Richard Morecroft, veteran ABC news presenter, dies age 70 after cancer diagnosis

Former ABC news presenter Richard Morecroft has died at the age of 70.

Morecroft presented ABC’s 7pm news bulletin for almost 20 years until 2002.

A spokesperson released a statement saying that he had died at a time of his choosing on the south coast of New South Wales.

“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.”

Fellow ABC journalist Michael Rowland paid tribute to Morecroft on social media saying: “Richard was a superb newsreader and a lovely man.”

Leigh Sales said Morecroft was “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.”

Morecroft was born in 1956 and migrated from England to Adelaide with his family at the age of 10.

After graduating from the University of Adelaide he began work as an announcer with the ABC and later presented the nightly television news bulletins in Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney.