She was one of the most familiar faces on Australian television for well over two decades, before retreating from the spotlight to focus on writing in 2006.
Former A Current Affair and 60 Minutes reporter Jana Wendt enjoyed an impressive television career that saw her win the coveted Gold Logie in 1992.
“To be honest, it probably means more in reflection than it did at the time,” the 62-year-old admits.
“It’s a lovely recognition.”
Jana wasn’t there to accept her award on the night, and knows it was a little “controversial.”
“It was mixed feelings when I missed it,” she says. “I would have liked to have been there. It didn’t work out that way that year. It was very controversial, obviously, that I wasn’t there.”
Her return to TV at the 2018 TV WEEK Logie Awards, where she welcomed current affairs show 60 Minutes into the Hall Of Fame, sparked a Twitter meltdown.
Jana worked as a reporter on 60 Minutes in the ’80s.
Despite viewers being keen to see more of her, Jana insists she’s much happier working off-screen.
“I’m not sure about that one,” she says, when asked about returning to TV. “But it’s lovely to see my old colleagues again.
“I’m a very happy writer. So I freelance write and write a bit of fiction as well. I just enjoy it a great deal.
“It’s lovely occasionally to do something like this [the Logies], but I think my niche is probably elsewhere.”
Jana may not be interested in returning to TV, but she can be credited with inspiring many others to pursure Journalism. Fellow 60 Minutes alum Allison Langdon reveals that Jana was actually the inspiration behind her own decision to become a journalist.
“We all travelled the world through the eyes of whoever it happened to be – Jana [Wendt], George, Ian, Jeff [McMullen],” she says. “It’s why I wanted to become a journalist. It was always the dream; the job that I wanted.”
Allison Langdon credits Jana and other 60 Minutes journalists for inspiring her.
