Adriana Xenides
Encyclopedia
Adriana Xenides was an Australia
n television personality. Born in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
to a Greek
father and a Spanish
mother,
she moved to Australia as a child, and became well known for her long-running role as the assistant host on Wheel of Fortune
. She died in 2010 from a ruptured intestine, after several years of ill health.
, Xenides joined Ernie Sigley
as co-host of Australia's version of Wheel of Fortune in 1981. She remained on the show for 18 years, working with Ernie Sigley, John Burgess (between 1984 and 1996), Tony Barber
(1996) and Rob Elliott
, and for 16 of those years – from 1981 to 1996 – she never missed an episode. Xenides formally departed the show in 1999, and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records
as the longest running game show host. Although the record was broken coincidently by Vanna White, the American hostess of Wheel Of Fortune, However she still holds the Australian record.
Xenides' later television appearances were as a panelist on the talk show Beauty and the Beast
, as a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother Australia in 2002, and a stint with her Wheel of Fortune co-host John Burgess on Catch Phrase. In 1985 she presented the multi award winning promotional film "Adelaide Welcomes the World" produced by Kate Kennedy White and Peter Vaughton for the South Australian Film Corporation.
In July 2007, Xenides pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while under suspension, and was fined and banned from driving for an additional two years.
"shock" treatment for her depression, but it was of no help to her.
In July 2007, Xenides told Seven's Today Tonight
programme that she had a gastrointestinal digestive disorder which had caused abdominal bloating to a size suggesting pregnancy and severe pain. Doctors were reportedly uncertain about the causes for this condition, suggesting that in Xenides's case it may have been genetic. She also claimed that the reason she drove her car while under suspension was so that she could get medication for the disease to prevent extreme pain.
In 2010, Xenides told Woman's Day
magazine that she had suffered five heart attack
s in the preceding two years.
, Sydney, on 7 June 2010 from a ruptured intestine. She had been admitted to hospital days earlier suffering from a stomach ailment.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n television personality. Born in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
to a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
father and a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
mother,
she moved to Australia as a child, and became well known for her long-running role as the assistant host on Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune (Australian game show)
Wheel of Fortune was an Australian television game show produced by Grundy Television. The programme aired on the Seven Network from 1981 to 2004 and November 2005 to July 2006, and is mostly based on the same general format as the original US version of the programme...
. She died in 2010 from a ruptured intestine, after several years of ill health.
Career
After moving from Argentina to Adelaide in her teens, Xenides gained a career as a model and was a finalist in the first Mrs South Australia contest in 1978. After being approached by Grundy TelevisionReg Grundy Organisation
The Reg Grundy Organisation was an Australian television production company founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy . It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap operas in 1973...
, Xenides joined Ernie Sigley
Ernie Sigley
Ernest William "Ernie" Sigley is an enduring Australian entertainment personality known for his square-rimmed spectacles, the gap between his front teeth and his slapstick approach to comedy.-Radio career:...
as co-host of Australia's version of Wheel of Fortune in 1981. She remained on the show for 18 years, working with Ernie Sigley, John Burgess (between 1984 and 1996), Tony Barber
Tony Barber
Anthony "Tony" Ferraro Barber is an Australian game show host and television personality.-Early life:...
(1996) and Rob Elliott
Rob Elliott
Rob Elliott is a popular Australian radio announcer and television show host, best known for hosting Wheel of Fortune.-Television Career:...
, and for 16 of those years – from 1981 to 1996 – she never missed an episode. Xenides formally departed the show in 1999, and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as the longest running game show host. Although the record was broken coincidently by Vanna White, the American hostess of Wheel Of Fortune, However she still holds the Australian record.
Xenides' later television appearances were as a panelist on the talk show Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (talk show)
Beauty and the Beast is an Australian panel television show that has appeared in numerous versions since the early days of Australian television. The first version began in 1963 on the Seven Network with host Eric Baume as the "Beast". Baume was later replaced by presenters including John Laws,...
, as a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother Australia in 2002, and a stint with her Wheel of Fortune co-host John Burgess on Catch Phrase. In 1985 she presented the multi award winning promotional film "Adelaide Welcomes the World" produced by Kate Kennedy White and Peter Vaughton for the South Australian Film Corporation.
Personal life
Xenides was married three times. Her first marriage at age 19 was to Adelaide mortgage broker Micheal Xenides - although divorced after three years Adriana kept his name throughout her career. In 1982 she had a one year marriage to Adelaide restaurateur Frank Cortazzo. Her final marriage was to Adelaide businessman Robert Phillips, which lasted two years. Adriana had several further fiances, including wine heir Tom Hardy.Driving charges
In 2006 Xenides was disqualified from driving for 18 months and put on a good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm. She had been involved in a head-on crash in which both Xenides and one of the other drivers involved in the collision suffered serious injuries. Xenides initially pleaded not guilty, blaming a combination of sneezing and sun glare, but changed the plea after her first court appearance.In July 2007, Xenides pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while under suspension, and was fined and banned from driving for an additional two years.
Illness
Xenides suffered from an extended period of ill health, that included severe depression and anorexia. Xenides stated that she had received electroconvulsiveElectroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy , formerly known as electroshock, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. Its mode of action is unknown...
"shock" treatment for her depression, but it was of no help to her.
In July 2007, Xenides told Seven's Today Tonight
Today Tonight
Today Tonight is a controversial Australian News and Current Affairs program, produced by the Seven Network and shown weeknightly at in direct competition with rival Nine Network program A Current Affair....
programme that she had a gastrointestinal digestive disorder which had caused abdominal bloating to a size suggesting pregnancy and severe pain. Doctors were reportedly uncertain about the causes for this condition, suggesting that in Xenides's case it may have been genetic. She also claimed that the reason she drove her car while under suspension was so that she could get medication for the disease to prevent extreme pain.
In 2010, Xenides told Woman's Day
Woman's Day
Woman's Day is aimed at a female readership, covering such subjects as food, nutrition, fitness, beauty and fashion. The magazine edition is one of the "Seven Sisters", a group of women's service magazines....
magazine that she had suffered five heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
s in the preceding two years.
Death
Xenides died in Liverpool HospitalLiverpool Hospital
Liverpool Hospital is a 885-bed public hospital located in south western Sydney, Australia. It is a teaching hospital of the South Western Sydney Clinical School of the University of New South Wales . Liverpool Hospital is part of the Sydney South West Area Health Service and is located on...
, Sydney, on 7 June 2010 from a ruptured intestine. She had been admitted to hospital days earlier suffering from a stomach ailment.
Filmography
- Golden Fiddles (1991), as Estelle Drayford
- Angel BabyAngel Baby (1995 film)Angel Baby is a 1995 Australian film written and directed by Michael Rymer, and starring John Lynch, Jacqueline McKenzie and Colin Friels. This film was taped in 1993-94....
(1995), as Herself