Biography

PROFILE Ewen Gilmour. Westie.

Ewen Gilmour is New Zealand's most unusual 'Cultural Ambassador'.

Since hitting the comedy circuit in 1995, Ewen quickly became one of New Zealand's best stand-up comedy performers, with a string of credits in television and the live comedy circuit both nationally and internationally.

1997 saw Ewen win the inaurgural Billy T Award for outstanding comedy. The same year Waitakere City titled Ewen as 'Cultural Ambassador', an honour presented by the city's Mayor Bob Harvey, in a special ceremony at a car wrecker's yard where Ewen was once employed.

As well as touring all over New Zealand, Ewen has performed internationally throughout his 14yr comedy career going to such places as Montreal, Sydney, Ireland, Paris, Holland, Melbourne, Brussels and Entertaining the New Zealand troops in East Timor.

Ewen left West Auckland 8 years ago, when his breeding pair of Painted Apple moths escaped, leaving him devastated...worse was to come, upon his return from England everybody in West Auckland had pairs of painted apple moths...they were a collectors item when Ewen first had them. This left him feeling sad when he should have been happy, having represented NZ in the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002. Ewen represented NZ in drug testing, he trained most days and even won the gold! Its just that he can't remember where he's left it.

In 2003 we watched while Ewen was voted off Celebrity Treasure Island, because of a personal hygiene problem. Later that year saw Ewen head to Peru as part of the second series of Intrepid Journeys, but it wasn't long before the Peruvian people agreed with the celebrities and also sent Ewen home.

Ewen has been involved with Variety The Children's Charity since 1996, and has been a Variety Ambassador since 2004. He is a regular on the Variety Bash, helping raise money for children, so they don't grow up to be like Ewen. This year Ewen fronted the GT Radials new car the GT LIMO, his team The Hollywood Knights, (dressed in coat tails) raised the most money for a Corporate sponsored team. Ewen does a lot of Charity work, which is weird, cos we see him as someone who should be doing a lot of Community work! Ewen has been giving back to the community throughout his career, but not more so than in his role as a Waitakere City Coucillor 2003-2006.

Only Ewen Gilmour could find a way of riding his Triumph motorbike onto the set of NZ's first Dancing with the Stars series. Touring with rock bands has honed Ewen's Rock'n'roll comedy style. He has had fun times joining The Feelers on several summer tours.

Ewen fronted the German episode of TVNZ's Here To Stay. This show traces various groups of immigrants to NZ. Why were we not surprised to find out that Ewen is of Bohemian descent, and enjoys a good German beer?

Currently Ewen comperes a quiz night every Tuesday at The Hangar in Henderson. Come and laugh at his amusing pronounciation of complex words. He is also at most of the Warriors home games, showing his support.

Ewen has been called "The V8 of New Zealand comedy" As New Zealanders we love to laugh at ourselves, and one New Zealander we love to laugh at is Ewen. He is quick off the mark and his performances race from laugh to laugh.

Ewen won the Decade Award for Comedy at the 2010 New Zealand Comedy Guild Awards, which was very deserved!

Last updated by Hilary Coe on 14 Jan 2011