Writer, comedian, activist and “all round ratbag".

Catherine Deveny is a writer, comedian, social commentator and broadcaster known for her work as columnist with The Age and as an ABC regular. Catherine Deveny has been named in the Top 100 Most Influential Melbournians.

Deveny lives in a self-proclaimed ‘atheist kibbutz’ with her partner, gay flatmate and three sons.

Nicknamed ‘Hurricane Dev’, Deveny is known for her firmly held views and the forthright manner in which she expresses them.

She is a member of the Federal Government's working party on dyslexia. Her charity and community work includes Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, Wishin and Broken Rites. She is ambassador for Dying With Dignity Victoria, International Day of People with Disability, co-patron of Griefline and was one of the founding members of Friends of Public Housing. Deveny famously took on Roman Catholic Cardinal George Pell at the Sydney Opera House in the Festival of Dangerous Ideas.

Her long awaited first novel and seventh book, The Happiness Show will be published in November 2012.

Deveny’s main motivation for participating in the documentary series was to prove to her sons she can “walk the walk as well as talking the talk”. Before filming commenced she did not know her nemesis Peter Reith would be travelling with her.