Shaun Micallef

“I’ve always been attracted to things, weirdly, that I have no experience in,” says comedian Shaun Micallef. “When the opportunity came to do a chat show, I said, ‘Sure, yes.’”

Now, after more than a decade, Micallef is hanging up his hat as host of ABC’s Mad As Hell. In this edition, the comic cowboy – who’s done everything from studying law to hosting quiz shows and writing poetry – lets us in on what he’s doing next…

Also in this edition:

• Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes opens up about his traumatic childhood, finding his voice and his inner superhero in his Letter to My Younger Self.
• We join Street Side Medics for a shift in Western Sydney, where they’re providing healthcare on wheels to people living on the margins.
• Ahead of her sold-out Australian tour, singer Rina Sawayama talks about finding empathy for her younger self through writing and recording her cathartic second album Hold the Girl.
• Melbourne-based writer Sally Olds interrogates idealism, capitalism, polyamory and being a Pisces as we chat about People Who Lunch, her innovative new book of essays.
• Gregory David Robert’s epic novel Shantaram, a fictionalised take on how he escaped Pentridge Prison and fled to India, is being made into a sprawling news series starring Charlie Hunnam.
• Leah Itsines reckons her yiayia makes the best Pastitisio, and invites you to enjoy this meaty, cheesy, pasta-filled deliciousness, too.
• PLUS! We have launched a Kids Cover Competition. We are asking budding artists aged 12 and under to draw/paint/create a festive cover for our Nov/Dec edition. Not only will the winning artwork star on the cover, but there are books to win, too! You can find all the details here!