Bio
Fiona Coyne (22 June, 1965 - 18 August, 2010) was a South African actress, TV host and communications consultant, best known as the quiz mistress that contestants hate but viewers love in game show The Weakest Link.
On Wednesday, 18 August 2010 she passed away at her home in Fish Hoek. This is her biography as it was when she was hosting The Weakest Link:
Between seasons of the show Fiona takes time to indulge her other interests such as her addiction to crossword puzzles and writing, as well as spending as much time as possible up on the mountain, on the beach, in the forest, along the green belts – accompanied by her doting border collies.
Evenings are spent either at the opera or theatre or else fine dining is a pleasure in itself.
Weakest Link executive producer, Kee-Leen Irvine, describes Fiona as feisty and fabulous, always ready to pounce on her next set of contestants.
The debate is still on whether Fiona’s Weakest Link dominatrix image is just that – an image, or whether it is her real persona given free reign. Perhaps one day Fiona will reveal her true self, but probably not on the Weakest Link set.
Apart from her training in theatre, Fiona also has an honours degree in clinical psychology. It is probably this insight into the human mind that gives the edge over her hapless victims on Weakest Link.
She also puts these skills to good use in the years she spent as International Corporate Communications Specialist and Consultant, before landing the coveted position as host of Weakest Link.
Fiona may not suffer fools or wise guys gladly, but she is passionate about the conservation of our country's fauna and flora. Her concern for wildlife and animals is focused in two areas, namely the conservation and humane treatment of our own African wildlife and the humane treatment of domestic pets and agricultural livestock.
Fiona spent several years in Kenya creating awareness for The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an organisation that rears, and rehabilitates to the wild, orphaned Elephants and Black Rhino.
Fiona's other interests include flying, sky-diving and great champagne.
Fiona is married and lives in Cape Town, but judging from public response she is known, admired and feared all over South Africa, and whether they claim to love her or hate her, they continue to tune in for more.