Respected ABC news presenter Richard Morecroft has passed away, aged 70, following a cancer diagnosis.
The sad news was announced on his Instagram account.
“Sadly, our beloved Richard died today, at a time of his choosing, on the south coast of NSW,” it 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.”
Following the news of his passing, tributes began to flow immediately for the legendary reporter.
“The best way I can describe Richard is that he was a gentleman, and a gentle man,” wrote fellow ABC journalist Leigh Sales.
“He was pure class in every way – a kind, warm and generous colleague, as well as being a consummate professional. I had so much admiration and regard for him and I consider myself a lucky person indeed to have been his friend. My love and condolences to you Alison.”
“A wonderful man and incredible professional. Greatest respect,” commented sports journalist Mark Beretta.
Speaking to the ABC, former ABC News Breakfast presenter Michael Rowland credited Morecroft as being one of his greatest role models.
“I looked up to him enormously,” he said.
“He was the newsreader’s newsreader. When he said something, you absolutely believed him because it was heartfelt and that was something that he took with him until his final days.
“You put Richard Morecroft in front of a TV camera, and you didn’t have to worry because he was the voice of authority. Whether he was presenting a serious news bulletin or hosting a quiz show, he was the man.”
Morecroft was best known for his work on ABC News which he presented for more than two decades, becoming one of the most trusted faces on television.
He was born in Market Harborough, England, in 1956, but moved to Adelaide when he was a child. He went on to study English and Drama at the University of Adelaide and in 1983, he took over the ABC News bulletin in Sydney.
Morecroft’s trusted influence as a news reader in Australia was so strong that he appeared as himself in multiple television and movie roles in the 90s and early 2000s.
In 2002, he his role on ABC News and began hosting Richard Morecroft Goes Wild, a series which platformed his passion for environmental conservation. In 2010, he also hosted the educational gameshow Letters and Numbers on SBS.
Vale, Richard Morecroft.
