Jessie Stephens (born 21 November 1990)[1] is an Australian writer, editor, novelist, television presenter and podcast host. She is an executive editor for Mamamia's flagship podcast Mamamia Out Loud and co-hosts the show with Mia Freedman and Holly Wainwright.[2]
Stephens majored in Modern History and Gender Studies at the University of Sydney, and has a Master of Research.[3]
She joined the staff of Mamamia as an editorial assistant in 2015.[1]
Stephens has toured with her Mamamia Out Loud co-hosts as they present live shows in a similar format to the podcast to audiences around Australia.[4] They toured in 2018 (Tamworth, Newcastle, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Dubbo),[5] 2019 (Hobart, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin, Adelaide, Cairns, Orange, Geelong, Sydney),[6] 2022 (Orange, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne Sydney),[7] and 2024 (Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney).[8][9]
Stephens is also a regular presenter on television current affairs and talk show The Project.[10]
Books
Stephens is the author of two books published by Pan Australia: the non-fiction book Heartsick: Three Stories About Love And Loss, And What Happens In Between (2021)[11] and a novel, Something Bad is Going to Happen (2023).[12]
Heartsick was received very favourably. It was voted #8 in Booktopia's Favourite Australian Book (FAB) award for 2021[13] and was included in the top 101 recommended books for 2022 by major Australian bookseller Dymocks.[14] It was also shortlisted as general nonfiction book of the year at the Australian Book Industry Awards in 2022.[11] It was published internationally by Pan Macmillan in the UK[15] and by Henry Holt in the US.[16] Reviewer Rebecca Wu in Glam Adelaide highlighted Stephens' "wonderful skill of interweaving seemingly ordinary occasions of life in a way that tells a story without any drudgery. In fact, she makes it enticing."[17] Although Emily Paull's review in The AU Review was generally unfavourable, she acknowledged that "the ideas behind the book are strong, and that there is a need for more books which examine the not so happy endings in life, and don't hold romantic partnerships up to be the thing that completes us as humans."[18]
The enthusiastic reception of the book in the US led Sue Smethurst in The Australian to call Stephens "our [Australian literature's] next big thing".[19]
Something Bad is Going to Happen deals with themes of the mental health of its young protagonists. For this, it has been likened to "a modern-day Bell Jar",[20] and Alexandra Hill in The Australian called it "a very important new release."[21]
Personal life
Stephens' identical twin sister, Clare Stephens, also works for Mamamia.[1][3] In 2023, Jessie married Luca Lavigne, son of Mamamia founder Mia Freedman.[22][23] The couple's first child, Luna, was born later that year.[24]
