Countdown to Carols: New Carols cohost, Sarah Abo

Vision Australia Radio host Chris Thompson speaks to new Carols recruit and Nine personality, Sarah Abo, who will take to the stage of the Sydney Myer Music Bowl, cohosting for the first time with everyone's favorite David Campbell. 

Catch Vision Australia Carols by Candlelight from 8 pm Christmas Eve on 9 and 9 Now. Why not turn your TV volume down and listen to our Vision Australia Radio audio described simulcast? Making the Carols accessible to the blind and low vision community and those who can't be in front of the telly ;) 

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Episode Transcript

S1 (00:04):
Well, while John is hosting the radio broadcast of Carols
by Candlelight, and Susie is providing the audio description. Um,
there'll be two other hosts who are actually onsite at
the Music Bowl, um, hosting this year's Carols by Candlelight.
David Campbell, who's a bit of a veteran at it. Um,

(00:26):
and Sarah Abo, you're doing it for the first time.
Welcome to the show.

S2 (00:31):
Um, thank you very much, Chris. Yes, I'm the newbie
this time round. Ah, dude, I've got all the, you know,
schoolgirl duties, I have to say, first day of school
kind of vibe.

S1 (00:43):
Do they? Is there a Carols by Candlelight hosting boot
camp that you have to go to to get yourself ready?

S2 (00:49):
I wish there was, but I feel like I'm ready because,
you know, this is an event that I grew up with.
I attended as a child. I watched at home with,
you know, with our family, with our extended family every
Christmas Eve. Um, so I feel like I'm pretty familiar
with it. But, you know, anything can happen on the
stage up there, right? Especially with DC as my co-host,
the all singing, all dancing, you know, all entertaining DC.

(01:11):
I feel like I've got to I've got to keep
up with him. So we'll see how it turns out.

S1 (01:16):
So you're not doing a little duet together, the two
of you?

S2 (01:19):
Oh goodness. No, I would never subject the audience to that.
As much as I'd like to think I can sing,
I think the record proves otherwise. So no, I won't
be doing that.

S1 (01:28):
So tell me about. Could you remember the first time
you either went to or saw Carols by Candlelight?

S2 (01:34):
Yeah, I have vague memories of going as a child.
I think back in the day it would have been
when Ray Martin was hosting. How's that for a throwback? Um,
I know a long time ago. So, um, you know,
the Sydney Music Bowl is obviously such an iconic location
in Melbourne, and as a Melbourne girl, it was. It
just was like in our backyard. It was so special
to be able to go to this national event that
was held in Melbourne. And then. So that's the first

(01:56):
year I went. And then I think from there on in,
we used to have it on at the telly every
time because Christmas Eve in my family, sort of the
day that we celebrate Christmas, it's a big shindig and
my parents place with all the extended family and friends.
It's like a big Syrian feast. Everyone brings a plate
and you're in a food coma for about a week after.
So because by candlelight it's always on in the background,
providing the entertainment and the tunes. So yeah, it's such

(02:18):
a familiar and comfortable, you know, event. For me in
my family.

S1 (02:23):
It does it. It's a sort of a different, um, environment,
I guess. You know, you're pretty used to working to
the camera, which of course, you'll be doing for the
for the channel nine broadcast of Carols by Candlelight. But
you've got to play both to the camera and to
the thousands of people who are there. They're up on

(02:46):
the hill. Um, does do you, do you kind of
reset your, your, your approach to presenting for an event
like this?

S2 (02:56):
You know, I don't think you necessarily do. I feel
like having the crowd in front of you, almost, um,
it gives you more energy because they are there. You're
looking right at them, you know what I mean? You
can see them and you can see the joy, and
you can see the beautiful smiles on the children's faces
and just the absolute. You know, I said before, the
joy that this event brings to so many families in

(03:18):
this country, and especially for Melburnians in the audience. Right.
And I think when you see them and you see
them interacting and you see them engaging, it just gives
you even more energy to to be up on the
stage there because you know that, you know, they're sitting there,
they're transfixed by what they're seeing on the stage, by
those incredible performers that we've got this year. And DC
and I just have this, you know, big responsibility, sort

(03:38):
of guiding them through the night, which is such a
privilege and such an honour to be up on the
stage there with them and sharing in that incredible moment
with them. Um, and, you know, as a person who
was in the crowd once, like, I actually can't believe
that I'm now on the stage, like guiding the audience. Like, seriously,
I just can't like, if you told, you know, eight
year old Sarah this back in the day, I just

(03:59):
don't think she'd believe it. So yeah, it's it's really surreal.
And I don't think it's going to hit me until
I'm actually on the stage up there. It's. Yeah, it's
just it's such an incredible moment. It's such an honor.

S1 (04:09):
We'll be watching closely for that moment where you have
that sudden realization.

S2 (04:14):
Oh my goodness.

S1 (04:16):
Um, especially you sound like someone who's pretty fond of
Christmas and traditions. Uh, apart from Carols by Candlelight, are
there other traditions in the Sarah Abo world?

S2 (04:29):
Well, we do have. I mean, it is the most
wonderful time of the year, to borrow a widely used cliche,
of course, but we always, um, in the lead up,
have had, uh, Christmas Eve at my parents place. So
that's sort of been a traditional thing that we've had
every year. And let me tell you, it is the
place to be on Christmas Day, because we've got at
least 50 of our nearest and dearest, and my parents
like packed in my parents place. So and it is

(04:50):
a huge feast, and it's an event that kind of
goes until, you know, like one in the morning some nights. And,
you know, the adults all sit around in the backyard
with their little Syrian drums and beating along to some
Arabic tunes, which is so cool. Um, and the kids
have by then all opened their presents. Under the tree.
So it's so. Yeah, I have really fond memories of
Christmas Eve at my folks place, you know, as we
got a bit older, um, growing up and sharing that

(05:13):
experience with, you know, the people who we grew up with, where,
I mean, we came to Australia just as a family
of five, so we didn't have any extended family when
we first arrived when I was a kid at four.
So to have to be able to share that with
close family, friends who sort of migrated to Australia at
the same time is pretty special and unique. And yeah,
to think that this is an event, like I said,
that I used to watch and now to be, you know,

(05:34):
as a, as an, you know, a new arrival to
Australia to be hosting, it is really special and it
just sort of speaks volumes about the incredible opportunities that
we have in this country as well. So. So yeah,
it's sort of got um, yeah, it's going to have
a real impact on me. I think on the night
I just yeah, I just feel so, so thrilled with
the opportunity.

S1 (05:51):
As fabulous as it is. Are you in trouble for
not being available for Christmas Eve? Family?

S2 (05:58):
I know it's going to be very different this year.
It's funny, like when I told my parents, they're like, oh,
so you know, you'll go after the Christmas party and
I'm like, hang on a minute. No, no, no, this
time you'll be coming to my Christmas party. And by
the way, I just give you my music and it's
one of, you know, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands,
millions of people watching at home. So you'd better be
on your best behaviour, parents or else. Um, but, yeah,

(06:20):
it's pretty nice to, you know, they used to obviously
take us there. Now I'm taking them, which is pretty cool.
So yeah, I'm really looking forward to that. Yeah.

S1 (06:27):
Well, Sarah Abo, the moment is fast approaching. It'll be
time to kick off Carols by Candlelight for 2023 very soon.
So we better let you go. Thank you chuckles chuckles
for your first go at it I hope it's the
first of many.

S2 (06:42):
I hope so too. Chris, thanks so much for your time.
I'm excited.

S1 (06:45):
Thanks, Sarah.