Chris Bath
Encyclopedia
Christine "Chris" Bath is an Australian journalist and television personality. She is currently the weeknight presenter of Seven News Sydney
and presenter of Seven's current affairs program Sunday Night
.
Nationally, Bath is most well known for being the runner up in Series 3 of Dancing with the Stars
in 2005, and for presenting Seven Morning News, weekdays at 10:30am from 2004 to 2006. Bath has been with Seven since 1996 when she joined the Sydney newsroom. Bath was also one of Australia's youngest television presenters.
. Later, she enrolled at Sydney University where, in 1985, she studied English, psychology, German and legal institutions for two months before deciding it was not for her. Harbouring no ambitions to be a journalist, she started working at a restaurant in Surry Hills and became a trainee manager at Kmart
Merrylands - a position which she reportedly left because they would not let her make jokes while announcing red light specials.
, Bath applied to study communications at Mitchell College (now Charles Sturt University
) in Bathurst
. Not only was she accepted into the course, she also won a scholarship, and majored in politics. During her studies she was a broadcaster with the on-campus community radio station 2MCE-FM. In 1988, half-way through the last year of her three-year course, she was offered a job at Sydney AM radio station 2UE
as a cadet reporter and newsreader.
Her second job came a year later, after a friend encouraged her to apply for a job with a regional television station in Albury
. She moved to Albury-Wodonga
, where she spent the next 20 months working at Prime Television
station AMV-4 and spending her weekends in Melbourne
. At AMV-4, she started reporting, was the weather presenter for a while, then finished off as the full-time newsreader.
In 1991, at 23, she joined Newcastle
's NBN Television
, where she stayed for the next five years as a reporter and host to the evening local news broadcast. Originally she thought she was going there as just a reporter, but the newsreader resigned and they offered the vacant position to her. She resigned from NBN Newcastle in late 1995 after being offered a job by Seven in Sydney. NBN took Bath to the Supreme Court to delay her appearance on Seven. The court granted an injunction against her appearing on Seven before 1 February 1996.
In 1996 until early 1997 she co-hosted the 6am news bulletin with Peter Ford (which later became Sunrise). In 1997, she became host of the network's Sunday morning political interview show, Face to Face
, and presenter Seven's Late News
. (The Late News was subsequently axed in August 2003).
For three weeks in mid 1997, Bath was working 18 hour days, filling in as host of 11AM, presenting the afternoon news updates, recording the news bulletin shown on Ansett flights and presenting the 11pm Late News bulletin.
In 1998, Bath was a reporter for Witness, the network's flagship current affairs program, until it was axed later that year. Seven then asked Bath to co-host its new current affairs show, Dateline, with Stan Grant. She declined and was given the role of presenting the Sydney 6pm news over summer.
In 1999, she returned to the Late News, as well as reading afternoon news bulletins on Sydney radio station 2WS from May. In July, she did a now infamous interview with Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph
which did not sit well with management. Among other things, she said she'd "refused to work on" Today Tonight
and was the "only presenter" at Seven writing her own updates. Outside the news, she appeared as a guest panelist on Geoffrey Robertson's Hypotheticals in October, and on 31 December she hosted the networks New Year's Eve coverage.
In 2000, Bath was part of Seven's host team for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
, including a spot on Olympic Sunrise. In August, she carried the Olympic Torch in Newcastle. Bath was then given the honour of co-hosting the prelude to the Opening Ceremony
live on stage at the Olympic Stadium, while seven months pregnant with her first child.
After having son Darcy in late 2000, she returned to political interviewing in 2001 as presenter of Sunday Sunrise and stayed for three years, as well as presenting Sydney's weekend 6pm news bulletin until 2004 (including an extended bulletin live from Bali on 12 October 2003). In 2001 she also co-hosted part of the networks Federal Election coverage on 10 November.
In 2004, she began presenting Seven Morning News where she replaced Chris Reason
.
In 2005, Chris Bath was a contestant in the third Australian series of Dancing with the Stars
. In seven out of the ten weeks of the series she obtained the highest score from the judges, including the semi final and grand final. However when the votes were combined with those of the viewers, Chris Bath finished second to Home and Away
actor Ada Nicodemou
for the title of Dancing with the Stars Champion.
From 12 December 2005, Bath presented Seven's Sydney 6pm weeknight news bulletin until the end of 2005. She then returned to the morning news on Wednesday to Friday and did the Sydney weekend news until mid January 2006. She also presented the summer breakfast show on Sydney radio station WSFM 101.7 from 12 December until 13 January.
On 7 December 2005, Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph
printed that Bath had been in talks with the Nine Network
to become the host of the Today
breakfast show in 2006. However, Seven insiders say Bath was contracted to Seven until 1 December 2006 at the time and the Nine Network denied approaching her. The Herald Sun reported Bath turned down the position because she could not cope with the early starts and she wanted to honour her contract with Seven. The role eventually went to now former Ten News
Sydney presenter, Jessica Rowe
(who was also eventually replaced by Lisa Wilkinson
less than 18 months later).
In 2006, Bath began presenting Seven Morning News on Monday to Thursday and the Sydney evening news on Fridays. From May, Bath swapped roles with Ann Sanders
to present the weekend evening news in Sydney as well as Fridays. Ann took over the Morning News. Later that year, Bath also presented a new employment based reality series for the Seven Network titled You've Got The Job
.
During 2007 and 2008, Bath often presented the Seven Late News
updates and Seven 4.30 News on Fridays. This continued into 2009, with Bath replacing Monique Wright
as the Friday presenter of Seven 4.30 News.
In January 2009, Bath was appointed presenter of Seven's new current affairs program, Sunday Night
.
Later in the year, the network confirmed that Bath would become the weeknight presenter of Seven News Sydney
when Ian Ross retires. Bath took over the role on Monday 30 November 2009.
Bath is also a master of ceremonies, having MC'ed a number of events including the Jeans for Genes Day Art Auction in Sydney on 12 July 2007 and 20 July 2006.
Bath also enjoys motivational speaking, and in 2003 she took a large role in the "Step to the future" youth leadership forum for school students in Sydney. On 24 July, Chris is to speak at the "Empowerment through Inspiration" Summit in Queensland where she will address her experiences and challenges in becoming a leader, building a team and networking.
Bath is also a Celebrity Ambassador for the Petrea King Quest for Life Foundation.
Seven News
Seven News is the television news service of the Seven Network in Australia.National bulletins are presented from Seven's high-definition studios in Martin Place, Sydney, while flagship 6pm bulletins are produced in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. The network also produces Seven...
and presenter of Seven's current affairs program Sunday Night
Sunday Night (Australian TV program)
Sunday Night is an Australian news and current affairs program produced and broadcast by the Seven Network. The program airs on Sunday nights at 6:30 pm, and is presented by Seven News Sydney presenter Chris Bath.-Overview:...
.
Nationally, Bath is most well known for being the runner up in Series 3 of Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars (Australian TV series)
Dancing with the Stars is a Logie Award-winning, Australian light entertainment reality show airing on the Seven Network and filmed live from the HSV-7 studios in Melbourne...
in 2005, and for presenting Seven Morning News, weekdays at 10:30am from 2004 to 2006. Bath has been with Seven since 1996 when she joined the Sydney newsroom. Bath was also one of Australia's youngest television presenters.
Early life
Bath was born and raised in Sydney's working-class western suburbs Born in Auburn and raised in South Wentworthville, she attended Holroyd High SchoolHolroyd High School
Holroyd High School is a secondary school located in Greystanes, New South Wales.The school houses an Intensive English Centre which provides a specialised program to non-English speaking migrants and refugees so that they can better participate in Australian society.-School Layout:Structurally,...
. Later, she enrolled at Sydney University where, in 1985, she studied English, psychology, German and legal institutions for two months before deciding it was not for her. Harbouring no ambitions to be a journalist, she started working at a restaurant in Surry Hills and became a trainee manager at Kmart
Kmart Australia
Kmart Australia Limited is a discount department store chain owned by Wesfarmers. It operates 172 stores in Australia and 15 in New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Victoria. Wesfarmers uses the Kmart name under licence from Sears Holdings Corporation.-History:Kmart Australia...
Merrylands - a position which she reportedly left because they would not let her make jokes while announcing red light specials.
Career
On the advice of The Sydney Morning Herald columnist Peter BowersPeter Bowers (Australian journalist)
Peter Bowers was an Australian journalist. He was awarded the Walkley Award in 1982 for the most outstanding contribution to journalism.-Obituaries:**...
, Bath applied to study communications at Mitchell College (now Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University is an Australian multi-campus university located in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory. It has campuses at Bathurst, Canberra, Albury-Wodonga, Dubbo, Goulburn, Orange, Wagga Wagga and Burlington, Ontario...
) in Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
. Not only was she accepted into the course, she also won a scholarship, and majored in politics. During her studies she was a broadcaster with the on-campus community radio station 2MCE-FM. In 1988, half-way through the last year of her three-year course, she was offered a job at Sydney AM radio station 2UE
2UE
2UE is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia owned by Fairfax Media. It is Sydney's and Australia's oldest commercial radio station, first broadcasting on 26 January 1925 on 1025 kHz AM before moving to 950 kHz in 1935 when virtually all Australian radio stations were assigned new...
as a cadet reporter and newsreader.
Her second job came a year later, after a friend encouraged her to apply for a job with a regional television station in Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
. She moved to Albury-Wodonga
Albury-Wodonga
Albury-Wodonga is the broad settlement incorporating the twin Australian cities of Albury and Wodonga, which are separated geographically by the Murray River and politically by a state border: Albury on the north of the river is part of New South Wales while Wodonga on the south bank is in...
, where she spent the next 20 months working at Prime Television
Prime Television
PRIME7 is an Australian television network owned by Prime Media Group Limited. Prime Television launched on 17 March 1962 as CBN/CWN in Orange and Dubbo, New South Wales, and has since expanded to cover regional New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory as a Seven Network...
station AMV-4 and spending her weekends in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. At AMV-4, she started reporting, was the weather presenter for a while, then finished off as the full-time newsreader.
In 1991, at 23, she joined Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
's NBN Television
NBN Television
NBN Television is a television station based in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The station was inaugurated on 4 March 1962 as the first regional commercial television station in New South Wales, and has since expanded to 39 transmitters throughout the northern half of New South Wales and...
, where she stayed for the next five years as a reporter and host to the evening local news broadcast. Originally she thought she was going there as just a reporter, but the newsreader resigned and they offered the vacant position to her. She resigned from NBN Newcastle in late 1995 after being offered a job by Seven in Sydney. NBN took Bath to the Supreme Court to delay her appearance on Seven. The court granted an injunction against her appearing on Seven before 1 February 1996.
Seven Network
Before becoming presenter for Seven's Morning News, Bath has previously had numerous presenting roles with the network over the years.In 1996 until early 1997 she co-hosted the 6am news bulletin with Peter Ford (which later became Sunrise). In 1997, she became host of the network's Sunday morning political interview show, Face to Face
Face to Face (Australian TV series)
Face to Face was a Sunday morning political talk program on the Seven Network. It ran from November 19, 1995 until ?Face to Face started in November 1995 as a small-budget national political interview show, which featured an interview with a guest about the week's most important national issue...
, and presenter Seven's Late News
Seven News
Seven News is the television news service of the Seven Network in Australia.National bulletins are presented from Seven's high-definition studios in Martin Place, Sydney, while flagship 6pm bulletins are produced in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. The network also produces Seven...
. (The Late News was subsequently axed in August 2003).
For three weeks in mid 1997, Bath was working 18 hour days, filling in as host of 11AM, presenting the afternoon news updates, recording the news bulletin shown on Ansett flights and presenting the 11pm Late News bulletin.
In 1998, Bath was a reporter for Witness, the network's flagship current affairs program, until it was axed later that year. Seven then asked Bath to co-host its new current affairs show, Dateline, with Stan Grant. She declined and was given the role of presenting the Sydney 6pm news over summer.
In 1999, she returned to the Late News, as well as reading afternoon news bulletins on Sydney radio station 2WS from May. In July, she did a now infamous interview with Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Nationwide News, part of News Corporation.The Tele, as it is also known, was founded in 1879. From 1936 to 1972, it was owned by Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press. That year it was sold to...
which did not sit well with management. Among other things, she said she'd "refused to work on" Today Tonight
Today Tonight
Today Tonight is a controversial Australian News and Current Affairs program, produced by the Seven Network and shown weeknightly at in direct competition with rival Nine Network program A Current Affair....
and was the "only presenter" at Seven writing her own updates. Outside the news, she appeared as a guest panelist on Geoffrey Robertson's Hypotheticals in October, and on 31 December she hosted the networks New Year's Eve coverage.
In 2000, Bath was part of Seven's host team for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, including a spot on Olympic Sunrise. In August, she carried the Olympic Torch in Newcastle. Bath was then given the honour of co-hosting the prelude to the Opening Ceremony
2000 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics was described by IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch as the most beautiful ceremony the world has ever seen. Held on the evening of Friday 15 September 2000, the Opening Ceremony represented everything Australian, from sea creatures and flora/fauna...
live on stage at the Olympic Stadium, while seven months pregnant with her first child.
After having son Darcy in late 2000, she returned to political interviewing in 2001 as presenter of Sunday Sunrise and stayed for three years, as well as presenting Sydney's weekend 6pm news bulletin until 2004 (including an extended bulletin live from Bali on 12 October 2003). In 2001 she also co-hosted part of the networks Federal Election coverage on 10 November.
In 2004, she began presenting Seven Morning News where she replaced Chris Reason
Chris Reason
Chris Reason is a senior reporter for Seven News in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.-Career:Chris began his career in newspapers - first The Redland Times then The Sun in Brisbane. He has also worked for Nine Network in the Gold Coast for a year.Reason came to Seven News in 1990 in Brisbane as a...
.
In 2005, Chris Bath was a contestant in the third Australian series of Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars (Australian TV series)
Dancing with the Stars is a Logie Award-winning, Australian light entertainment reality show airing on the Seven Network and filmed live from the HSV-7 studios in Melbourne...
. In seven out of the ten weeks of the series she obtained the highest score from the judges, including the semi final and grand final. However when the votes were combined with those of the viewers, Chris Bath finished second to Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
actor Ada Nicodemou
Ada Nicodemou
Ada Nicodemou is a Greek Cypriot-born Australian actress, best known for her role as Leah Patterson-Baker in the soap opera Home and Away.-Early life:Nicodemou was born in Larnaca, Cyprus. She has been an Australian resident since 1987....
for the title of Dancing with the Stars Champion.
From 12 December 2005, Bath presented Seven's Sydney 6pm weeknight news bulletin until the end of 2005. She then returned to the morning news on Wednesday to Friday and did the Sydney weekend news until mid January 2006. She also presented the summer breakfast show on Sydney radio station WSFM 101.7 from 12 December until 13 January.
On 7 December 2005, Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Nationwide News, part of News Corporation.The Tele, as it is also known, was founded in 1879. From 1936 to 1972, it was owned by Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press. That year it was sold to...
printed that Bath had been in talks with the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
to become the host of the Today
Today (Australian TV program)
Today and Weekend Today are Australian breakfast television programmes, the show is often referred to as The Today Show. The show has been broadcast live by the Nine Network each morning since 1982...
breakfast show in 2006. However, Seven insiders say Bath was contracted to Seven until 1 December 2006 at the time and the Nine Network denied approaching her. The Herald Sun reported Bath turned down the position because she could not cope with the early starts and she wanted to honour her contract with Seven. The role eventually went to now former Ten News
Ten News
Ten News is the national news service of Network Ten in Australia. The majority of its news bulletins are presented from the TEN-10 studios in Pyrmont...
Sydney presenter, Jessica Rowe
Jessica Rowe
Jessica Rowe is an Australian television news presenter. Rowe attended Sydney Girls High School in Sydney, and completed a Communications degree at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst. During her studies she was a broadcaster with on-campus community radio station 2MCE-FM...
(who was also eventually replaced by Lisa Wilkinson
Lisa Wilkinson
Lisa Wilkinson is an Australian journalist and television personality.Wilkinson is currently a co-host of the Nine Network's breakfast television program Today.-Career:...
less than 18 months later).
In 2006, Bath began presenting Seven Morning News on Monday to Thursday and the Sydney evening news on Fridays. From May, Bath swapped roles with Ann Sanders
Ann Sanders
Ann Sanders is an Australian television journalist and news presenter.Sanders is currently the presenter of Seven Morning News and she also presents hourly Seven News updates through The Morning Show with Kylie Gillies and Larry Emdur.-Career:...
to present the weekend evening news in Sydney as well as Fridays. Ann took over the Morning News. Later that year, Bath also presented a new employment based reality series for the Seven Network titled You've Got The Job
You've Got the Job
You've Got the Job is a television show that airs on the Seven Network in Australia. The show is hosted by Seven News presenter and former Dancing with the Stars contestant Chris Bath....
.
During 2007 and 2008, Bath often presented the Seven Late News
Seven News
Seven News is the television news service of the Seven Network in Australia.National bulletins are presented from Seven's high-definition studios in Martin Place, Sydney, while flagship 6pm bulletins are produced in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. The network also produces Seven...
updates and Seven 4.30 News on Fridays. This continued into 2009, with Bath replacing Monique Wright
Monique Wright
Monique Wright is an Australian journalist and television personality. She received national exposure as the weather presenter on the Seven Network's national breakfast program, Sunrise during 2007, being promoted from feature reporter to replace former weather presenter Grant Denyer.As a member...
as the Friday presenter of Seven 4.30 News.
In January 2009, Bath was appointed presenter of Seven's new current affairs program, Sunday Night
Sunday Night (Australian TV program)
Sunday Night is an Australian news and current affairs program produced and broadcast by the Seven Network. The program airs on Sunday nights at 6:30 pm, and is presented by Seven News Sydney presenter Chris Bath.-Overview:...
.
Later in the year, the network confirmed that Bath would become the weeknight presenter of Seven News Sydney
Seven News
Seven News is the television news service of the Seven Network in Australia.National bulletins are presented from Seven's high-definition studios in Martin Place, Sydney, while flagship 6pm bulletins are produced in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. The network also produces Seven...
when Ian Ross retires. Bath took over the role on Monday 30 November 2009.
Other
Outside the Seven Network, Bath's standing in the industry was acknowledged in 2004 when she was asked to judge entries for the TV current affairs reporting and camera category of the prestigious Walkley Awards for journalism.Bath is also a master of ceremonies, having MC'ed a number of events including the Jeans for Genes Day Art Auction in Sydney on 12 July 2007 and 20 July 2006.
Bath also enjoys motivational speaking, and in 2003 she took a large role in the "Step to the future" youth leadership forum for school students in Sydney. On 24 July, Chris is to speak at the "Empowerment through Inspiration" Summit in Queensland where she will address her experiences and challenges in becoming a leader, building a team and networking.
Bath is also a Celebrity Ambassador for the Petrea King Quest for Life Foundation.
Other works
Other than Seven News, Chris Bath has appeared on a number of television programs and a film including:- The Man Who Sued GodThe Man Who Sued GodThe Man Who Sued God is a 2001 Australian film, starring Billy Connolly and directed by Mark Joffe.-Plot:Advocate Steve Myers is a disillusioned lawyer who becomes fed-up with the perceived corruption within the judicial system. He quits the law business and buys a small fishing boat and takes up...
(2001) as Newsreader - All SaintsAll Saints (TV series)All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
- Episode 4.01 "The Heat is On" (13 February 2001) as Newsreader
- Episode 4.32 "Wild Justice" (4 September 2001) as Newsreader
- Episode 5.01 "Opening Night" (5 February 2002) as Newsreader
- Episode 5.02 "The Show Must Go On" (12 February 2002) as News Reporter
- Episode 8.27 "Frozen Moments" (16 August 2005) as Newsreader
- Episode 9.32 "Happy Returns" (26 September 2006) as Newsreader
- Episode 10.12 "Choices of the Heart" (8 May 2007) as Newsreader
- Episode 11.02 "The Simple Things" (19 February 2008) as Newsreader
- Season 3 of Dancing with the StarsDancing with the Stars (Australian TV series)Dancing with the Stars is a Logie Award-winning, Australian light entertainment reality show airing on the Seven Network and filmed live from the HSV-7 studios in Melbourne...
(September–November 2005) as herself and where she was runner-up in the program. Ada NicodemouAda NicodemouAda Nicodemou is a Greek Cypriot-born Australian actress, best known for her role as Leah Patterson-Baker in the soap opera Home and Away.-Early life:Nicodemou was born in Larnaca, Cyprus. She has been an Australian resident since 1987....
won. - headLandHeadLandheadLand is an Australian drama television series produced by the Seven Network which ran from 15 November 2005 to 21 January 2006. The Seven Network filmed 52 episodes in the first series. Production on the second series had begun before any episodes were aired.Set in a university, headLand...
episode 1.27 (4 January 2006) as Newsreader - True StoriesTrue Stories (TV series)True Stories was an Australian biographical documentary series which explored the personal journeys of ordinary, and sometimes extraordinary Australians. It is based on the ABC's Australian Story....
Episode 2.02 "Sophie's Story" (16 July 2006) as Host - You've Got the JobYou've Got the JobYou've Got the Job is a television show that airs on the Seven Network in Australia. The show is hosted by Seven News presenter and former Dancing with the Stars contestant Chris Bath....
13 episodes (November 2006) as Host