AFL star turned media sensation, Tony Armstrong has just farewelled his co-hosting job on ABC News Breakfast, because it “wasn’t scaring him anymore”.
And now, he’s launched one of his next ventures – a children’s book!
The talented 34-year-old has dug deep into his imagination to create a fabulous character – George – a wizard who lives on top of a magical mountain but is missing his friends. Here, Tony talks to Woman’s Day about why he wrote the book, what friendship means to him and how being yourself if the best thing you can do…
5 minutes with… Tony Armstrong
How did the idea for your children’s book come about?
I guess the story has always been inside me and when I sat down to write it I knew I loved magic and I loved the idea of writing a story that wasn’t necessarily ‘Indigenous’ or about footy. So that landed me here!
The book is about friendship, do you stay in touch with your childhood friends and what does friendship mean to you?
I love my school friends. I moved around quite a bit but I’ve done my best to stay in touch. Some of my best childhood mates are from boarding school. I chat with them a lot and, of course, Harriet who is a character in the book – her real-life father and mother are obviously some of my best mates and I’ve known them forever!
Did you ever struggle to fit in when you were growing up?
I struggled quite a bit with this when I was younger. I didn’t know too much about my Aboriginality, so it was a pretty tricky time as a kid. As I got older though, the more comfortable with myself
I became. I’ve found that it’s way harder to be someone else to be honest.
Why is storytelling so important?
I think storytelling is one of the things that makes the world go around. A good story can make someone forget about their struggles or transport you into a life that’s not yours. I think it’s also such
a powerful tool for connection.
What memories of reading do you have from your childhood?
I just remember loving listening to family members who could tell stories that would captivate the whole family, and just sitting down the end of tables listening to my uncles and aunties tell stories that would have the whole house roaring with laughter.
What were your favourite books as a child?
I wasn’t allowed to watch too much telly so I used to absolutely smash the books. It was all the classics, The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Hardy Boys and Biggles.
Has a book ever changed your life?
I wouldn’t say changed my life, but Magician by Raymond E. Feist is one that I have read about a million times, and it probably unlocked my love of fantasy.
You’re visiting schools to promote the book. Did you have a teacher who was special to you growing up?
Miss Dobson, an English teacher at Murray High School was a ripper. She encouraged me to use my imagination, which is a wonderful thing to hear from a teacher.
You’re also working on a slate of TV programs. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
Of course, I have been lucky enough to be able to work on a few shows lately. Extraordinary Things was a lot of fun. I’ve actually just been away shooting a project that I can’t tell you the name of, but it’s very exciting and it’s going to push people’s perceptions around food! That’s probably all I can say for now.
You can pick up a copy of George The Wizard from Big W
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