When we first began filming the formidable Mike Willesee for Australian Story, it was not a scenario the giant of journalism would normally have entertained. At the same time, his longtime mate, lawyer Ron Tesoriero, had finally convinced him to investigate what he believed were supernatural happenings in Bolivia, where a woman called Katya Rivas claimed to receive messages from God. He spent more than fifty years working as a journalist across newspapers, radio, television and documentaries. Horse racing was, of course, another passion where he was better at breeding than punting. with Caroles scene all reshoot with Downing. Willesee was the son of politician senator Don Willesee; Mike first came to prominence in 1967 as a reporter for then-new nightly current affairs program This Day Tonight ( TDT ), where his aggressive style quickly earned him a reputation as a fearless political interviewer. From Mike's perspective, everything changed when Jo went to pre-school in 1983 and Carol wanted a life of her own. Mike Willesee was born on June 29, 1942 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Far fewer know their real story. Veteran Australian journalist Mike Willisee has sadly died after a long battle with throat cancer at the age of 76. Even during his greatest struggle, Mike was a consummate professional, and those recordings stand as a tribute to the man who would become renowned as "the benchmark" of Australian journalism. He was also known for sparring with the Orange People, who recruited in Australia during the 1980s. West Australian Newspapers Limited 2023. Before He Died, Mike Willesee Wrote One Final BookAnd it Reveals a In 1992, Willesee moved to New York, where he joined the US version of A Current Affair at Fox Television, and again filing stories for Australian TV. Mike tells countless stories from the heady days of the 1970s and '80s: his fury at being labelled a sex symbol, interviewing the likes of Bob Hope (cagey) and Sammy Davis Jr (needy) and rebuffing the advances of Sophia Loren. "I didn't swear and I didn't fall over, I just couldn't read the autocue" but admits it was the wake-up call he needed. "The word legend is somewhat too readily conferred in modern times, but it describes Mike to a tee," Nine boss Hugh Marks said on Friday. He paid her $50 to not tell anyone that story. He didnt believe in premonitions. "Mike was a great of Australian journalism, and is an important part of the ABC's history," the ABC said. 'Simply the best': Veteran journalist Mike Willesee dead at 76, John Hewson was favourite to become PM when Mike Willesee asked this question about a cake, Man discovers two highly venomous species battling in his shed, Inside the family succession drama threatening to change the K-pop industry forever. He just knew it was going to crash. Just getting to Berry required an enormous effort from Dad, and we were all conscious how much it would take out of him. "He was a hugely bright man and could always sniff out the story and he had no fear whatsoever in telling the public what he thought.". A bad interview with Mike Willesee could turn an "unlosable election". Dad was not without his flaws. One story emerged of a former staff member whod been diagnosed with MS even after she left work he kept her on the payroll for the rest of her life. "Australian TV journalist Mike Willesee dies aged 76", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Willesee_Jr.&oldid=1136654169, This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 12:59. Murdoch even started a program called A Current Affair on a Fox station in New York in 1987, featuring the legendary former Sydney Daily Mirror police reporter Steve Dunleavy, and replicated Willesee's winning editorial mix. In his fifties Willesee rediscovered the Roman Catholic faith of his upbringing. The journalists funeral was attended by a plethora of TV personalities includingA Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw, Today show presenter Richard Wilkins and his girlfriend Virginia Burmeister and veteran journalist George Negus. "That was a kind of Mike Willesee classic. Willesee's second wife was Scottish-born Australian Carol Willesee (nee Brent), whom he married in 1976, a former model. But he also loved an audience. Five-centuries-old saffron and ginger found preserved in shipwreck off Sweden, Chinese migrants walked a gruelling 500km to Victoria's goldfields in the 19th century. Seriously, outside of family, I think the Swans are his greatest legacy. His battle with alcohol was well-known, but was more serious than most knew. Willesee: With Mike Willesee, Janet Street-Porter, John Nathan-Turner, Jeanne Little. His answer made the policy look too complicated for voters, and that question is said to have put the nail in Mr Hewson's election campaign coffin. It is now up to each of us how we remember Dad. Willesee was known as a keen cigar smoker and drinker, the latter of which came under public scrutiny when he appeared intoxicated while filling in for Jana Wendt on the recently revived A Current Affair in 1989. These were our bed-time stories. She stated at the time she do was surprised by the workload, as an experienced actress, so could understand that Carol had found the schelule overwhelming, considering she was very inexperianced. In 1965, he married a former Miss Australia he barely knew and, "There was great immaturity in it, there was a complete lack of analysis or thought," recalls Mike. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. When they were paged over the PA, Mike was casually observing their pursuers from the terminals upper deck once again the good guys got away. Sadly, Mike Willesee passed away from throat cancer in March 2019, before the book was published. Please try again later. With hindsight, Mike speculates that facing up to his own sin was probably the roadblock to returning to faith.. Downing's background was as a highly experienced theatre actress, who was also a singer, at the time performing a acapella group at the Sydney Opera House, whilst filming Home and Away by day. Almost all of the sequences we had hoped to film with him went out the window during that time. As the old Sinatra classic, "Come fly with me" wafted incongruously through the radiation bunker, the therapy finished, and Mike sat up to manoeuvre himself off the mattress and drop onto the floor. We got ourselves a new video recorder, he deadpanned. Like his journalism, Mike's sense of humour was renowned and beloved. post graduation she appeared in a stage production "Never in My Lifetime", to rave reviews, after which she received numerous acting offers, but turned them down due to unsuitability. His career seemed to be on an ever-upward trajectory, but his personal life was more erratic. But will it be safer for women? The night before the Sydney Opera House opened. I guess you cant please everyone all the time. Are bills set to rise? Get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox! And that is one of Dads greatest enduring gifts to us. A few months later, the state government announced plans to build a new high school next door, meaning all the infrastructure would be delivered for free. His final major TV investigation was for Sevens flagship news and public affairs programme Sunday Night. He set our moral compasses. [1] Through his uncle, journalist and broadcaster Terry, the late author and cyclist Janet Shaw was his cousin. October 19, 1973. Willesee took home a Logie among the swag of awards he won through his career. His interviewing is the stuff of legend, as it should be. Many readers would be asking why he knew he still had so much to do. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/mike-willesee-interview-current-affair-john-hewson-career/10862440, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, These engineers break their silenceafterdecade of criticism over2011 Queensland flood handling, Tens of thousands of pigs and buffalo pegged for mass culls in Kakadu, in bid to curb feral animals, With Russian forces closing, Svyat rolled the dice in the last days before Bakhmut fell, Anna called police to report an assault, but it backfired and she lost her home, Home ownership remains in fantasy territory for many. But, as he showed so often during the time he filmed with us, there was a ready smile and a spark of good humour even under such trying and undignified circumstances. It has all the makings of an extraordinary tale and Mike has always wanted to tell it, but it wasn't until last year's diagnosis that the urgency kicked in. As he says in his book, it was a prayer to a God whose existence I was quite uncertain about. Willesee took home a Logie among the swag of awards he won through his career.Credit:Paul Harris PRH. The Mike Willesee question that turned the 'unlosable election'. When he did, he felt a heaviness come off my shoulders. As his therapy continued, the constant targeted radiation took its toll. We are deeply saddened to hear veteran Australian television reporter Mike Willesee has lost his battle with throat cancer at the age of 76, a statement from the network read. He was introverted, thoughtful, tender, faultlessly loyal and full of contradictions. He died on March 1, 2019 in Australia. Some wouldn't survive. He was a producer and director, known for Sharks (1978), Hilton Bombing (1978) and Women Who Kill (1983). They were very lucky to survive that one. Willesse's brother's are Don Willesse Jnr., and Terry Willesee, A TV presenter and journalist. Mike Willesee on Australian Story in 2017. Credit:Mayeta Clark. When he was 51 years old, on his way to a documentary shoot in South Sudan, he had a sudden premonition that his plane was going to crash. Baby Michael was not taking milk and it quickly became clear there was a serious problem. Dad played reserves for South Melbourne in the early '60s. Some of the great producers and directors whove worked with Dad talk about his ability to cut to the heart of the story in a way so simple, obvious and right - that no one else saw it. On 21 August 2006 Willesee appeared on Andrew Denton's TV show Enough Rope and spoke about his dedication to discovering what science can ascertain about the Shroud of Turin; specifically, whether it contains the blood of Jesus Christ. According to David Leckie, Michael Willesee "wasn't just a television journalist he was a very successful businessman in packaging television programs," noting that Willesee owned and ran the business that produced A Current Affair. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/mike-willesee-highs-and-lows-of-life-australian-story/10865892. Willesee is silent in the face of these . Image: Screenshot, Channel 7, 'Sunday Night'. In the final scene of this episode, Mike interviews, live on air, another gunman in another siege who, much to Mike's horror, subsequently shoots each of his hostages, the sounds of which are played live across Australia. His re-acquaintance with God was actually a far longer, more complex and carefully trodden path.It was one he would share with us, but never impose on us.If we were "good people", he would say, that was enough. Between the first interview and the second, he had lost weight and was visibly frail. is 6'(1.83m) . We extend that respect to all First Nations peoples. No one is. Mike Willesee who has died at the age of 76 from cancer of the throat was a giant of current affairs journalism. "That's how bad it got, but fortunately, for me and my children, I said no. Mike Willesee's infamous interview on A Current Affair on March 3 that year, just 10 days before the poll, was said to have killed Mr Hewson's chances of becoming the next prime minister, when he was then Liberal Party Opposition Leader. "I regarded him right through my career as the benchmark.". As followers of Jesus in whom all things were made, we acknowledge the Darug people as the Traditional Custodians of the Country where our Station is located. Back then he was more a footballer than a journalist (at least he thought he was). Born in Perth in 1942, he quickly came to prominence in 1967 as a reporter for ABC current affairs program This Day Tonight asking politicians the tough questions. He was married to Gordana Willesee, Joan Stanbury and Carol Willesee. He couldn't come into the studio, but he would film with us at home. He wasnt particularly practical around the house, Willesee Jr joked. Before his death, Mike Willesee opened up on the highs and lows of an He was married to Gordana Willesee, Joan Stanbury and Carol Willesee. We won't be quick to criticise or condemn. 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Source: Twitter/ 7 News Melbourne and Getty, Veteran journalist Mike Willesee dies aged 76 after throat cancer battle.