Gus Worland

Gus Worland's Biography

Much loved Australian television and radio host, and passionate advocate for building the mental fitness of Australians.

Gus founded Gotcha4Life in 2017, following the success of the ABC series Man Up and losing a very close friend and life mentor to suicide, as he realised he had the ability and networks to make a real difference.

Fast forward to April 2023, Gus was selected to speak at TED2023 in Vancouver, Canada and received a standing ovation and over a thousand hugs from the live audience. In a live and raw TED talk, which will make its way around the globe, Gus spoke on helping people develop the emotional muscle and social connections needed to prevent suicide and build mental fitness.

Gus simply does not accept the alarming statistics surrounding suicide in Australia and that nine beautiful people take their life every day. Gotcha4Life believes in the power of prevention through connection and champions the idea of proactively building mental fitness and the emotional resilience required to navigate the challenges that life throws at us. We trust in the concept of starting meaningful conversations by developing better social and emotional connections with mates, families, colleagues, and community. Gotcha4Life’s mission is to inspire and enable people to take action to build their mental fitness, so no one worries alone.

Driving change through projects and programs in schools, sports clubs, and communities. Gus wants to:

• Get to the bottom of the suicide crisis, effect real social change and hopefully save lives.
• Raise awareness about the multifaceted health benefits associated with having a close mate.
• Reduce the alarming statistics on suicide across Australia regardless of culture, socio-economic status, religion, ethnicity, gender identification or age.
• Have a real impact in helping Aussies identify when they are struggling.
• Empower men & women with positive strategies to seek support and social connectedness.
• Enable people to actively listen, to have transparent conversations and express themselves in meaningful ways.

GUS, WHAT IS A GOTCHA4LIFE MATE TO YOU? “Someone you can have a conversation with warts and all. Someone you can talk to about anything at any time and you know you are not going to be judged. Having a friend or set of friends that you can talk to about absolutely anything at any time. Being able to be honest and vulnerable knowing you are safe, loved, and respected

GUS, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME GOTCHA4LIFE?

“When I really understand what someone is talking about, I say ‘I gotcha’ and when a person hears those words I can instantly see their reaction. Straight away they feel better about the situation. They know I’ve got them. After that we shake hands, pull it in and hug it out. It is a proven fact that an embrace, physical touch and contact will make you feel better. It works for me and my mates.”

Gus Worland is an Australian television and radio personality and director and founder of mental health foundation, Gotcha4Life. He is well known for his series of reality television programs for Foxtel (An Aussie Goes Barmy, An Aussie Goes Bolly and An Aussie Goes Calypso) and A&E (Marathon Man). He has also covered Commonwealth and Olympic Games for Foxtel.

In 2023, he is a regular for the Nine Network on Sports Sunday, Today, and Weekend Today as an expert panellist and host.

Gus is a prolific keynote speaker and speaks to audiences of all demographics from all over Australia. Gus was selected to speak at TED2023 in Vancouver, Canada to present a segment on helping people develop emotional muscle and social connections needed to prevent suicide and build mental fitness.

Gus is a sporting tragic and continues to use his passion to entertain audiences. He appeared on Fox Sports hosting Cricket Tragic (season 2 aired over the 2020 summer of cricket) and regularly on Fox’s sports panel program, The Back Page.

Gus spent 10 years in breakfast radio on Triple M. Starting on The Grill Team in 2009, within two years they doubled their ratings for this time slot, and Gus was awarded ‘Best On Air Newcomer’ at the 2010 Australian Commercial Radio Awards. The Grill Team changed to Moon Man in the Morning in 2019. In 2020, Gus moved to The Deadset Legends, a live sports chat show every Saturday Morning with Wendell Sailor and Jude Bolton. Due to popular demand the trio moved to Sydney Triple M Drive in 2021 with the show being called The Rush Hour.

Hosting the 2016 ABC series Man Up was pivotal for Gus. The series was an exploration of modern masculinity (which Gus views is toxic) and men’s mental health issues – challenging masculine stereotypes and getting men better connected and breaking the silence around suicide.

Following the enormous impact of Man Up, Gus founded Gotcha4Life with the mission to target Men’s Mental Health. Gotcha4Life today drives real change and funds educational workshops and innovative training programs throughout Australia that build mental fitness in all individuals, organisations, and communities to activate strong, open and binding relationships.

He was an enormously engaged ambassador for the 2018 Invictus Games.

He has been married for over 20 years to Vicky and has three teenage kids. Women want him to meet their mothers and blokes want to be him: Gus just wants to give them all a hug.

Speaking Topics Include

Mental wellbeing

Gus' goal is to build the mental fitness of all Australians and trust in the concept of starting meaningful conversations by developing better social and emotional connections with mates, families, colleagues and the community.

In his keynote Gus:

Shares his personal story and how it led him to found Gotcha4Life which funds educational workshops and innovative training programs throughout Australia.

Empowers with positive strategies to seek support and social connectedness.

Enables people to actively listen and to have transparent conversation and express themselves in meaningful ways.

Raises awareness about the multi faceted health benefits associated with having a close mate.