Veteran news anchor and television presenter Richard Morecroft has died at the age of 70 on the south coast of New South Wales following a short battle with cancer.
His family announced his death in a post on his Instagram page on Tuesday evening, confirming that he passed away on October 6, 2026, at a time of his choosing. Morecroft was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and died peacefully with his partner of 36 years, journalist and photographer Alison Mackay, beside him.
In the Instagram statement, his family expressed their heartbreak at losing what they described as a warm, generous and caring human being. They shared their hope that viewers who knew him through their television screens would remember him fondly, concluding the post with the message: "Vale Richard Morecroft 20/01/56 - 06/10/26."
Tributes from colleagues and fans
The news of his death prompted a flood of tributes from viewers, colleagues and media personalities across Australia. Australian Broadcasting Corporation presenter Leigh Sales led the tributes, remembering Morecroft as both a gentleman and a gentle man.
Sales wrote that Morecroft was pure class in every way, describing him as a kind, warm and generous colleague as well as a consummate professional. She added that she held deep admiration for him, considered herself lucky to have been his friend, and sent her love and condolences to his family.
Artist Harriet Goodall also expressed her sadness at the loss of a generous champion of the arts who was notably kind to artists on social media. She added that she was glad he was able to make choices regarding his end of life.
Viewers shared their own memories of Morecroft online, praising his calm and reassuring television presence. One fan recalled meeting him in person and being starstruck, describing him as a wonderful presence on television who would never be forgotten. Another viewer paid tribute to him as an incredible person who continued to give to the community in varied ways, describing him as a brave and considered man for choosing his time to leave.
A distinguished career in Australian broadcasting
Born in Leicestershire, England, Morecroft moved to Adelaide as a child before building a career as one of Australia's most respected television journalists. Leicestershire is a county located in the East Midlands region of England, while Adelaide is the coastal capital city of South Australia.
After starting his broadcast career in radio, Morecroft joined the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in the 1980s. He became a familiar face in homes across New South Wales as the nightly anchor for ABC News NSW, a role he maintained for nearly 20 years. The ABC is Australia's national public broadcaster, established to provide independent news and programming across the country.
Between 2010 and 2012, Morecroft hosted the popular game show Letters and Numbers on SBS Television. The Special Broadcasting Service is Australia's multicultural national public broadcaster, and the television show challenged contestants with literacy and numeracy puzzles based on a long-running international format.
Morecroft was also an accomplished writer. In 2002, he published his memoir, "20 Years from the Waist Up: Tales of a TV News Anchor," sharing insights from his two decades presenting the news. In addition to his memoir, he authored several children's books in collaboration with his partner, Alison Mackay.
Film cameos and environmental advocacy
Because Morecroft was so instantly recognisable as a news anchor, he made guest cameo appearances as himself in several well-known Australian film and television productions. His screen credits included the 1994 hit comedy film Muriel's Wedding, the 2001 drama film Lantana, and the television drama series Police Rescue.
In his later years, Morecroft focused much of his energy on environmental conservation and animal welfare. He served as a trustee for the World Wide Fund for Nature, an international non-governmental organization dedicated to wildlife preservation and environmental protection. He was also a patron of WIRES, Australia's largest wildlife rescue organisation, and worked closely with the Taronga Foundation and the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales, organisations responsible for managing major zoological parks and wildlife conservation efforts across the state.
Morecroft is remembered across Australia as a veteran broadcaster, author and conservationist who spent decades informing and entertaining the public. He is survived by his long-time partner Alison Mackay.
