Targa a treat for TV veteran

SHE'S one of the most enduring stars of TV. Kerri-Anne Kennerley, known to people in the industry as KAK, first appeared on the small screen in 1963.
Since then she's done almost everything in entertainment, from hosting roles to a brief acting stint in the soap The Restless Years.  She has also performed as a cabaret singer, worked behind the mike as a radio announcer and even spent time in the corporate world as chief executive of Sydney radio station 2CH.

But the Brisbane-born star is now best known as host of Channel 9's Mornings with Kerri-Anne.  She has plenty of motoring experiences but she rates one of the latest, a nail-biting co-driver run with Australian rally champion Simon Evans in the Targa Tasmania road race, as her favourite motoring memory.

What was your first car?
A second-hand beige Torana with no heating, airconditioning or radio.

What do you drive now?
A Toyota Kluger four-wheel drive.

Do you have a favourite drive and who would you take?
From Sydney to Hope Island, in Queensland, with my husband John and Harvey, my dog.

On average, how far do you drive a year?
I don't drive a lot, probably only a few thousand kays.

Do you have a favourite motoring memory?
I loved navigating in the Targa Tasmania rally with champion Simon Evans. We did 500km in a TRD Aurion Toyota. Driving at 200km/h around the mountains and roads of Tasmania was spectacular in the safe hands of Simon.

What would you buy if money was no object?
An Aston Martin.

What music is playing in your car?
Michael Buble and Christina Aguilera.

How much is too much for a new car?
In reality, a car is a practical purchase to give independence . . . so do not spend more than you can afford.

What should be done to make driving safer?
Safety should be the key and I hope one day all cars will have anti-skid brakes, ESP and airbags.

Are you sponsored by a car company?
I've worked with Toyota for 10 years.