Wesley Dening
{{short description|Television producer and presenter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2013}}
{{Press release|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Wesley Dening
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|7|df=y|14}}
| birth_place =
| occupation = Television producer, television host
}}
Wesley Dening (born 14 July 1983) is an Australian television producer based in Los Angeles. He is the President of an international production company called WD Entertainment Group Inc. and serves as Executive Producer of series produced by Eureka Productions,{{Cite web|url=http://www.eurekagroup.tv/wes-dening|title=Wes Dening|website=Eureka|access-date=23 May 2020}} based in Santa Monica. Dening is originally from Australia, where he first became known as a host for multiple Australian television programs including Totally Wild,{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} Totally Wild: Antarctica, Ten's First at Five News, Kick2Kick and also as a contestant on Big Brother Australia 2004.
Dening is the Executive {{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} Producer of Holey Moley for ABC, an extreme miniature golf competition series produced by Eureka Productions & Stephen Curry's production company [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nba-star-stephen-curry-scores-film-tv-pact-sony-1104927 Unanimous Media]. Holey Moley won the [https://tvtonight.com.au/2020/01/holey-moley-wins-format-award-in-usa.html Realscreen 2020 Award for Best New Format]. Dening is also the Executive Producer of Dating Around on Netflix, Crikey! It's the Irwins and spinoff series Crikey! It's The Irwin's Life in Lockdown{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/animal-planet-follow-irwin-familys-life-lockdown-1296204|title=Animal Planet to Spotlight Irwin Family's "Life in Lockdown" (Exclusive)|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=28 May 2020|access-date=30 May 2020}} and Crikey! It's the Irwins: Bindi's Wedding{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2020/04/29/animal-planets-crikey-its-the-irwins-bindis-wedding-delivers-record-series-ratings-on-april-18-439013/20200429animalplanet01/|title=Ratings - Animal Planet's "Crikey! It's the Irwins: Bindi's Wedding" Delivers Record Series Ratings on April 18 | TheFutonCritic.com|website=www.thefutoncritic.com|access-date=30 May 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://press.discovery.com/us/apl/press-releases/2020/animal-planet-premiere-crikey-its-irwins-bind-5080/|title=Animal Planet to Premiers "Crikey! It's The Irwins: Bindo's Wedding" Saturday April 18 at 8 PM ET/PT : Discovery Press Web|website=press.discovery.com|access-date=30 May 2020}} for Animal Planet. Dening is also the Executive Producer of [https://www.facebook.com/pickflipdrive/ Pick, Flip & Drive] for Facebook.
Dening is also an Executive Producer of the upcoming unscripted series [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/magic-mike-competition-show-hbo-max The Real Magic Mike] for HBO Max, with Channing Tatum and Steven Soderbergh listed as Executive Producers. Dening also executive produces [https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2020-11-07/escape-2020-with-full-bloom-its-like-the-great-british-baking-show-with-flowers Full Bloom] for HBO Max and the upcoming [https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/the-love-boat-real-cbs-network-10-princess-cruises-1235211912/ The Real Love Boat] for CBS.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}}
Dening has won multiple awards{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} for series he has{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} produced including Realscreen's Format of the Year Award in 2020 for Holey Moley,{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} the Critic's Choice Award for Best Relationship Series for Dating Around,{{Cite web|url=https://www.zimbio.com/photos/Wesley+Dening/Critics+Choice+Real+TV+Awards+Show/2t2HSY0dKjw|title=Wesley Dening Photos Photos: Critics' Choice Real TV Awards – Show|website=Zimbio|access-date=23 May 2020}} and multiple Telly Awards for Pick, Flip & Drive. Holey Moley, Pick, Flip & Drive and Dating Around were also nominated for Content Innovation Awards in Cannes,{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/ABC-Renews-HOLEY-MOLEY-for-a-Second-Season-20191010|title=ABC Renews HOLEY MOLEY for a Second Season|first=TV News|last=Desk|website=BroadwayWorld.com|access-date=23 May 2020}} with Holey Moley also nominated for a Rose D'Or Award for Entertainment Program of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rosedor.com/2019/11/06/nominations-announced-for-the-2019-rose-dor-awards/|title=Rose d'Or 2019 Finalists Announced – Rose d'Or Awards|website=rosedor.com|access-date=23 May 2020}}
In the US, Dening also received acclaim for his on camera work as the host of Code: 9, a hidden camera prank series for Disney Channel.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} He was also on camera as a commentator for US cable network truTV's series truTV Presents: World's Dumbest.{{Cite news |last=Shearer |first=Geoff |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/success-comes-with-perspiration/story-fn6ck8la-1225992863023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219112504/http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/success-comes-with-perspiration/story-fn6ck8la-1225992863023 |archive-date=2013-02-19 |title=Success comes with perspiration |date=2011-01-23 |work=The Courier-Mail |access-date=2013-01-25 |url-status=dead}}
Early life
He was College Captain at St. Joseph's Nudgee College. During his teen years, Dening was a national-level swimmer and also worked as an actor and model, even winning Young Model of the Year.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} Dening was founder of 'Seriously Pink', a fashion franchise in central Brisbane.
Television
Dening was a contestant on Series 4 of the Australian version of Big Brother. He entered the house on Day 1 and was evicted on Day 69, finishing 8th. Dening returned to star in Big Brother 5 as part of an All Star Team that went into the house to compete against current contestants for that season. After appearing on Big Brother, Dening appeared in radio advertisements for local Brisbane stations 4 BC, B105 and Triple M. In 2005, Dening became an ambassador for Tourism Queensland, for which he helped to raise awareness of the state.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}}
In addition to his work on camera, Dening also traveled Australia as a speaker for the National Young Leaders Day, a bi-annual event held in all five major capital cities in Australia. Dening was also an ambassador for Tourism Queensland and an Australian Day Ambassador.
Network TEN
Dening began as a host on Network Ten's Totally Wild in 2004. In 2006, he was the recipient of the Australian Antarctic Arts Fellowship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-us/antarctic-arts-fellowship/alumni/wesley-dening-06-07/|title=Wesley Dening – Antarctic Arts Fellow 2006–07|website=antarctica.gov.au|date=13 March 2019 |access-date=30 May 2020}} In 2007, Dening was a presenter, writer and producer for Totally Wild, as well as the Sports presenter for 10 News First Queensland over the Christmas Holidays. Dening also hosted the national program on Network Ten called Kick2Kick, and hosted two Network Ten documentaries, Spirit of the Outback and Ghosts of the Gulf, and appeared on Rove Live, 9am with David & Kim, and was a guest co-host for Toasted TV and Scope. In 2008 on Channel Ten, Dening served as one of the hosts for the 2008 New Year's Eve telecast.
United States
Dening oversees development and production for series produced by Eureka Productions, based in Los Angeles, with series including Holey Moley (ABC), Crikey! It's The Irwin's (Animal Planet), Dating Around (Netflix) and Pick, Flip & Drive.
Holey Moley was a breakout success on ABC in the summer of 2019, with the first episode gaining a [https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/tv-ratings-holey-moley-wins-1203250018/ 1.0 rating in the key 18-49 demographic.] The premiere of season 2 was lauded by the press as "[https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2020/05/holey-moley-2-sequel-review/ better than the original"] and also easily won its time slot on 21 May 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/ratings-abc-scores-holey-moley-154301199.html|title=Ratings: ABC Scores With 'Holey Moley' Return, Fox's 'Labor of Love' Debut Doesn't Earn Lots of Love|website=yahoo.com|date=22 May 2020 |access-date=23 May 2020}} In an interview with Reality Blurred{{Cite web|url=https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2020/05/holey-moley-2-behind-scenes-questions-answers/|title=Holey Moley questions, answered: Where is Steph Curry? Why did some holes change? and so much more|date=28 May 2020|website=reality blurred|access-date=30 May 2020}} Dening referred to his work with 3xNBA Champion Steph Curry as ""Steph's been awesome to work with on season two," and "He's so enthusiastic and passionate about it that we wanted to find a way to have him in every episode—he wanted to be in every episode".
Dening has also been a speaker at the television industry event Realscreen Summit{{Cite web|url=https://summit.realscreen.com/2020/speakers/939597/wesdening/|title=Realscreen Summit 2020 – Wes Dening|website=summit.realscreen.com|access-date=23 May 2020}}
In 2009, Dening began appearing on truTV's The Smoking Gun Presents, as one of the many co-hosts. The show was filmed in New York City and Los Angeles.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} In 2011, Dening was signed to host and star in a series for Disney Channel, titled Code: 9. The show premiered on Disney Channel on 26 July 2012 and ran throughout 2012. Code: 9 also aired in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Russia and New Zealand. Dening was the Executive Producer and creator of Big Crazy Family Adventure{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4385568/?ref_=nv_sr_1 |title=Big Crazy Family Adventure (TV Series) |publisher=IMDb |date=21 June 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212174408/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4385568/ |archive-date=2017-02-12 |access-date=2017-11-28}} for the Travel Channel.
WDE
Dening is the founder of WD Entertainment Group.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} Formed in 2010, the production company's first TV series The Stafford Brothers premiered for Fox8 Australia (6 Episodes). The Stafford Brothers follows the rise of two of Australia's biggest DJ's. The show was considered a huge success in Australia and is now playing across more than 10 countries internationally. Season 2 (10 Episodes) of The Stafford Brothers broadcast on Fox8 in 2012.
In 2014, WDE produced and launched The Flying Winemaker on Discovery Channel's TLC.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} In 2014, WDE produced Big Crazy Family Adventure for the Travel Channel, a nine-episode series launching in 2015, with Dening as Executive Producer. WDE's original series continue to be broadcast in more than 55 countries.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=1648753|name=Wesley Dening}}
- [http://www.harrymmiller.com.au/celebritymanagement/index.cfm?grp=Celebrity%20Management&who=deningwesley#deningwesley Wesley's Profile on Harrymmiller.com.au]
- [http://www.advance.org/en/articles/view.asp?articleid=4702 Member Profile – Wes Dening]
{{Big Brother AU}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dening, Wesley}}
Category:Big Brother (Australian TV series) contestants
Category:Australian television presenters
Category:Mass media people from Brisbane