Who is Courtney Act, Australia's new Eurovision commentator?

Courtney Act, Australia's dazzling drag superstar, has joined SBS as host for the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, alongside the ever-charming Tony Armstrong. Here's a quick Courtney Act 101.

Courtney Act, Shane Jenek, was born in Brisbane in 1982 and first burst onto our screens during the inaugural season of Australian Idol in 2003. She quickly became a fan favourite while leaning into her subversion of gender norms with her iconic rendition of ACDC's You Shook Me All Night Long, which she reprised for Sydney New Year's Eve ABC broadcast. She made the Idol top 13, becoming an Aussie household name.

After the show, she signed with BMG Australia and released her debut single, Rub Me Wrong which climbed to No. 29 on the ARIA Singles Chart.

But Courtney could not be restricted to the popstar box. Her 2014 appearance on Season 6 of RuPaul’s Drag Race brought her international recognition, finishing as a joint runner-up. Then, in 2018, she crossed the pond and won Celebrity Big Brother UK. She was widely praised for her adept use of charm, wits and empathy to educate viewers about queer identity, gender fluidity and acceptance. Beauty and brains to boot.

A Longstanding Eurovision Love Affair

Courtney’s connection to Eurovision has been building for years. In 2019, she competed in Eurovision – Australia Decides with her original song Fight For Love, finishing fourth. Her powerhouse performance was praised for its energy, pride and Eurovision-worthy staging.

In 2024, she returned to the Eurovision world, this time as SBS’s backstage correspondent. She charmed her way through interviews with artists, gave us behind-the-scenes glam and cemented her place in the Eurovision family.

Now, in 2025, she steps up as one half of Australia’s Eurovision correspondent team. Paired with Tony Armstrong, the two promise to deliver a fresh and fabulous take on this year’s song contest. Courtney summed it up best:

“I was not prepared for how much I would enjoy Eurovision last year, and this year I’m back, now with everyone’s favourite IT man, Tony Armstrong.”

A Champion for the LGBTIQA+ Community

Courtney Act has never shied away from using her platform to advocate for LGBTIQA+ rights and visibility. She’s more than performer, she's also an activist shining a light on LGBTIQA+ issues and lending her voice to other causes.

In 2021, she joined Equality Australia and LGBTIQ+ Health Australia in pushing for more inclusive national census data, arguing that “visibility saves lives.” She backed it up again in 2023, supporting the "yes" vote in Australia's First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum, connecting it to the same need for inclusion and recognition that powered the national marriage equality vote.

Courtney is also not afraid to put politicians on the spot. At the 2025 Rainbow Votes forum, Courtney took centre stage and questioned Senator Andrew Bragg about his party’s stance on trans rights and faith-based school discrimination policies.

In a ground-breaking episode of CBBC’s Celebrity Supply Teacher, Courtney taught kids about gender and sexuality in a way that was honest, supportive and refreshingly matter-of-fact.

“It’s OK for boys to like boys, girls to like both, or to not even be a boy or a girl,” she told her class.

A simple message, but one that many kids still don’t get to hear.

She’s also a fixture of SBS’s annual Mardi Gras broadcast and a familiar face in Pride events across Australia and beyond. Whether she’s hosting, singing, dancing or educating, Courtney's authenticity is what helps her connect with diverse audiences and communities.

A Natural Eurovision Fit

SBS Head of Entertainment Emily Griggs said it best when she announced the new hosting duo: “Courtney brings a wealth of knowledge about music and performance, while Tony’s curiosity and enthusiasm make him a natural for the job.”

With her Eurovision history, her love of performance and her unwavering commitment to inclusion, Courtney Act's new role helping guide us through Eurovision 2025 through Aussie eyes is a perfect fit.

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