Watching her perform on The Masked Singer, or catching her in a dramatic scene of Neighbours, it’s easy to forget where Bonnie Anderson’s career began.
The 27-year-old star got her start in showbiz at the tender age of 12, when she auditioned for the first season of Australia’s Got Talent with a stirring rendition of James Taylor’s Fire and Rain.
Going on to win the series – and impressive $250,000 prize money – Bonnie has become a fixture of the Australian television and music scene in the decade since.
We take a look back on Bonnie’s rise to fame.
(Image: Instagram)Now, she’s taking a walk on the wild side as a contestant on Channel Seven’s reality TV show SAS: Australia.
Bonnie will be joining eighteen other contestants to tough it out under the leadership of elite ex-Special Forces soldiers Ant Middleton, Mark “Billy” Billingham, Jason “Foxy” Fox and Ollie Ollerton.
Take a stroll down memory lane as we look back on Bonnie’s career ahead of her new gig on the challenging SAS series.
Australia’s Got Talent (2007)
She was just a young hopeful auditioning for Australia’s Got Talent in 2007, but Bonnie quickly proved she was a force to be reckoned with.
Impressing judges Dannii Minogue, Tom Burlinson and Red Symons – and all the viewers at home – Bonnie went on to win the show and the prize money after performing Listen from the Dreamgirls soundtrack in the finale.
“I went on the show [and] I sung my little heart out the best I could,” Bonnie has told TV WEEK. “I loved being on there it was such a cool experience. [Winning] was an absolute amazing shock and very overwhelming.”
Raise The Bar (2013)
Bonnie returned to showbiz with her first single, Raise The Bar.
(Image: YouTube)After taking a break from the spotlight as she went through her school years, Bonnie returned to the music industry at 18 years of age in 2013 with her debut single Raise The Bar.
What 2010s teen could forget the iconic vibes of Bonnie’s breakout song? Honestly, it’s still a bop.
The star followed up with another hit single, Blackout, in 2014, followed by Rodeo (2014), Unbroken (2015) and The Ones I Love (2016).
She also joined British singer Olly Murs on tour in 2014, performing as the opening act for his shows around the country, before taking a short break ahead of her next big move.
Neighbours (2018 – 2021)
Bonnie joins Jodi Gordon on Neighbours.
(Image: 10)Who could forget when Bea Nilsson came strolling into Erinsborough in 2018?
Bonnie joined Neighbours as the ‘bad girl’ little sister to lookalike Elly (Jodi Gordon) and niece to Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodburne), with her character making waves upon arrival.
One of Bea’s more memorable plotlines includes waltzing into town on the arm of her sister’s manipulative ex-boyfriend, Finn Kelly (Rob Mills), who she believed to be a guy named ‘Patrick’.
After first proposing and attempting to trick her into eloping, Finn eventually exposed his true identity and locked her in a shipping container. And that was just the beginning of their terrifying encounters!
Bonnie certainly left her mark on the show over the past three and a half years – even landing herself a TV WEEK Logie Award nomination for Most Popular New Talent in 2019.
Return to Music (2019)
Bonnie performs with Anthony Callea.
(Image: Instagram)In 2019, Bonnie signed a new deal with BMG Music Australia and released a slew of new songs, including Sorry, Never Be The One and a series of tracks for Neighbours – including a fresh version of the iconic theme song.
She followed it up in 2020, releasing Tell Me How You Want To Feel with Liam Berkeley and Together Again, a cover of Janet Jackson’s iconic song, with Anthony Callea.
Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions (2019)
Bonnie dazzled UK viewers on Britain’s Got Talent.
(Image: YouTube)Bonnie took her musical talents across the globe to London, where she competed in an all-stars season of Britain’s Got Talent alongside other performers from season’s past.
Singing a moving rendition of You Say by Lauren Daigle, Bonnie wowed the judges as she hit the high notes… but was ultimately eliminated in Preliminary 4.
The Masked Singer Australia (2020)
Bonnie wins The Masked Singer.
(Image: 10)Bonnie put her musical talents to the test again in 2020, appearing in The Bushranger costume on 10’s hit reality singing competition, The Masked Singer.
Competing – in secret – against the likes of Kate Miller-Heidke and Christine Anu – Bonnie came out victorious in her third reality TV show.
“It’s a good feeling. I can’t believe I won this thing,” an overjoyed Bonnie told TV WEEK of her win.
“Neighbours has taken a lot of my time and it has sparked up a lot of fire in me. It’s nice to know I can do this.”
Saying Goodbye To Neighbours (2021)
Bonnie says goodbye to her Neighbours co-stars.
(Image: Instagram)In 2021, Bonnie made the difficult decision to leave Ramsay Street behind.
“Neighbours really changed my life for the better in so, so many ways,” she told The Herald Sun.
“It was really good to have that structure and now after three and a half years on that show I have decided it is time for me to continue challenging myself and create space to focus on my music and songwriting and more acting.”
“I am ready to spread my wings. I am ready to fly. First up it is going to be nice to get into the studio and write some songs and put them out there,” she said of her next steps.
SAS: Australia (2021)
Bonnie toughens up her act on SAS: Australia.
(Image: Channel Seven)Ready for her next challenge, Bonnie is appearing alongside stars like Jett Kenny and Dan Ewing in the second season of SAS: Australia.
“Beyond anything I could have ever imagined… Stepped into another world and braved it all with all of these great people!” Bonnie wrote on Instagram when the cast was announced.
“I will never ever forget this experience. Thanks for the opportunity and all of the lessons.”
We can’t wait to see what’s in store when the series premieres.
SAS: Australia premieres Monday, September 13, at 7:30pm on Channel Seven.
