LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

One is a thrice-married TV legend whose favourite meal is bangers and mash. The other is a flamboyant vegan model with aspirations to act. On the surface, Richard and Christian Wilkinson couldn’t be more different but, finds Tiffany Dunk, they have far more in common than meets the eye.

- Tiffany Dunk

The first thing that hits you when you walk into the Wilkins household is the pulse of the music. Booming out on our arrival, speakers twine through every room in the newly renovated waterfront property on Sydney’s north shore, ensuring a steady stream of tracks carefully curated to suit every mood and moment.

It’s a shared passion for two of the home’s main residents: Richard – the 66-year-old seasoned entertainment reporter – and his youngest son, Christian, 25, who recently tangoed his way into the heart of Australia, placing second on Dancing with the Stars.

As The Weekly will discover when we spend the day with the duo, there are many similarities that have bonded father and son strongly. They both light up in the spotlight, love public speaking, enjoy the same movies, and are happiest when entertaining friends, family, and friends who’ve become like family.

Taking a seat to chat at the enormous bar, the hub of a multitude of star-studded gatherings (Richard hires a professional bartender to serve guests for larger shindigs), the pair are keen to reiterate this point.

“Despite appearances, the Wilkins family are actually fans of the simple pleasures in life,” drawls Christian with a nod and a wink out at the infinity pool which leads out of the party den. “Which is just getting together, having good times and watching Love, Actually.