She was the controversial host of one of the biggest shows on n television.
And now, fans have gone wild over Big Brother icon Gretel Killeen, 61, and called for her return to the limelight after a famous 2006 clip of her resurfaced on Instagram this week.
In the video, shared by nostalgic TV account korporatekarina, Gretel could be seen bringing her signature sass to a ‘condescending’ interview with Michael McCoy.
Known for her witty barbs, Gretel wouldn’t take any nonsense from the Big Brother contestant after his eviction as she shut down his claims of ‘editing’ on the show.
Michael famously argued that his infamous ‘kiss’ with Big Brother housemate David Graham was edited, before later admitting they staged the moment for the cameras.
Not buying into his ‘editing’ claims, host Gretel continually interrupted the TV star and threw cold water over his claims in a famous interview which shocked viewers.
‘How do you know [the kissing video] was great editing if you haven’t seen it,’ she argued at one point.
‘I’m going on hearsay,’ Michael admitted, only to have Gretel passionately retort: ‘Well that’s always a good basis.’
Fans have gone wild over Big Brother icon Gretel Killeen (pictured in 2003), 61, and called for her return to the limelight after a famous 2006 clip of her resurfaced on Instagram this week
In the video, Gretel could be seen bringing her signature sass to a ‘condescending’ interview with Michael McCoy as she passionately shut down his editing claims
The iconic interview moment was re-shared to Instagram with the caption ‘That Boss Who Doesn’t Listen’ and fans went absolutely wild in the comments section.
Nostalgic Big Brother fans shared their memories of Gretel, who hosted every season of Big Brother from 2001 to 2007, and questioned where the famed presenter is now.
‘One of the original Karen’s,’ one follower commented on the post, while another praised Gretel’s style as ‘condescending at its best right there’.
Another praised her as ‘delightful’, while one added: ‘Thought she was the smartest tool in the shed. Where is she now?’
Shortly after shooting to fame on Big Brother, Gretel talked about why she enjoyed doing the show.
‘I love doing Big Brother because there’s that element of surprise,’ she told the Sydney Morning Herald back in 2002.
‘I have no idea what anyone is going to say because nobody knows how they’re going to deal with being in a house under constant surveillance.’
Gretel also said that when she looks back at her career that’s never included a nine-to-five job, she thinks it’s ‘cool’ and there’s been ‘a lot of colour and movement’.
Gretel was replaced as Big Brother host by duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson in 2008.
Though Gretel left her high profile TV role while the franchise was at its peak, the media veteran has gone on to forge out a prominent career as a commentator and author.
The mother-of-two has hardly been a stranger to viewers, with regular appearances as a panellist on Network 10’s The Project and Seven’s Sunrise.
Nostalgic Big Brother fans shared their memories of Gretel, who hosted every season of Big Brother from 2001 to 2007, and questioned where the famed presenter is now (pictured in 2004)
She has also appeared as a regular guest ‘opinion’ person on Today.
Gretel first kicked off her TV career in the late 80s in the day time slot alongside another media veteran Ray Martin.
Known then as a comedian, Gretel attracted a cult following as the ‘star’ of the soap opera A Town Like Dallas, which became a regular segment on Martin’s Midday show for Channel Nine.
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In 1990, she scored a short-lived hosting gig on the late night news show Coast to Coast.
After shooting to new heights of fame on Big Brother, Gretel memorably hosted the Logie Awards in 2009.
She also featured with comedian Matt Okine in the reality series How Not to Behave which screened on the ABC in 2015.
Often outspoken on issues such as social justice, Gretel shocked fans in 2018 when she appeared on the SBS series Go Back To Where You Came From.
She previously described ‘s treatment of refugees as ‘barbaric’ before appearing on the series.
For the show, Gretel travelled to Turkey and joined a Red Cross team to deliver food to war victims on the Syrian border.
Shortly after that heartbreaking experience, Gretel went back to her reality TV roots and joined the cast of The Masked singer in 2019.
However she failed to impress as the Octopus and was shown the door in the first episode.
Gretel once again re-entered the limelight when there was much talk she would return for the Big Brother reboot in 2020.
However, the role ultimately went to Sonia Kruger, 59, who had previously hosted the show in 2012.
A prolific author, Gretel has published 30 books including a series for children and two ‘fictional memoirs’ The Night My Bum Dropped, and Jimmy and Gret Don’t Do Sex
Gretel once again re-entered the limelight when there was much talk she would return for the Big Brother reboot in 2020. However, the role ultimately went to Sonia Kruger
In the same year, Gretel featured in a comedy podcast, Handsome and Gretel.
A prolific author, Gretel has published 30 books including a series for children and two ‘fictional memoirs’ The Night My Bum Dropped, and Jimmy and Gret Don’t Do Sex.
Notoriously private about her private life, Gretel shares two adult children with her ex, Mark Morgan.
The coupled divorced in 1993 after tying the knot in 1987. She then raised her children, Ezekial Morrgan, 34 and Epiphany Morgan, 30, as a single mother.
Both of her children feature in Gretel’s My Sister book series.