Michelle Garforth-Venter

Michelle Garforth-Venter has successfully secured her name on both sides of the Atlantic as a highly respected international TV Anchor, Producer and award winning Journalist.

2010 is a pioneering year for Michelle, her husband Riaan and indeed South African television with the launch of a first ever South African produced 30 part half hour television reality series of this kind called 'Love & Mortar' on the DSTV Home Channel (#182). The show invited audiences into their lives as they built their ultimate bio-climatic family home and educated one and all on eco-friendly cost saving initiatives.

2010 also saw Michelle become a first time Mom on Friday 9, April, her birthday, welcoming a healthy baby boy.
In March 2010, Glamour magazine voted Michelle 'Woman of the Year' in the media category and the award ceremony took place at The Grace Hotel, Rosebank, Johannesburg.

At the 2009 Kudu Awards, Michelle was presented with the prestigious 'Environmental Media Contribution to Conservation, Best Journalist Award'.

During 2009 and after 3 wildly successful seasons, viewer ratings soared for her television show 'Wild Ltd 4'! The fourth season is in its regular weekly Monday evening timeslot on SABC 2 at 18:00 as from January 19, 2009 for 26 episodes. On the show Michelle continues to explore the plight of animals under threat and also recognises the growing and urgent public concerns for the planet. Her aims are to raise public awareness of planetary needs and show conservation management tools and the people behind the scenes.

When she is not the bush, on assignment or strategising television productions that make the public sit up and think, her and her husband, Riaan Garforth-Venter are educating and campaigning for conservation education, both with animals and eco - environmental issues.

Michelle believes that it is all about starting with self in order to save the planet and indeed saving ourselves. Each positive action, no matter how small creates a positive ripple effect. She does her utmost to live an environmentally aware and green lifestyle and was initially surprised to learn just how easy it is.

She is currently writing a book as well as spearheading 'green' workshops to encourage and teach large corporations and the public to take to the challenge and start making the changes necessary to play their part in the fight against global climate change.

Michelle says, "To be part of an effort to raise awareness about the plight of wildlife, their natural habitats and the environment that we all share, is incredibly rewarding and humbling. People are now realising that change cannot wait until tomorrow - it all starts with today!"

2008 was a big year for Michelle when she married TV DIY guru Riaan Venter, now Garforth-Venter, on 12 April 2008 in an event that remained true to Michelle's passion for the bush and the environment. An impressive mommy elephant with her two babies as bridesmaids gracefully walked Michelle down the aisle while zebras, giraffes and wildebeest looked on as witnesses celebrating the big day.

In 2004 the catalyst to her founding not one but three production companies was seeing the planet; wildlife and ecosystems deteriorate throughout her international travels. So the two TV series 'Wild Ltd' (for adults) and 'Bush Radar' (for children) took South African television and audiences by storm. Both with a message to inform and educate viewers what we've done to the world and how we can make a difference to hopefully repair 'some' of the damage.

2003 saw Michelle return to her native South Africa from the USA where she spent five incredible years working on a wide spectrum of TV shows. Taking up the position of Host of SABC 2's 'Morning Live', the nations primary current affairs, news and information show, she was live on-air each day from 6am to 8am.

The launch of the cable channel "Fine Living" premiered in 2002 with the series "Luxury Adventures" - Michelle co-produced and hosted a 6-part production of premier destinations in Southern Africa.

From 1998 to 2003 Michelle was the Anchor for Northwest Airlines/KLM in-flight entertainment programme, putting travelers at ease with her articulate presentation.
In 1998 she was relocated to Los Angeles by the Travel Channel, to co-host with Peter Greenburg, the daily show "Travel Daily". Michelle reported on the plight of wild animals worldwide, for the popular "World Gone Wild" series - Fox Family Channel.

She gained notoriety by co-hosting the national American magazine show, "Inside CART" - taking a "behind the scenes" look at North Americas' premier open-wheel motor sport. She co-hosted the shows from each of the 20 race venues spanning five countries and four continents airing to a staggering 72 million viewers with further coverage in South America and Europe via ESPN International.

Michelle has also worked on Game Wardens "Wildlife Journal" as a Field Reporter and Segment Producer, a show dedicated to the men and women who protect the great outdoors of America and invites viewers to "get inside the great outdoors.

The springboard for her international career was conceptualising and selling a thirteen part, half hour T.V series to Discovery Channel International in 1997 - 'African Adventures' - the first time a South African team had been commissioned by DCI (Washington). The series combined eco-travel - long before it became fashionable, action adventure and wild animals. Twenty five adventures combined skydiving, kayaking, off-road motor biking, camel safari's, scuba diving with and without sharks and summating the highest point in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro.

As a former classically trained dancer she initially redirected her career to commence broadcasting as one of the original hosts for "Top Billing" - 1991 - 1998 covering the globe shooting various entertainment, fashion, wildlife and culinary stories. She has interviewed politicians and stars such as, The Rolling Stones, Cindy Lauper, The Beach Boys, R.E.M, Pavarotti and Patrick Swayze, putting them at ease with her professional ability combined with an infectious personality.

Michelle and Riaan believe it's not about preaching it, but about living it!

Organisations that Michelle and Riaan work with include:

SANCOB
SANWILD (patrons)
Free Me
Cart Horse Protection Unit
C.A.R.E
C.R.O.W
Earth Hour (WWF), Ambassadors
Some of Michelle's many career highlights include:
2007: Bush Radar and Wild Ltd expansion (concept & production)
2006: Strictly Come Dancing, where her enthusiasm and dedications saw her all the way to the finals
Spirit of Africa Trophy, where she shadowed the racing legend Sarel van der Merwe in a series of sand drive challenges through Namibia
1998: Living in Los Angeles co-hosting 'Travel Daily' with Peter Greenburg
Michelle learned at an early age that "you're either a winner or a loser." She's chosen to be a winner and her achievements and on-going success is phenomenal

SPECIAL SKILLS:
1) Voice Over artist
2) Field Reporter / Producer / Director
3) Columnist
4) Scuba Diver