Latest news with #PennySpence
Daily Mirror
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Penny Spence dead: Award winning TV presenter dies as tributes pour in
Penny Spence, who was one of Australia's first female newsreaders, has died at the age of 83. Her cause of death has not been confirmed. Australian TV presenter Penny Spence has passed away at 83. Penny was the first female newsreader in Australia's history. Her cause of death remains unconfirmed. Penny, who rose to fame in the late 1960s as one of the first women to read the news on TV in Australia, died earlier this month. The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia shared the sombre news on social media, stating: "We're saddened to hear of the passing of Penny Spence, a trailblazer in Australian television. Spence was part of a pioneering group of women who were the first women to read television news in Australia." Fiona Dear, Nine's Director of News and Current Affairs, paid tribute to Spence's groundbreaking career in a statement to Mediaweek: "Penny was a trailblazer for women in our industry, laying the path for countless women in television. With two Logies awarded to her, she was one of the country's most high profile news presenters for decades, and was one of the icons who made 9News 'still the one'. Her legacy lives on in TV newsrooms across the country and we send our condolences to her family." Before her time on Channel Nine, Penny fronted a women's current affairs programme on TCN9 – Channel Nine's broadcasting station. The Channel Nine icon became a household name in the late 1960s, presenting the afternoon news bulletin in New South Wales, while Brian Henderson took on the evening slot. Spencer's remarkable career was recognised with a Logie Award for Most Popular Female Personality in NSW in 1969, reports the Express. As tributes pour in, one individual reminisced: "I remember Penny as one of the best executives involved in children's television in the 1980s. Vale." Another simply expressed: "Very sad to hear this." After her stint at Channel Nine, Spencer took on a behind-the-scenes role, overseeing children's programming at the Nine Network. She later held the position of Executive Producer for the European Broadcasting Union's children's unit and was in charge of the popular 1985 Ray Meagher mini-series Colour in the Creek. The TV star then took her talents overseas as she became the Executive Producer of the European Broadcasting Union's children's unit and was at the helm of the popular 1985 series Colour in the Creek. Spencer also had a hand in several successful films such as Shipmates (1987), Sovereign Hill (1990), Hinkler: The Aviator (1990), and The Water Trolley (1988), which earned an International Emmy nomination. Her works live on as a selection of her produced works have been archived by the NFSA (National Film and Sound Archive of Australia). She was previously married to Channel Nine's musical director Geoff Harvey, who passed away in 2019, and is survived by her daughters Eugenie and Charlotte.
Sky News AU
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Channel Nine presenter Penny Spence dies leaving behind lasting legacy in television industry
Television news pioneer Penny Spence has died at the age of 83. Spence was a pioneer in her industry with her status growing from the late 1960s. She was one of the first women to read television news on Channel Nine in Australia. The journalist presented the afternoon news for TCN9 in New South Wales with the renowned Brian Henderson presenting the evening bulletin. Spence died earlier this month, with The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) confirming the sad news on social media. 'We're saddened to hear of the passing of Penny Spence, a trailblazer in Australian television,' the statement read. 'Spence was part of a pioneering group of women who were the first women to read television news in Australia.' Spence was the first wife of legendary Channel Nine musical director Geoff Harvey. They had two daughters, Eugenie and Charlotte. Harvey died in 2019, aged 83. Spence worked across an array of roles at Nine as she fronted a women's current affairs programme and presented the weather, all while making herself a familiar face across NSW. She became a major force behind the cameras, establishing children's programs at the network. In 1969 she received a Logie Award for Most Popular Female Personality in NSW. Her success expanded globally, serving as Executive Producer of the European Broadcasting Union's children's unit. Spence managed the popular 1985 Ray Meagher mini-series Colour in the Creek. Her legacy lives on through an array of produced work archived by the NFSA. This included The Water Trolley (1988), which was nominated for an International Emmy, along with Shipmates (1987), Sovereign Hill (1990), and Hinkler: The Aviator (1990).
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Trailblazing Logie-Award winning Channel Nine TV presenter dies
Penny Spence, a trailblazer of Australian television and one of the nation's first female newsreaders, died earlier this month, aged 83. Spence rose to prominence in the late '60s as one of the first women to read television news on Channel Nine in Australia. She presented the afternoon bulletin for Channel Nine in New South Wales, while the legendary Brian Henderson anchored the evening edition. Her death was confirmed in a social media statement by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. 'We're saddened to hear of the passing of Penny Spence, a trailblazer in Australian television,' the statement read. 'Spence was part of a pioneering group of women who were the first women to read television news in Australia.' Before her groundbreaking role in news, Spence fronted a women's current affairs program on TCN9 – Channel Nine's broadcasting station – had presented the weather and became a familiar face to viewers across NSW. She was honoured with a Logie Award for Most Popular Female Personality in NSW in 1969. Following her on-screen success, Spence became a major creative force behind the scenes, heading children's programming at the Nine Network. She later took her talents to an international stage, serving as executive producer of the European Broadcasting Union's children's unit, and helmed the popular 1985 Ray Meagher mini-series Colour in the Creek. Fans took to social media to pay tribute to Spence. 'I remember Penny as one of the best executives involved in children's television in the 1980s. Vale,' one person wrote. 'Very sad to hear this,' a second added. Her legacy lives on through a body of acclaimed work archived by the NFSA. This includes the movies The Water Trolley (1988), which received an International Emmy nomination, as well as Shipmates (1987), Sovereign Hill (1990), and Hinkler: The Aviator (1990). Spence also sat for a 1999 oral history interview with the NFSA, reflecting on her groundbreaking role at TCN9 during a formative era of Australian broadcasting. She was the first wife of legendary Channel Nine musical director Geoff Harvey, who died in 2019, and had two daughters with him: Eugenie and Charlotte. Her contributions helped shape Australian television for generations, and her passing marks the end of an era.
