Merrick Watts
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
2009 ACRA Awards – Winner, Best Station Produced Comedy Segment
2009 ASTRA Awards – Winner, Most Popular Male Talent – Merrick & Rosso
2005 TV Week Logies – Merrick and Rosso Unplanned – Nominated, Most popular Light Entertainment Program
2004 ACRA Awards – Winner, Best on Air Team
2003 ACRA Awards – Winner, Best on Air Team (Metro)
2003 ARIA Awards – Winner, Best Comedy Album – From Us to Youse
2003 GQ Man of the Year Award – Comedians of the Year – Merrick & Rosso
1999 ARIA Awards – Teenage Mulley Fury – Nominated, Best Comedy Album Award
TELEVISION
Underbelly – The Tale of Two Cities
In 2009, Merrick played the character “Mr Asia” (Marty Johnstone), business partner to Terry Clark in the second series of the highly successful Australian crime drama. But unfortunately, his life is cut short when Terry gives the order to kill him after believing Marty ripped him off. A very gruesome death scene at the hands of his best mate!
The Hollowmen
In 2008, Merrick played the character Nick, Senior Political Advisor in The Hollowmen, starring alongside Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Lachy Hulme and Neil Melville to name a few. The Hollowmen is a comedy-drama satire produced by Working Dog Productions and set in the offices of the Central Policy Unit, a fictional political advisory unit personally set up by the Prime Minister to help him get re-elected. Series 1 of The Hollowmen first broadcast on the ABC on 9 July 2008 (six half hour episodes), and due to its success, Series 2 followed immediately after. The series also won a TV Week Logie Award for Most Outstanding Comedy Program.
Thank God You’re Here
Merrick has made regular guest appearances on this consistently high rating series since its debut in 2006. The show is all about improvising – being able to bluff your way through any situation. Guests have no idea what to expect when they walk through a door to an unfamiliar setting and they have to think on their feet instantly! Merrick appeared in the following eps:
Series 2 (2006) Ep 9. A teacher holding parent-teacher interviews with two parents, concerned about his teaching. Winner.
Series 3 (2007) Ep 2. A high rollerpoker player who confronts his aggressive fellow players.
Series 3 (2007) Ep 6. As an Ambassador of Australia meeting the Leader of an Asian country. Dual winner.
Series 3 (2007) Ep 10. On trial in court for being caught in possession of a large amount of stolen goods.
Series 4 (2009) Ep 1. Site supervisor of a building under construction, convincing WorkSafe why his site should not be shut.
Series 4 (2009) Ep 5. As a budget airline captain, explaining a travel delay to his passengers.
Series 4 (2009 Ep 9. Part of an 80s trio now a duo looking to make a comeback. Winner.
AD/bc
Merrick appeared in 1 ep of AD/bc on SBS. AD/bc is a comedy history based quiz program which involves two teams of two (the AD team and the bc team) consisting of an academic and a comedian working together in an attempt to win the game.
Other TV Shows under his belt
2011 Between The Lines Southern Star Entertainment
2008-2009 The Merrick & Rosso Show – Series 1 & 2. Comedy Channel
2005 The B Team. Ten Network.
2003-2004 Merrick & Rosso Unplanned – Series 1, 2 & 3. Nine Network
2003-2004 World Comedy Tour Unplanned (Dual Host). Nine Network.
2000-2001 The Fat (Regular Panelist). ABC TV
2000 Super Planet Merrick & Rosso. Comedy Channel.
1999 Planet Merrick & Rosso. Comedy Channel.
1998 Raw Comedy National Final (Dual Host). ABC TV
CORPORATE
Merrick is well recognised as a leading performer in comedy and entertainment, and has a wealth of experience in MCing corporate events, awards nights, product launches, company Christmas parties etc. He can entertain your audience as auctioneer and even get results! To describe him as “multi-talented” is a gross understatement (at least that’s what he reckons!). He has the incredible ability to perform in any arena, big or small, and can cater his material for all audiences, including building a multi-media powerpoint presentation chocked full of jokes, customised to suit your occasion!
Based in Sydney but willing to travel, Merrick is perfect for those gigs that Vince Sorrenti said no to, or Richard Wilkins was too expensive for. He’s also capable of not swearing at absolutely no additional cost!
But while known as a team, Merrick has branched out in recent years to demonstrate his versatility, acting and performing in several Australian TV series on various networks. These include Nine’s hit series of 2008, Underbelly – The Tale of Two Cities; Working Dog’s Logie Award winning comedy-drama satire, The Hollowmen on ABC TV; multiple episodes of impro hit Thank God You’re Here (Seven Network and previously Network Ten); and SBS’s AD/bc (2010).
There are also numerous guest appearances in shows for all the major networks, including Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, The Spearman Experiment, Thanks for Listening – The History of Radio, Rove Live, Burke’s Backyard, All Saints, Harry’s Practice, and even Bert’s Family Feud!
Merrick continues his 10-year association with Sydney radio station NOVA 969’s Breakfast show, as part of a brand new line-up – Merrick, Dools & Monty.