Source : Perth Now news
Richard Morecroft, one of the most familiar and trusted faces in Australian broadcasting, has died aged 70 after a cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
The English-born Australian broadcaster, best known for presenting ABC News NSW for nearly two decades, died on Monday on the NSW south coast, according to a statement shared on Instagram.
“Sadly, our beloved Richard died today, at a time of his choosing, on the south coast of NSW,” 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.
“We are devastated to lose such a warm, generous and caring human and hope that all those who knew him, if only through their TV screens, will remember him fondly.”
For many Australians, Morecroft was a steady and reassuring presence on television screens each night.
Mr Morecroft’s life in Australia began long before he became one of the country’s most recognisable newsreaders.
Born in Market Harborough in England in 1956, he moved to Adelaide with his family as a child and went on to study English and drama at the University of Adelaide.
He started out in campus radio before joining the ABC, building his career first in radio and then on television.
After presenting the Adelaide News bulletin, he moved to Sydney and in 1983 took over the ABC News NSW desk from James Dibble, a role he would make his own for almost 20 years.
With his calm delivery and steady presence, he became a trusted figure in households across the state and later found a new audience as host of SBS’s Letters and Numbers.
Mr Morecroft’s career stretched well beyond the studio. He was deeply involved in conservation and animal welfare, serving in roles with organisations including WWF Australia, WIRES, the Taronga Foundation and the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales.
Away from broadcasting, he was also an author and photographer, writing books that ranged from wildlife and memoir to children’s titles, often in collaboration with his partner Alison Mackay.
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