Maia Dunphy

Maia Conchita Dunphy (born 8 August 1976) is an Irish television producer, broadcaster and writer.

Early life

Dunphy grew up in Dalkey in County Dublin. Her father is originally from New Ross and her mother Helen from Spain, but grew up in England. She attended school in Paris, France, for several years, before returning to Ireland to attend St Andrews College, Blackrock.

Dunphy graduated from Trinity College, Dublin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and French.^[1]

Career

Dunphy has written and produced for many comedy shows for RTÉ including Podge & Rodge and Katherine Lynch's Wagon's Den and books such as The Ballydung Bible, and has worked with Dustin the Turkey and Zig and Zag. She writes regular columns for The Dubliner magazine, the Irish Independent Insider Magazine and the Evening Herald in Ireland. Dunphy wrote the Mr. Tayto spoof autobiography The Man in the Jacket in 2009 which famously kept former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern off the Christmas No.1 spot in the book charts. She is a contributor on the RTÉ 2fm Ryan Tubridy Show and has also sat in for Colm Hayes.

In January 2012, Dunphy wrote and hosted a documentary on the Irish baby boom for RTÉ as part of the Reality Bites series. She also began appearing as a regular panelist on the Craig Doyle Live show. Her second documentary Merlot & Me aired on RTÉ in January 2013 to critical acclaim.

In September 2013, a four-part documentary series Maia Dunphy's What Women Want began on RTÉ. The series covered four female centric topics: the pressure on women to stay looking young and the lengths some go to in 'Forever Young'; how women really feel about sex and the importance of female sexuality in 'Best Sex Ever'; the increasing problem of anxiety and benzodiazepine use in 'Calm'; and how many Irish women are breaking away from the traditional ideals of relationships and family in 'Happily Ever After'. The series was well received. The second series was broadcast on RTÉ 2 in November and December 2014 and looked at food fads and our continuance to fall for the latest in 'Food Not Fear'; the love of shopping, from designer bags to the buzz of a bargain in 'Retail Therapy'; how perceptions of beauty have become skewed in 'The Secrets of Attraction'; and the ongoing cult of celebrity in 'Fame'.

In October 2015 a new series Maia Dunphy's Truth About aired on RTÉ 2

In December 2014, Dunphy won the Irish Tatler Woman of the Year award for Entertainment.

In August 2013, she was a finalist on Celebrity MasterChef: Ireland.^[2][3]

On 18 June 2014, Dunphy and her husband Johnny Vegas took part in an episode of All Star Mr & Mrs.^[4] They won the episode and the jackpot for their chosen charity.

Personal life

In April 2011, Dunphy married British comedian Michael Pennington Sr., aka Johnny Vegas, in her mother's home town of Seville, Spain.^[5] The couple live in London.^[6]

On 26 January 2015, Dunphy posted an image of her ultrasound,^[7] announcing that the couple were expecting their first child together. Their son Tom was born in July 2015. Dunphy is a supporter of many animal charities including Dogs Trust, Dublin Zoo and Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary in Sabah, where she spent a year working in 2000.

External links

• Maia Dunphy at the Internet Movie Database
• Official Twitter

References