Bob Downe

Hear Yeh Yeh

About Bob's Manager(also known as Mark Trevorrow)

Mark Trevorrow was born on 4 February 1959. He is the second youngest of 4 children born to a builder turned teacher and a housewife in the Melbourne suburb of Murrumbeena.

At 17 Mark joined the Melbourne Sun News-Pictorial as a Copyboy. His 4-year apprenticeship included a year as a daily Pop Columnist. He worked behind the scenes writing link scripts on TV10's nightly magazine show Together Tonight during its 6-month run but then moved later to in front of the camera.

In 1980 Mark formed the group Gloria and The Go Go's, later to re-form as The Globos, with Wendy de Waal and others from the paper. The group started out playing just for friends, evolving to a regular highlight on Melbourne's cabaret circuit. Two years later Mark left journalism when The Globos turned professional and scored a national Top 20 hit with their first single, Tintarella di Luna. In 1983 their second and final single release, The Beat Goes On, became a Top 40 hit. In the same year the group opened for Cliff Richard during his national tour.

When The Globos disbanded Mark returned briefly to journalism as Staff Writer, then freelance Arts Editor, of Vogue Australia. In that year of 1984 Bob Downe was born. The character evolved from a double-act sketch with friend Cathy Armstrong and featured in their 1985 show A Nice Young Couple. The Globos reformed for 6 months giving Mark his first opportunity to perform at the 1986 Sydney Mardi Gras. Also during this time, in January 1987, Mark went solo at the Harold Park Hotel in Sydney, followed by appearances at Melbourne's Last Laugh theatre-restaurant. Mark debuted Bob at the 1988 Edinburgh Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world, playing in the Fringe Club wine bar. He quickly established a cult following and each year has returned to Edinburgh playing to larger audiences. In 1992 he won the Glasgow Mayfest award

Mark's first album, Bob Downe - Greatest Hits, was released in 1996. It contained a collection of classic songs that had featured in his stage shows. This was followed a year later by a 'live' album, Jazzy!, which was nominated for Best Australian Comedy Release at the ARIA Awards.

Dividing time between London and Sydney, Mark continues to bring Bob to the world with increasingly successful tours. TV credits include Viva Cabaret, Naked City (Channel 4), Bob Downe Under (LWT 1994), The Royal Variety Performance (ITV 1995), The Bob Downe Special (ITV 1996), Bob Downe All Over Britain (UKPlay 1998) and co-writing of the show Camp Christmas. Mark was actively sought by Channel Ten to provide the commentary for the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade and has done so, under the guise of Bob, for the last 3 years producing a surge in the TV ratings.

Mark's first book, about his creation, and titled All Bob Downe! was published in 1998. Another first that year was Mark's appearance as himself in the Edinburgh Fringe's Comedy Debate opposing the topic You Must Sin To Win . The following year he took part in the Sydney Mardi Gras Comedy Debate, It's Better To Be Bent Than Straight. On both occasions he was on the winning team. There have also been several appearances on the immensely popular Good News Week TV programmes, now on Channel Ten. The future will hopefully bring more performances by Mark himself, as he is keen to move into radio and record under his real name.