Suzanne Noreen Cato (born 20 June 1968) is an Australian-born New Zealand children's entertainer. She is best known as the host of several New Zealand children's television programmes, most notably ''
Suzy's World'' and ''
You and Me''.
Career
Cato began her broadcasting career at the KCCFM radio station in Whangarei, before she moved to Auckland to begin her television career in 1990.
Cato's first role on television was as a presenter of the New Zealand version of the popular children's television series ''
The Early Bird Show'' with a puppet character named Russell Rooster. After The Early Bird Show, Cato moved on to hosting the children's television show ''
3pm''.
In 1993 Cato presented the successful
''You and Me'' television show, which aired over 2000 episodes. When this show finished in 1998, Cato created her own production company – Treehut. Cato went on to produce her immensely popular ''
Suzy's World'', which aired 263 episodes from 1999–2002.
Since 2005, Cato has produced a television show in association with the New Zealand Police – ''Bryan and Bobby''. ''Bryan and Bobby'' is an educational show which was created to teach children safety messages through song and entertainment.
Cato was a contestant on
the seventh series of ''
Dancing With The Stars New Zealand''.
She is currently co-hosting a podcast series ''Double Strength Mama Power'' (regarding parenting in New Zealand) alongside Tui Fleming.
She will be part of a TV channel designed to educate New Zealand children stuck at home during the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, on one of two channels announced on 8 April 2020.
On 9 May 2021 Suzy appeared on
The Masked Singer NZ
''The Masked'' ''Singer NZ'' is a New Zealand reality singing competition television show based on the '' Masked Singer'' franchise which originated from the South Korean version of the show ''King of Mask Singer''. It premiered on Three on 9 Ma ...
as the "
Tui", being the first one eliminated.
Personal life
Born in
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
,
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
, Australia to New Zealand parents, Cato moved to her parents' homeland when she was a month old, living in
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
,
Kaikohe
Kaikohe is the seat of the Far North District of New Zealand, situated on State Highway 12 about 260 km from Auckland. It is the largest inland town and highest community above sea level in the Northland Region. With a population of ove ...
and
Dunedin
Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...
before settling in
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
where she lives today.
When ''Suzy's World'' was cancelled, Cato said that she was taking a break to focus on "her greatest production ever — growing a wee family"
Cato and her husband Steve have two children.
See also
*
List of New Zealand television personalities
This is a list of New Zealand television personalities, including presenters and journalists. It includes those who left the profession, retired, or died.
A
* Suzy Aiken – television personality and Prime News presenter
* Peter Arnett – te ...
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cato, Suzy
1968 births
Living people
People from Brisbane
Australian emigrants to New Zealand
New Zealand television presenters
New Zealand women television presenters
People from Kaikohe
People from Auckland
Association of Community Access Broadcasters
Rhema Media