Denise Margaret Scott (born 24 April 1955)All that happened at number 26 / Denise Scott , ACT Public Library. is an Australian stand-up comedian, actor, television and radio presenter.
Career Scott has appeared frequently on Australian television since her regular slot on ABC TV's The Big Gig in 1990, and a weekly segment on Tonight Live with Steve Vizard.Lallo, Mike: All jokes aside …, The Age, 3 November 2008. Scott was one of the most frequent guests on musical quiz show Spicks and Specks, and appeared several times on The Glass House and Good News Week.
In 1993 she performed the live show, Women Stand Up! with Sue Ingleton and Lynda Gibson. She also co-starred with Judith Lucy and Lynda Gibson in stage spectaculars Comedy Is Not Pretty (1999) and Comedy Is Still Not Pretty (2003).
She was a member of the Vega 91.5 FM breakfast radio show; Dave and Denise with Shaun Micallef (formerly called Shaun, Beverley and Denise), until she finished up with Vega on 23 November 2007.
Scott has made appearances on Network 10 shows Can of Worms, The Circle, The Project, All Star Family Feud, Would I Lie to You?, Have You Been Paying Attention?, Hughesy, We Have a Problem, The Cheap Seats, Talkin' 'Bout Your Gen and Sam Pang Tonight. Scott starred as Trish Gross in the Australian drama series Winners & Losers on the Seven Network. She appeared as a guest on the talk show Can of Worms on Network Ten on Monday 29 August. Scott also appeared on Channel 31's To Hell in a Handbasket, with Dolly Diamond on Tuesday 17 December 2013.
Scott stars as Gwen in the Australian ABC comedy series It's a Date. (16 July 2013). Retrieved on 16 April 2014.
In 2017, Scott started narrating the Australian travel series Travel Guides on the Nine Network, and again teamed up with Judith Lucy for a new live show, Disappointments which commenced touring and was performed in Melbourne in April 2017 as part of the International Comedy Festival.
In April 2018, Network Ten announced Scott would join Studio 10 as a panelist.
In 2019, Scott competed in the sixteenth season of Dancing with the Stars, where she was paired up with Jeremy Garner. She was second to be eliminated from the competition.
In July 2019, Scott announced her resignation as a panelist on Studio 10.
In 2023, she starred in the reboot of the popular sitcom Mother and Son, written by Geoffrey Atherden. Scott portrayed the ageing and frail Maggie, alongside Matt Okine who played her son Arthur. The series re-imagining also introduced a multicultural aspect, with the current Arthur being from a migrant background
On 4 July 2025, Scott voiced Tortoise in Andy Lee's animated series based on his book of the same name Do Not Watch This Show.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Type 1985 Malcolm Willy's Wife Feature film 1988 An Ordinary Woman Short film 1992 Vaudeville Natural Normans TV movie1995 Gorgeous Additional characters (voices) Short film Maidenhead Hat Shop Woman Short film 2007 The Sounds of Aus Self TV movie 2013 Mother's Boy Mother Short film 2014 Timothy Melinda Garrett TV movie
Television Year Title Role Type 1989–1990 Tuesday Night Live: The Big Gig Carmen / Babs Blewitt / Jude / Escort Agent / Doris / Wife / Magazine Reader 9 episodes 1992 Six Pack Katherine 1 episode Let the Blood Run Free Mrs Rottweiler 1 episode 1993–1995 Full Frontal Various characters 26 episodes 1996 Neighbours Coral Reeves 2 episodes 1997 Good Guys, Bad Guys Waitress 1 episode Get a Life Daphne Stork 1998 Halifax f.p. Shiri 1 episode The Genie from Down Under 2 Denise 1 episode 1999 Blue Heelers Pam Kelly 1 episode SeaChange Wilhelmina Seagull 1 episode 2000 Introducing Gary Perry Woman at Zoo 1 episode One Size Fits All Various characters 13 episodes 2001 Shock Jock Miss Wanda 1 episode 2002 Short Cuts Mrs Coxon 4 episodes 2009 The Librarians Nurse 1 episode2010 Bed of Roses Patti Rankin 1 episode Sleuth 101 Enid 1 episode 2011 Judith Lucy's Spiritual Journey Sister Aileen (flashback) 1 episode 2011–2016 Winners & Losers Trish Gross Seasons 1–5, 75 episodes 2013 To Hell in a Handbasket, with Dolly Diamond TV series Being Brendo Brenda Abbott 2 episodes 2013–2014 It's a Date Gwen 2 episodes 2014 Bleak: The Web Series Noni Web series, 3 episodes 2015 Please Like Me Doctor 1 episode 2015–2017 House Husbands Nurse Toni Season 4–5, 14 episodes 2016 Jack Irish Sybill McLeod 2 episodes 2017 Travel Guides Narrator 2018 True Story with Hamish & Andy Bernadette 1 episode 2019 Get Krackin Margaret 1 episode 2021–2022 Fisk Leslie 2 episodes 2023–present Mother and Son Maggie 8 episodes 2025 Do Not Watch This Show Tortoise (voice) 12 episodes
Television (as self) Year Title Role Type 1990 Tonight Live with Steve Vizard Regular guest TV series 1996 In Melbourne Tonight Self TV series, 1 episode 1998 Smallest Room in the House Self TV series, 1 episode 2000 The Big Schmooze Self TV series, 1 episode 2001–04 Rove Live Guest TV series, 3 episodes 2004 Stand Up! Self TV series, 1 episode 2004 Australian Idol Self TV series, 1 episode 2005 Good Morning Australia Self TV series, 1 episode 2006 Bert's Family Feud Team Captain TV series, 3 episodes 2007 The Sideshow Self TV series, 1 episode 2005–22 Spicks and Specks Regular panellist TV series, 47 episodes 2009–10 Good News Week Guest TV series, 2 episodes 2009–10 Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation Self TV series, 3 episodes 2009–11 The Project Guest TV series, 46 episodes 2010 The Breast Darn Show in Town Self TV special 2011 Warehouse Comedy Festival Self TV series 2011–12 Can of Worms Guest TV series, 2 episodes 2012 The Circle Self TV series, 1 episode 2012 Total Agony Self TV series, 6 episodes 2012 Pictures of You Self TV series 2013 Adam Hills Tonight Self TV series, 1 episode 2013 This Week Live Self TV series 2013 Tractor Monkeys Self TV series, 3 episodes 2015 Judith Lucy Is All Woman Self TV series, 6 episodes 2015–17 Stop Laughing...This Is Serious Self TV series, 3 episodes 2016 Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery Self TV series, 1 episode 2016 The Big Music Quiz Contestant TV series, 2 episodes The Glass House Guest TV series 2017 All Star Family Feud Contestant TV series 2017 The Justine Clark Show Self TV series 2017–18 The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Self TV series, 2 episodes 2017–19 Travel Guides Narrator TV series, 16 episodes 2018 Midsumma VAC Hypothetical 2018 Panellist TV special 2018 Studio 10 Co-host TV series, 3 episodes 2018 Tomorrow Tonight Panellist TV series, 1 episode 2018–22 Have You Been Paying Attention? Panellist TV series, 19 episodes 2018–21 Hughesy, We Have a Problem Guest TV series, 8 episodes 2019 Dancing with the Stars Contestant TV series, season 16, 5 episodes – second to be eliminated 2019 Behave Yourself Self TV series, 1 episode 2020 Lady O'Loughlin Self TV series 2020 Who Do You Think You Are? Self TV series, 1 episode 2020 Play School Self TV series, 1 episode 2022 Would I Lie to You? Guest TV series, 1 episode 2022 The Cheap Seats Self TV series 2022 The Dog House Australia Self TV series, 1 episode 2022 The Hundred with Andy Lee Panellist TV series, 1 episode 2025 Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee (Australia) Self Season 2, episode 4
Radio Year Title Role Station 2004 The Judith Lucy Show Weekly segment 2Day FM2005 774 ABC Evenings with Derek Guille Host (3 weeks) ABC Radio The Arvo with Judith Lucy and Peter Helliar Weekly segment 2Day FM 2006–2007 Dave and Denise with Shaun Micallef (formerly Shaun, Beverley and Denise) Co-host Vega 91.5 FM 2013–2015 Breakfast with Meshel and Tommy Regular guest appearances Nova 1002019 Hughesy & Kate Fill in co-host Hit Network Kennedy Molloy – National Drive Regular guest appearances Triple M
Stage Year Title Role Venue / Company 1990 The Second Royal Commission – Ensemble Show Comedian Melbourne International Comedy Festival A Natural Normans Christmas Comedian Last Laugh, Melbourne This Is Denise Scott Solo comedy act Hilton Hotel, Melbourne 1992 Extraordinary Encounters of a Mundane Kind Solo comedy act Melbourne Fringe Festival1993 Women Stand Up! Comedian Sing & Swing Comedian Last Laugh, Melbourne 1993–1994 Canberra Comedy Summit Comedian Canberra Theatre Centre 1996 Life of the Party Solo comedy act Melbourne International Comedy Festival 1998 Mum's the Word Comedian Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide 1999–2000; 2003 Comedy is Not Pretty Comedian Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Adelaide Fringe, Sydney Opera House 2000 Suburban Riot Solo comedy act Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Adelaide Fringe 2003 Comedy is Still Not Pretty Comedian Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2004 Scotty & Son Comedian Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Albury-Wodonga Comedy Festival 2005 Denise Scott Gives Good Council Solo comedy act Melbourne International Comedy Festival2007 Up Front Solo comedy act OVCA Lynda Gibson Memorial Comedy Event Solo comedy act Melbourne Athenaeum Regrets Solo comedy act Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2008–2009 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow Solo comedy act Australian national tour 2009 Byron Writers Festival Comedian Byron Bay, New South Wales 2009–2010 Number 26 Solo comedy act Australian national tour 2011–2012 Solo comedy act Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, Brisbane Comedy Festival 2012 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow Solo comedy act Singapore, Hong Kong2013 The Spiral Comedian Australian national tour Bendigo Writer's Festival Solo comedy act Bendigo, Victoria Laugh Your Tits Off - Love Your Sister Fundraiser Solo comedy act Woodford Folk Festival Solo comedy act Woodford, Queensland 2014–2015 Mother Bare Solo comedy act Australian national tour2016 Not Just For Laughs Comedian Regional QLD tour Lorne Performing Arts Festival Solo comedy act Lorne, Victoria Queenscliff Music Festival Solo comedy act Queenscliff, Victoria 2016–2018 Disappointments Comedian Australian national tour, London Soho Theatre 2019 Byron Bay Comedy Festival Solo comedy act Byron Bay, New South Wales 2022 Still Here Comedian Australian national tour
Writer Year Title Role Type 2009 All That Happened At Number 26 Author Autobiographical novel 2012 The Tour Author Autobiographical novel The Australian Women's Weekly Columnist Monthly column
Awards & honours Year Nominated work Award Category Result1999 Comedy Is Not Pretty Melbourne International Comedy Festival Stella Award for Best Show Extraordinary Encounters of a Mundane Kind Radio National Award Best Solo Performer in the Melbourne Fringe Festival 2000 Suburban Riot Melbourne International Comedy Festival Barry Award for Most Outstanding Show 2003 Comedy is Still Not Pretty Age Critics Award 2004 Comedy is Still Not Pretty Green Room Awards Most Innovative Use of Form and Most Outstanding Cabaret Show Scotty and Son Melbourne International Comedy Festival Barry Award for Most Outstanding Show 2005 Denise Scott Gives Good Council Barry Award for Most Outstanding Show 2009 Number 26 Groggy Squirrel Critics' Award 2011 Regrets Helpmann Awards Best Comedy Performer Regrets Melbourne International Comedy Festival Director's Choice Award 2014 Winners & Losers Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Mother Bare Melbourne International Comedy Festival Barry Award for Most Outstanding Show 2017 Disappointments with Denise Scott and Judith Lucy People's Choice Award 2023 Denise Scott Member of the Order of Australia Significant service to the arts as a comedian and actress
Personal life Scott grew up in Greensborough, Victoria. She lives with her partner John, whom she met whilst in a clowning ensemble in Albury-Wodonga. She has two children, musician Jordie Lane and multidisciplinary artist Bonnie Lane.
Scott was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer (HER2-positive) just before embarking on the Mother and Son reboot, and underwent chemotherapy while shooting.