Mimi MacPherson - Biography
Mimi Macpherson - environmentalist and businesswoman

Singing on to It Takes Two is bringing back fond memories of high-school choir lessons for Mimi Macpherson.

However the avid environmentalist/conversationalist and astute businesswoman is under no illusions that her harmonising at school is going to give her an advantage when she nervously takes the stage before a national TV audience.

Her family including supermodel sister Elle are all music lovers and are quick to help Mimi with her song selections. “I did think I could hold a tune better than I actually can, but the pitch is a whole other matter – this is serious stuff, so I hope my family don’t disown me”,she laughs.

Mimi, a tourism pioneer successfully established her Hervey Bay whale watching business at age 21, raising more than $100,000 for the Pacific Whale Foundation Research. Mimi is looking forward to the adrenalin rush that comes with stepping outside of her comfort zone. “I have dived with great white sharks in South Australia and I thought that was scary but this is absolutely terrifying”, she laughs.

Mimi’s workplace achievements have won her a swag of awards, including six tourism awards and National Businesswoman of the Year. She has been a vocal spokesperson for Planet Ark and Clean Up Australia and Sydney Water amongst other things.

The successful business woman has recently ventured into the bottled water and real estate market and was pitted as one of Australia’s top 30 successful businesswomen in Cosmopolitan magazine last year. She is currently developing a new range of swimwear and underwear which will assist in raising funds for the environment.

Mimi is excited to be back on TV for It Takes Two, after being a presenter on the US-based Discovery Channel.

Mimi is supporting the World Wildlife Fund - WWF which works to conserve Australia’s plants and animals by ending land clearing and degradation, addressing climate change, and preserving and protecting fresh water, marine and land environments.

“I have chosen WWF Australia because they are one of the only scientific conservation organisations in Australia, not only are they addressing the serious global warming issue but some of the other issues we maybe forgetting about such as our threatened endangered species and their habitats – the gorillas, the pandas and my beloved humpback whales.”

David Hobson - Biography
Opera Singer

David Hobson is one of Australia's best-known and favourite opera singers. But it's all been by accident!

Growing up David was interested in all forms of music, and in fact began his career fronting rock bands, but he attended the University of Melbourne with the view of becoming an economist or lawyer. The universe, however, had other plans and after television exposure whilst playing pop and jazz music and demonstrating some theatre work he had composed, The Victoria State Opera came knocking! Subsequently and unintentionally, he became an opera singer.

David has sung many lead roles for Opera Australia as a star tenor. He has also appeared with most of the state opera companies in Australia as well as making numerous concert and television appearances. Internationally, he has appeared with the San Francisco Opera.

David is also a composer and has proved a huge success in this area with compositions of a music theatre version of Macbeth, the chamber opera Remembering Rosie, and the soundtrack to the film, One Perfect Day, which was awarded Best Score by the Australian Film Critics Association.

In 2006 David performed in the Great Hall, Canberra for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, a concert with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, The Pirates of Penzance for Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House, and of course taking out the title of series champion with celebrity singing partner Erika Heynatz on the inaugural It Takes Two.

Having wrapped up a very busy 2006 with appearances at Carols in the Domain and Christmas at the House at the Sydney Opera House, David has well and truly launched into a very exciting year by performing with David Campbell, Dennis Olsen and Suzanne Johnston in a season of Pirates of Penzance at The Adelaide Festival Centre.

David also performed at The Steve Waugh Foundation Gala Evening and more recently performed in one of his highly acclaimed one man shows An Evening with David Hobson.

For Opera Australia, David will again return to the role of Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance alongside Anthony Warlow, Reg Livermore and Suzanne Johnston.

3rd placegetters Mimi and David. H :)