Jay-Jay Feeney

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Jay-Jay Feeney
JayJayFeeney.jpg
Born
Jacqulyn-Joanne Barbara Feeney

(1974-03-28) 28 March 1974 (age 47)
Spouse(s)Dominic Harvey
​
​
(m. 2004)​
Career
ShowJay-Jay & Flynny Driving You Home
Station(s)More FM
NetworkMediaWorks Radio
Time slot3 pm – 7 pm
CountryNew Zealand

Jay-Jay Feeney (previously Jay-Jay Harvey; born 28 March 1974) is a radio host on More FM's drive show, Jay-Jay & Flynny Driving You Home, with Paul Flynn. She has spent the majority of her career at The Edge, mostly on its breakfast show, until she left in December 2017.[1]

Early life[]

Feeney was born Jacqulyn-Joanne Barbara Feeney on 28 March 1974, to Robynne Andersen.[2][3] She was born in Auckland, as the result of a brief fling. Her mother Robynne married Gary Feeney who brought her up as his own daughter. When she was 37 she found her birth father on Facebook.

Career[]

Feeney began her radio career doing six weeks of work experience at Energy FM in New Plymouth at the age of 15. Over the next two years, she helped out with station promotions. At one point, she donated $50 to charity to go on air with Heemi Hill on Radio Taranaki for half an hour, and ended up staying on air for four hours. She left school at the end of sixth form and studied towards a certificate in Media Studies at Taranaki Polytechnic, while continuing to work at Energy FM; she had her first on-air break in February 1991, when the usual 1 am – 7 am weekend host didn't show up. She was later given the Monday-Friday midnight – 6 am shift, then a couple of weeks later, promoted to 7 pm – midnight.[3]

In 1994, she moved to The Breeze in Hamilton, where she hosted the drive show. She then left four months later, to host the drive show (2 pm – 7 pm) on the new station The Edge, where she started on air on 26 September 1994. In May 1995, she moved to host breakfast (6 am – 10 am) with Malcolm Paul, and drive (10 am – 2 pm) by herself.[3]

In 2015, she appeared in the sixth series of Dancing with the Stars, where she placed fourth.[4] In 2017, Feeney left The Edge after hosting for 23 years,[5][6] with her last day on air being 22 December 2017.

In April 2018, she began on More FM, hosting the drive show, Jase & Jay-Jay Driving You Home, with Jason Gunn.[5][7] Paul "Flynny" Flynn joined the show in May 2019, which became Jay-Jay, Flynny & Jase Driving You Home. Gunn subsequently left the show, and it is now known as Jay-Jay & Flynny Driving You Home.[citation needed]

Honors and awards[]

Feeney won her first two radio awards, for Best Individual Air Personality, in 1995 and 1996.[3] In 2012, the show won Best Morning Show at the New Zealand Radio Awards.[8] In 2014, Feeney hosted the New Zealand Radio Awards and the show won Best Morning Show, The Sir Paul Holmes Broadcaster of the Year award, and the 'Blackie' award (named in honor of broadcaster Kevin Black).[9] In 2018, she received a New Zealand Radio Award for Outstanding Contribution to Radio.[10]

Works[]

In 2013 she published an autobiographical book about her struggle with fertility, Misconception: A True Story of Life, Love and Infertility.[2][11] In 2016 she published a memoir, Life on the Edge.[3][12]

Personal life[]

Feeney married co-host Dominic Harvey in 2004.[13] They adopted Feeney's nephew, Seven, in 2007.[14]

She changed her name to Harvey in 2014 as a ten year anniversary gift to her husband Dominic Harvey, before changing it back to Feeney early 2018.[citation needed] In 2017, Feeney and Harvey announced their separation[15][13] and she reverted to her surname of Feeney.[citation needed]

References[]

  1. ^ McConnell, Glenn (22 December 2017). "Jay-Jay Harvey leaves The Edge – after 13 years thinking she was about to be fired". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Feeney, Jay-Jay (2013). Misconception: A True Story of Life, Love and Infertility. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781743435342.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Harvey, Jay-Jay (2016). Life on the Edge: Radio Star Reveals All. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781952535024.
  4. ^ "Joking Jay-Jay Harvey leaves Dancing With the Stars". 13 July 2015. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Van Beynen, Jack (6 May 2018). "New job, new city, no husband: Jay-Jay Feeney's brand new life". Stuff. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Jay-Jay Harvey discusses her 23-year career". Newshub. 14 November 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Jay-Jay Feeney to take 5000 selfies on New Zealand road trip before starting at More FM". 14 March 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  8. ^ Hewitson, Michele (12 May 2012). "Michele Hewitson interview: Jay-Jay Feeney". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  9. ^ "The Edge cleans up at NZ Radio Awards". The New Zealand Herald. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  10. ^ "2018 New Zealand Radio Awards winners". Radioinfo. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  11. ^ Borissenko, Sasha (5 September 2013). "DJ shares anguish of long battle to conceive". Stuff. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  12. ^ "The naked truth: Jay-Jay Harvey tells all". Woman's Day. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Burrows, Matt (8 April 2017). "'That magic spark is gone' - The Edge's Jay-Jay and Dom announce separation". Newshub. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  14. ^ Zwan, Sebastian van der (2 February 2018). "Jay-Jay Harvey heartbroken over leaving her husband and her job". Woman's Day. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Jay-Jay and Dom Harvey separate after 18 years". Stuff. 4 August 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
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