Matt Heath (actor)

{{Infobox person

| name = Matt Heath

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| birth_name = Leslie Matthew Heath

| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|20 April 1972}}{{cite web |title=The Traitors NZ - Season 1 Episode 1 |url=https://www.threenow.co.nz/shows/the-traitors-nz/season-1-ep-1/S4879-643/M74497-483 |website=ThreeNow |access-date=28 June 2024}}

| birth_place = Oxford, England {{Cite episode |title=Feel My Bean |url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/taskmaster-nz/episodes/s2-e5 |access-date=August 5, 2021 |series=Taskmaster |network=TVNZ |date=August 4, 2021 |series-no=2 |number=5}}

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| nationality = New Zealand

| other_names =

| occupation = Media personality, actor, musician

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}}

Leslie Matthew Heath is a New Zealand actor, producer, radio host, sports commentator, columnist and musician. He played Danny Parker on Back Of The Y Masterpiece Television and Dick Johansonson in the feature film The Devil Dared Me To. He was guitarist and singer for the 2000s band Deja Voodoo.{{cite web |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Matt-Heath/news/headlines.cfm?a_id=949 | title=Matt Heath | work=The New Zealand Herald |publisher=NZME| accessdate=May 1, 2017 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170412204614/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Matt-Heath/news/headlines.cfm?a_id=949 | archive-date=12 April 2017 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }} He has worked on shows for MTV2 in the UK and appeared on Eating Media Lunch. Heath previously hosted the Matt and Jerry Breakfast Show with Jeremy Wells on Radio Hauraki.{{Cite press release |title=Stars to Host New Look Hauraki Breakfast |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1401/S00167/stars-to-host-new-look-hauraki-breakfast.htm |date=12 January 2014 |publisher=Radio Hauraki |via=Scoop |access-date=2021-02-04}}{{Cite web |title=The Matt & Jerry Show |url= https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-matt-jerry-show/ |access-date=2021-02-04|website=Radio Hauraki |date= January 2014 | publisher=NZME|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Heath|first=Matt|title=Matt Heath|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/author/matt-heath/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=The Spinoff |date=2 February 2015 }} He has been a columnist for The New Zealand Herald since June 2014{{cite web | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Matt-Heath/news/archive.cfm?a_id=949 | title=Matt Heath Archive | work=The New Zealand Herald | accessdate=May 1, 2017}} and provides cricket commentary for The Alternative Commentary Collective.{{Cite web|date=2015-03-10|title=Alternative Commentary Collective to continue broadcasts|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/67165171/alternative-commentary-collective-to-continue-broadcasts|access-date=2021-02-04|website=Stuff|language=en}} Heath runs the motion graphics company Vinewood Animation Studios with Philip Brough.{{Cite web|title=CONTACT {{!}} Vinewood Animation|url=https://www.vinewoodanimation.com/about|access-date=2021-02-04|website=vinewoodanimation|language=en}} In 2018, he co-hosted The Moment with Mike Lane on TVNZ Duke throughout the 2018 Commonwealth Games.{{cite web | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12029596 | title=How TVNZ finally seized The Moment | work=The New Zealand Herald | date=27 March 2018 | publisher=NZME | accessdate=April 19, 2018}} Heath is the author of a cookbook titled "The Best of Leslie's Kitchen".{{cite web |last1=Shuker |first1=Joe |title=Introducing 'The Best of Leslie's Kitchen' cookbook |url=https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-matt-jerry-show/introducing-the-best-of-leslies-kitchen-cookbook/ |website=Radio Hauraki | publisher=NZME |accessdate=5 August 2020}}

Personal life

Born on the 20th of April,{{Cite web|title=A very (un)Happy Birthday surprise for Matt Heath|url=https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-matt-jerry-show/a-very-un-happy-birthday-surprise-for-matt-heath/|access-date=2021-04-24|website=Radio Hauraki | publisher=NZME|language=en}} Heath was given the first name Leslie as a tribute to his mother's favourite actor Leslie Nielsen. Co-host Jeremy Wells announced Heath's legal name on the Hauraki Breakfast Show, prompting Heath to acknowledge while his birth certificate says Leslie, he goes by the name Matt and would like an apology.{{Cite web|title=Best of the Matt & Jerry Show - May 27 2020|url=https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-matt-jerry-show/podcasts/may-27-the-pink-lambo-scrums-leslie-wants-an-apology/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=Radio Hauraki | publisher=NZME|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Matt & Jerry's Sports Chat with Scotty J - August 3 2020|url=https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-matt-jerry-show/matt-jerrys-sports-chat-with-scotty-j-august-3-2020/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=Radio Hauraki | publisher=NZME|language=en}} As a result of this, several listeners of the breakfast show submitted parodied songs making fun of Heath's birth name.{{Cite web|title=Matt reacts to the "Leslie" version of a Pearl Jam song|url=https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-matt-jerry-show/matt-reacts-to-the-leslie-version-of-a-pearl-jam-song/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=Radio Hauraki | publisher=NZME|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=A listener sent in a "Leslie Heath" song|url=https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-matt-jerry-show/a-listener-sent-in-a-leslie-heath-song/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=Radio Hauraki | publisher=NZME|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Now That's What I Call Leslie: Volume Heath|url=https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-matt-jerry-show/now-thats-what-i-call-leslie-volume-heath/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=Radio Hauraki | publisher=NZME|language=en}}{{Cite web|title="Simply The Les" - Here's another 'Leslie Heath' song|url=https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-matt-jerry-show/simply-the-les-heres-another-listener-submitted-leslie-heath-song/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=Radio Hauraki | publisher=NZME|language=en}}

In a Twelve Questions interview with the New Zealand Herald, Heath reveals his father Christopher Heath was in medicine, often referring to him as Doctor Heath during the Hauraki Breakfast radio show. Heath's mother taught languages at secondary level and he was the only boy in a family of 3 sisters.

Heath has two children, Charlie and Barry Heath,{{Cite web|last=Baser|first=Darryl|date=2008-07-12|title=Baby coming along|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/music/baby-coming-along|access-date=2021-02-04|website=Otago Daily Times |language=en}} with Lani Purkis.{{Cite news |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11374597 |title=Twelve Questions: Matt Heath |date=2014-12-15 |work=The New Zealand Herald | publisher=NZME|access-date=2017-10-23|language=en-NZ|issn=1170-0777}}{{cite web |last1=McKee |first1=Hannah |title=Elemeno P frontman ready for Homegrown reunion |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/89893591/elemeno-p-frontman-ready-for-homegrown-reunion |website=Stuff |accessdate=13 July 2020 |language=en |date=28 February 2017}} In 2018, Heath mentioned on his radio show that he was no longer together with Purkis.{{Cite web |title=Matt Heath: Top Tips for a single Dad |url=https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-matt-jerry-show/matt-heath-top-tips-for-a-single-dad/ |access-date=2021-02-04 |website=Radio Hauraki |publisher=NZME |language=en}} They previously lived in the suburb of Mount Eden in Auckland.

Television

Heath was a contestant in series 2 of Taskmaster NZ, a show hosted by his radio colleague, Wells.{{cite web |date=30 May 2021 |title=Taskmaster NZ to return with new line up of comedians |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/300319416/taskmaster-nz-to-return-with-new-line-up-of-comedians |accessdate=29 July 2021 |website=Stuff }} In 2023, Heath appeared on Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee. Heath also competed on the first series of The Traitors NZ,{{cite web |date=9 July 2023 |title=Traitors, faithfuls and Paul Henry: Meet the cast of The Traitors NZ|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/09-07-2023/traitors-faithfuls-and-paul-henry-meet-the-cast-of-the-traitors-nz |accessdate=17 August 2024 |website=The Spinoff }} where he was named as one of the starting Traitors. He was banished in the fourth episode.

References

External links

[http://www.vinewood.co.nz/ Vinewood Motion Graphics]
[http://www.theaccnz.com/ The Alternative Commentary Collective]
{{IMDb name|1092095}}
[https://www.nzonscreen.com/person/matt-heath Matt Heath] at NZ On Screen
[http://www.publicaddress.net/default,168.sm#post168 Interview on Publicaddress.net]

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:New Zealand television personalities

Category:New Zealand radio presenters

Category:Radio Hauraki

Category:People from Dunedin