Steve Vizard has debuted a surprising new look.
The comedy icon, 68, has recently published his first children’s book, Here Comes Grandpa, which may be a slight nod to his new stage in life.
Whereas once Steve graced the screen with his dark hair and suit and tie on shows such as Tonight Live, he now embraces the grey.
The ‘silver fox’ version of the Fast Forward star was all smiles as he appeared on The Project recently.
In an adorable behind-the-scenes picture, host of the Channel Ten panel show Sarah Harris shared a selfie with the Aussie comedy legend.
Harris, Waleed Aly, Liz Ellis and Sam Taunton looked happy to be joining the veteran TV personality in the image.
It comes as Steve recently revealed he was forced to flee Kerry Packer’s Sydney mansion after the billionaire broadcaster tried to lure him to Channel Nine.
Vizard had been at the height of his powers, juggling writing, producing and starring in hit comedy sketch show Fast Forward along with hosting his own high-rating talk show, Tonight Live with Steve Vizard, when he got a call from the late media proprietor.
‘Halfway through 1990 I got a call from Kerry Packer saying come up to Sydney,’ Vizard told the Herald Sun’s Fiona Byrne.
After being flown to the harbour city, Vizard was met by a chauffeur at the airport and taken to Packer’s sprawling Bellevue Hill palace in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
‘I was thinking it would be a business meeting and when I walked in there was Kerry in a pair of shorts and he said, “Do you want to come and watch TV?”
‘We go into his den and he put his feet up on the coffee table, told the butler to bring in some sandwiches and we sat there drinking orange juice, watching and talking about tele.’
Vizard said it took Packer about three hours before he finally cut to the chase and told the comedian why he was there.
‘He wanted me to come over to Channel Nine,’ he told the Herald Sun.
‘It got to about 5pm and I am thinking, “How am I going to get out of this? I don’t know where I am in Bellevue Hill, I don’t even know where the front door is.”
‘I was literally there for eight hours before I made my escape.
‘I found him incredibly amiable and very persuasive. He was incredibly charming and forceful too.’
Despite the entreaty, Vizard decided to stick it out with Seven before retiring from on-air roles altogether just three years later, explaining he wanted to spend more time with his family.
‘You get one chance with that stuff,’ he told the Herald Sun.
‘I was prepared to do the show three nights a week, but the network wanted four so we just stopped.’
