We’re used to seeing the witty, punny, motor-mouthed Mat Whitehead in front of a green screen recapping our favourite shows on 10 Play’s TL;DR. But in a change of pace, Mat opens up to us about why you’ll see him sporting a mo this November.
In our opinion, TL;DR is the icing on the Bach-Nation cake and we can’t get enough of it. Brooke’s season of The Bachelorette Australia is a world-first, what have you loved most about the Bach-ups this season?
I started screaming in front of a green screen about the Bach Nation back with the Honey Badger’s season, so it feels almost poetic that we’re back, this time with Brooke in one of the best seasons (in my humble opinion) we’ve seen so far.
The fact that Brooke is both the first Indigenous and bisexual woman to helm a season is also just so powerful and I’m really proud to see such wonderful representation on prime time.
I’m also very lucky that there are many, many brilliant and patient people who help make TL;DR a reality, especially Tim who puts them all together.
You think it’s exhausting hearing me scream about pashing and rose ceremonies for five minutes… imagine how he feels sitting in the car park with me for hours on end. I’m so sorry Tim Glastonbury (Digital Video Producer/Director).
You’ve worn many hats and been part of many projects at 10, what have been some of your favourites?
Yes, my collection of hats is extremely fashionable and impressive.
I’m really lucky because I get to do a lot of interviews with talent from all across the network.
Some of the best chats I get to do are with the contestants on shows like Making It and MasterChef where regular people are chasing their dreams.
Also one time I asked Kirsten Tibballs how to make macarons and she spoke to me for well over 30 mins giving me step-by-step expert instructions. Mine still came out looking like something you’d find in a goblin’s house but we can’t blame Kirsten for that.
This November you are sporting a Mo for Movember, why is this cause so close to your heart?
While it promotes men’s health overall, Movember focuses on men’s mental health, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. They raise funds, awareness and hope to start conversations around these issues in particular.
A few years ago I was diagnosed with testicular cancer and, before that diagnosis, I was completely naïve to how common it can be in younger men.
It was a bit of a struggle at first to talk about my experiences but each time I did, I’d have people reaching out to ask questions and share their own experiences, and I think that’s part of what makes Movember so important, encouraging men to speak out about health and wellness, raising awareness, starting conversations and making sure men feel like they can seek out help when they need it.
What is this year’s Movember message, and how can we show our support this November?
Aside from the fact that moustaches are now completely back in fashion (right????), anyone can get involved and raise funds or support someone by growing a mo, getting physically active or hosting events.
Check out https://au.movember.com/ for more info on how to get involved!
