New Moomba monarchs revealed
An Australian showbiz veteran and a provocative comedian have been announced as the new Moomba monarchs ahead of the beloved festival.
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Comedians Julia Morris and Nazeem Hussain have been crowned the new Moomba monarchs.
And the pair have promised not to copy the behaviour of more famous royal couple Harry and Megan.
“We’re not moving to Canada any time soon, we are going to keep in Melbourne because that’s where its at,” Morris joked.
Hussain quipped: “We’ll be doing as much work as Megan and Harry did when they were royals.”
The Moomba royals take over from TV weather presenter Jane Bunn and former soccer star Archie Thompson.
New Moomba monarchs pic.twitter.com/0BqQm1CcLP
— John Masanauskas (@JMasanauskas) February 11, 2020
Morris, who grew up in Sydney but has lived in Melbourne since 1995, said she had grown to love the Moomba Festival as an adult.
“Moomba has been a festival that’s created lots of really beautiful family memories for my family and my girls,” she said.
Hussain, who was raised in Melbourne in a Sri Lankan migrant family, was almost upstaged by his ecstatic mother, Mumtaz.
“See, I’ve done something with my life,” he called out to his mum.
Mrs Hussain said: “I feel very, very proud about him … my dream in life was to see him really skyrocketing, and he’s getting there.”
Hussain’s sisters Azmeena and Aiesha also attended the ceremony near the Yarra River boatsheds.
The comedian will also take part in the Birdman Rally on Sunday, March 8.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp praised the new king and queen for contributing to charities and other organisations “that really contribute so much to the strong communities that we feel here in Melbourne”.
“They have been on our screens and filling our life with laughter for a long time now,” she said.
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Ms Capp said that the festival, which runs from March 6 to 9, was funded by ratepayers to the tune of $4 million, but returned about $35 million in economic activity.
Last year’s festival was marred by violence as rival gangs warred on the streets of Melbourne.