Former ABC presenter Richard Morecroft has died at the age of 70 after a cancer battle, an agent has confirmed. The Australian host has been remembered as "one of the great broadcasters of his generation" and a "trusted presence" for Aussies across the country.
Career highlights
He was best known for presenting ABC's 7pm news bulletin for almost 20 years until 2002 and was a fixture on screens. He later hosted the SBS quiz show Letters and Numbers between 2010 and 2012 and was also known for his environmental advocacy.
A spokesperson for Morecroft released a statement confirming his death, adding that he passed away "at the time of his choosing" on the south coast of New South Wales. The statement read: "He was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and was grateful to go peacefully, with his partner of 36 years, Alison Mackay, beside him."
Tributes pour in
It didn't take long for famous faces and a loyal legion of fans to share their heartache online. The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, expressed his sadness about Morecroft's death, describing him as "the face and the voice of the news of the ABC" and a "beloved part of Australian life."
He said in a statement: "Combining a consummate professionalism with an unyielding humanity, Richard was a figure of absolute trust, a warm and familiar presence who guided us through the good times and the bad. He loved the arts and was deeply passionate about our natural environment. Nothing completed the picture so delightfully as the time we learned that he used to keep a baby flying fox safe and sound beneath the desk while he was presenting the news."
Fellow ABC journalist Michael Rowland paid tribute to Morecroft on social media, which read: "Richard was a superb newsreader and a lovely man." He went on to describe him as one of the role models, calling him the "newsreader's newsreader".
Early life and legacy
Born on January 20, 1956, the British-born broadcaster is the proud son of father Peter and mother Phyll. The happy couple moved the family Down Under to Adelaide when he was just 10 years old back in 1966.
After graduating from the University of Adelaide, he began work as an announcer with the ABC, later presenting Behind the News, and the nightly television news bulletins in Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney. Morecroft was known as a passionate environmental advocate, working with WWF Australia, Wires, the Taronga Foundation and the Zoological Parks Board of NSW. Away from the cameras, he was also a skilled landscape photographer, with work in the collection of Australia's Parliament House.
