Denise Drysdale, the bubbly dancer turned Gold Logie winner, now lives a quieter life with her best friend Jessica Rowe in Sydney. But her journey from child performer to beloved TV personality has been marked by a serious health battle and a nickname that stuck.
Full Name: Denise Anne Christina Drysdale ·
Born: 31 December 1948 (age 75) ·
Occupation: Television presenter, entertainer, actress, singer, dancer, comedian ·
Notable Awards: Two Gold Logie Awards (1973, 1974) ·
Nickname: Ding Dong ·
Years Active: 1958–present
Quick snapshot
- Won two Gold Logie awards in 1973 and 1974 (Wikipedia)
- Diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, underwent brain surgery in June 2022 (Central Neurosurgery)
- Lives rent-free with Jessica Rowe and her family in Sydney (TV Tonight)
- Never married, no children (Wikipedia)
- Exact timeline of her long-term relationship with Peter Cullum (Wikipedia)
- Whether she has any other ongoing health conditions beyond trigeminal neuralgia (Wikipedia)
- 1958: First TV appearance as a junior ballet dancer (Wikipedia)
- 1973–1974: Won back-to-back Gold Logies (Wikipedia)
- 2021: First trigeminal neuralgia flare-up (News.com.au)
- June 2022: Brain surgery (Central Neurosurgery)
- 2023: Contestant on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! (Network Ten)
- 2024: Moved in with Jessica Rowe (TV Tonight)
- Continuing to appear on TV as a guest and maintain public appearances (Apple Podcasts)
- Co-hosting the podcast One Fat Lady and One Thin Lady with Jessica Rowe (Apple Podcasts)
Before we get into the details, here are the key facts about Denise Drysdale at a glance.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Denise Anne Christina Drysdale |
| Birth Date | 31 December 1948 |
| Birthplace | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Television presenter, dancer, comedian |
| Awards | Two Gold Logies |
| Nickname | Ding Dong |
| Notable TV Shows | The Go!! Show, Hey Hey It’s Saturday, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! |
| Marital Status | Never married |
| Children | None |
| Residence | Lives with Jessica Rowe in Sydney |
What is Denise Drysdale doing now?
Current TV appearances and projects
Denise Drysdale is essentially retired from full-time television, but she hasn’t disappeared entirely. In 2023, she appeared as a contestant on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Australia, a show that brought her back into the national spotlight (Network Ten). She also co-hosts a podcast with Jessica Rowe called One Fat Lady and One Thin Lady, where the two longtime friends chat about life, health, and their careers (Apple Podcasts).
Living with Jessica Rowe
One of the most surprising developments in recent years is that Drysdale now lives with her best friend, Jessica Rowe, and Rowe’s family in Sydney. In a 2023 interview with TV Tonight, Drysdale confirmed she stays with Rowe and her husband Peter Overton when she visits Sydney, having sold her own home. She has described Rowe as “like a daughter to me” (The Morning Show).
Recent health updates
After a devastating period of pain from trigeminal neuralgia that left her barely able to function in 2021 and 2022, Drysdale underwent brain surgery in June 2022. By December 2023, she told New Idea that she had been pain-free for a full year and had regained her mobility (New Idea). She described the relief as getting her “fun-filled old life back” (Central Neurosurgery).
Drysdale’s health turnaround is remarkable: from a condition so severe it affected her walk and daily tasks, to a full recovery that allowed her to return to television and even go into the jungle. The surgery gave her back a life that, just a year earlier, seemed lost.
The implication: This recovery underscores the effectiveness of modern neurosurgery and Drysdale’s own resilience.
Did Denise Drysdale ever marry?
Marriage history
No, Denise Drysdale never married. Despite a long and public career, she has remained single, a fact often noted in her biographies. She has said she never felt the need to marry and that her career and friendships were enough.
Relationship with Peter Cullum
For many years, Drysdale was in a relationship with Peter Cullum. The exact timeline is not publicly documented, but the relationship was well-known in entertainment circles. She has no children.
The pattern: Drysdale prioritized her career and close friendships over traditional family structures. The trade-off was a life full of public adoration but without the private support of a spouse or children — a choice she has always defended.
Does Denise Drysdale have trigeminal neuralgia?
What is trigeminal neuralgia?
Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from the face to the brain. Drysdale described the pain as “like being electrocuted” (New Idea). The condition is caused by an artery pressing on the nerve, she explained.
Denise’s diagnosis and treatment
Drysdale experienced her first severe flare-up in May 2021, leading to hospitalization (News.com.au; Yahoo Lifestyle). She was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia and underwent a microvascular decompression surgery in June 2022. The procedure lasted two and a half hours, and she reported that the pain vanished as soon as the anaesthesia wore off.
Impact on her life
Before surgery, the condition severely limited her mobility. She told New Idea that even simple movements like getting items out of a drawer became difficult. The pain also changed the way she walked. After surgery, she regained her mobility and was able to return to work on Studio 10 with Jessica Rowe.
For a woman who built her career on physical energy and dance, losing the ability to move freely was devastating. The fact that she recovered fully enough to appear on a reality show in 2023 highlights both modern neurosurgery and her own resilience.
The catch: Drysdale’s health scare forced her to rely on her support network, but it also reaffirmed her ability to bounce back.
What did Ernie Sigley call Denise Drysdale?
Ding Dong: The nickname’s origin
Ernie Sigley, Drysdale’s co-host on the 1960s pop show The Go!! Show, gave her the nickname “Ding Dong” as a playful reference to her bubbly personality and the segment they performed together. The name stuck for decades, and Drysdale herself embraced it, using it in her stage acts and even in the title of her autobiography.
The partnership with Ernie Sigley
Sigley and Drysdale were one of Australian television’s most iconic duos. Their chemistry on The Go!! Show (1964-1967) made them household names. Drysdale later said Sigley was a mentor and a dear friend (National Film and Sound Archive of Australia).
Legacy of the nickname
Even today, many Australians refer to Drysdale as “Ding Dong” — a rare example of a childhood nickname that outlasted the original show. It appears in her official bios and is used affectionately by the media.
The implication: The nickname “Ding Dong” is more than a catchphrase; it’s a cultural bookmark that ties Drysdale to a golden era of Australian television variety shows.
Where does Denise Drysdale live now?
Current home with Jessica Rowe
Denise Drysdale lives with Jessica Rowe and her husband Peter Overton (the Nine News presenter) and their children in Sydney. She moved in after selling her own home, and the arrangement is rent-free, according to a 2023 interview.
Reason for moving in with Rowe
The friendship between Drysdale and Rowe goes back decades. They worked together on Studio 10 and became so close that Drysdale is considered a member of the family. After her health scare and the sale of her Melbourne home, it made sense to move to Sydney to be near her support network and work opportunities.
Property details
While the exact address is private, the home is in Sydney’s northern suburbs. Drysdale has described it as a “warm, chaotic family home” where she feels completely at ease.
The catch: Drysdale
Victoria Hayes is Editor-in-Chief at Aussie Wire Hub, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.