Holly Valance, the former star of the Australian soap opera Neighbours, has recently garnered attention for her pronounced shift towards right-wing political activism and commentary. The 43-year-old actress, who holds dual Australian and British citizenship, appeared on The Karl Stefanovic Show podcast where she discussed her views on patriotism and conservative politics.
During the interview, Valance urged Australians to embrace patriotism, stating, "Don't be embarrassed and don't be too scared to stand up for your country that's given you everything, that's given you freedom, that's given you the great life that you have." She encouraged citizens to "Respect it, respect the culture, respect the flag, don't be embarrassed to fly the flag, be patriotic, stand in that and don't let anybody tell you you're a racist for doing so."
Valance openly identified as "absolutely right-wing" and expressed no reservations about being labeled "far right." She also voiced strong support for One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, describing her as an "amazing, loving Australian" and noting the growing popularity of Hanson's platform. Valance reflected that Hanson was "on to something" in the late 1990s, a sentiment she did not share at the time.
Her appearance on Stefanovic's podcast follows her participation in the "Unite the Kingdom" rally organized by Tommy Robinson, a controversial British far-right figure. Valance was photographed marching alongside Robinson and has been described as growing closer to him. This alignment comes after Valance's departure from Australia, which she stated was due to the country becoming "big on woke stuff."
Valance's public embrace of conservative politics has marked a significant change from her earlier years. She admitted to once being a "proud liberal" but stated she "woke up" to what she perceives as "c**p ideas" of the left. Her prominent involvement in right-wing circles began to gain traction in 2022 after a photograph surfaced of her meeting with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, an event facilitated by Nigel Farage.
Meanwhile, Karl Stefanovic's podcast has itself become a subject of controversy. An interview with Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was removed from streaming platforms less than 12 hours after its upload. Stefanovic had promoted the interview, calling Robinson "the ultimate disruptor" and a "voice for the people."
Nine, the network associated with Stefanovic's television show, stated that The Karl Stefanovic Show is an independent production and that the network has no involvement in guest selection or editorial processes, though they are taking the matter seriously. Pauline Hanson, however, publicly supported Stefanovic by uploading the removed interview to her YouTube channel, criticizing Nine's management and asserting that Stefanovic was raising important issues regarding immigration and extremism for Australians.
Valance, who first rose to fame in the late 1990s as Flick Scully on Neighbours, had a music career before entering a new phase following her divorce from billionaire property developer Nick Candy in June of the previous year after 13 years of marriage. She has since been linked romantically with Grant Gale, her former bodyguard.