For decades, Jo Silvagni has graced Australian television screens – first as a game show host and more recently as a presenter for one of the nation’s biggest brands.

But the TV veteran’s future is unclear after her youngest son, Tom, was convicted of two counts of rape following a two-week trial in Melbourne‘s Victorian County Court.

Ms Silvagni sobbed in the courtroom as the guilty verdict against her son was handed down last Friday.

The mother of three and wife of two-time Carlton premiership great Stephen Silvagni had her name kept out of the headlines for more than a year due to a non-publication order obtained by her son.

Ms Silvagni was visibly distressed as the couple fronted court on Friday to support their 23-year-old son at a pre-sentencing hearing.

She stared at her son’s rape victim as the young woman delivered a powerful victim impact statement to the court.

Then known as Jo Bailey, Ms Silvagni first graced our screens in the early 1990s as a co-host on Sale of the Century from 1991 to 1993 and later fronted Channel Nine’s lifestyle program Looking Good.

She later fronted TV ads for Zoot Review, speaking to Australian celebrities who spruiked products such as Cold Power, Ski yoghurt and Nurofen.

Jo Silvagni was supported by her husband Stephen when they attended County Court of Victoria on Friday for their son’s pre-sentencing hearing
Jo Silvagni was supported by her husband Stephen when they attended County Court of Victoria on Friday for their son’s pre-sentencing hearing

The popular TV personality has been the face of Chemist Warehouse for more than a decade. The company declined the comment on the ongoing partnership
The popular TV personality has been the face of Chemist Warehouse for more than a decade. The company declined the comment on the ongoing partnership

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For more than a decade, Ms Silvagni has also been one of the public faces of Chemist Warehouse, which is holding fire on a decision about the partnership in the wake of her son’s conviction.

Ms Silvagni continues to appear in TV ads for the well-known brand, despite the legal dramas that have hung over her son, Tom, for almost two years.

A Chemist Warehouse spokeswoman declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail on Friday regarding the brand’s ongoing partnership with Ms Silvagni.

She has fronted Berkowitz Furniture for at least seven years and filmed a new series of commercials for the company as recently as 2024.

Daily Mail contacted Berkowitz Furniture for comment regarding its partnership with Ms Silvagni, but is yet to receive a response.

Her son had repeatedly denied that he digitally raped his friend’s girlfriend at the Silvagni family home in the early hours of January 14, 2024.

The jury was told the woman had consensual sex with her boyfriend at the house, but then he organised an Uber and left the property shortly before 2am.

Silvagni then lied, telling the woman her boyfriend would be returning upstairs because his Uber had been cancelled.

Jo Silvagni has been the face of Berkowitz Furniture since 2018. The company is yet to comment on the status of their partnership
Jo Silvagni has been the face of Berkowitz Furniture since 2018. The company is yet to comment on the status of their partnership

The well-known TV presenter supported her youngest son Tom during his recent rape trial
The well-known TV presenter supported her youngest son Tom during his recent rape trial

But it was Silvagni who went into the dark bedroom a short time later and pretended to be the woman’s boyfriend before digitally raping her twice.

In the days after, he doctored an Uber receipt to make it look like the victim’s boyfriend had left the house after 2.30am.

Silvagni admitted forging the receipt but said he did so because he panicked after being falsely accused of rape.

But the jury rejected his story, finding him guilty of two counts of rape.

Judge Greg Lyon will sentence Tom Silvagni at a later date. He faces up to 25 years behind bars.

His family vowed to appeal his conviction.

‘Jo and I, together with our family members and friends, are so disappointed with the outcome,’ Stephen Silvagni said before breaking down in tears.

With his wife’s arm around him, he continued to question the credibility of the victim.

‘We all love and support our son Tom. Our son continues to maintain his innocence and we stand firmly behind him,’ he said.

‘We will be considering our options to appeal and shall not be making any further comments on this case. Our goal is to clear his name and bring him home.’