On screen, Miranda Tapsell can usually be found hiding behind a character or “at least heightened version of myself”, but not this time. The much-loved actor best-known for The Sapphires and Top End Wedding makes her debut as a host in the new ABC series Portrait Artist of the Year .

“That kind of guerilla television was very new to me,” says Tapsell, who had to quickly adjust to trusting her instincts and speaking her mind instead of following a script. “I can only just look at a painting and tell you what I feel.”

The five-part series, which Tapsell co-hosts alongside comedian Luke McGregor, pits professional artists against amateurs over four hours as they complete a portrait of a well-known Australian. Three subjects are painted each episode, with celebrity sitters including

See Full Page