenika, SK Steak & Oyster and the Sushi Room, promotes itself as “100 per cent smoke-free”. But Gloftis this week posted stylish Instagram pics of himself having a cheeky puff on a Cuban on the Calile terrace known as Room 220, or the “egg room” for its curved white wall.
“When the “non-smoking” @thecalilehotel opened in 2018, I decided to take up residence in room 220 for a couple of years,” he told his followers.
If Gloftis still sneaks out of the Calile kitchens for a sly cigar, he’s not saying.
DAMI’S VIRAL WAVE
Queensland’s pop sensation Dami Im is riding a viral wave in China after her 2015 hit song Smile unexpectedly skyrocketed in popularity, all thanks to its feature in a Pepsi commercial exclusive to the region.
The X Factor winner and Eurovision star has revealed she is now planning a tour of China following the song’s resurgence, which has gone viral on TikTok and is currently charting across the country.
“I co-wrote and recorded the single Smile back in 2015, and it’s been incredible to see the song come back to life after so many years,” she told Scoop.
“It was recently featured in a Pepsi commercial in mainland China, which led to an unexpected surge in popularity, especially on TikTok. The track has been charting in China, and the response has been overwhelming.”
The viral success has sparked major interest from Chinese fans, and Im is ready to make the most of it.
“With the song going viral, there’s been a lot of interest from China, and my management team is currently working on plans for a tour in mid-2025,” she revealed.
LOTTO LADY SIGNS OFF
Queensland TV presenter Liz Cantor has officially signed off as the nation’s Lotto lady after quitting the Seven network for Channel 10.
Cantor did her last Lotto draw this week after 17 years in the gig, signing off on social media with an “over and out from Lotto Liz xoxo”.
The Gold Coaster and former pro surfer recently defected to Ten after leaving the embattled Seven network where she has worked as a weather and lifestyle show presenter since 2005.
She has joined controversially axed 7News anchor Sharyn Ghidella on Ten’s Queensland news bulletin, presenting the weather.
A spokeswoman for The Lott said Cantor had been a big part of Aussie Lotto history for more than a decade-and-half, including the record-breaking $200m Powerball draw earlier this year, and it was “very bittersweet” to see her go.
“Channel 7 will continue to rotate the presenters including Kimberly Busteed, Summer Burke, Drew Jarvis, Chris Parsons, and Duane Strauss,” she said.
In a rare TV quirk, Cantor will continue presenting duties on Seven’s Creek to Coast and Weekender despite the move to Ten.
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