{{Short description|Australian presenter from 1969 to 2013}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox person | name = Terry Willesee | image = PHOTO TERRY 2005-1.jpg | birth_name = Terence Joseph Willesee | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1945|04|27|df=y}} | birth_place = Perth, Western Australia, Australia | occupation = {{Hlist | Television presenter | radio announcer |journalist | reporter | documentary producer}} | years_active = 1969−2013 | spouse = Melissa | children = 6 | father = Don Willesee | relatives = {{Ubl | Mike Willesee (brother) | Michael Willesee Jr. (nephew) }} | credits = {{Ubl | ''Terry Willesee's Perth'' Presenter | ''Terry Willesee Tonight'' Presenter | ''A Current Affair (US)'' Reporter | ''Nine Perth'' Newsreader }} }} '''Terence Joseph Willesee''' (born 27 April 1945) is an Australian retired journalist and television and radio presenter.

==Family== Willesee is the son of Gwendoline Clark Willesee and Don Willesee, a long-time member of the Australian Senate, and Whitlam government minister. He is the nephew of Bill Willesee, member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia and Tonkin government minister. He is the brother of Donald Robert "Don" Willesee Jr. and the late Mike Willesee, who was a journalist and television presenter.<ref name="abc1">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/wa/news/200309/s945810.htm |title=ALP figures gather for Willesee funeral |date=15 September 2003 |work=ABC Western Australia |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=9 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030919221030/http://www.abc.net.au/wa/news/200309/s945810.htm |archive-date=19 September 2003 }}</ref>

==Career== [[File:Terry Willesee interviewing the Governor-General of Australia, Quentin Bryce.jpg|thumb|left|Willesee interviewing the Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce c. 2010]] Willesee began his media career in Perth in 1969. He initially worked as a television news reporter before branching out into newsreading and producing documentaries. He produced and presented 14 prime time documentaries for STW TV station in Perth.<ref name="skynews1">{{cite web|url=http://www.skynews.com.au/onair/presenters/presenters.aspx?pg=8 |title=Presenters - Terry Willesee |publisher=Sky News Australia |access-date=9 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018050514/http://www.skynews.com.au/onair/presenters/presenters.aspx?pg=8 |archive-date=18 October 2009 }}</ref>

In 1981 Willesee was signed by the Seven Network to present a successful national current affairs program named ''Terry Willesee Tonight'', based in Sydney.<ref name="skynews1" /> Willesee was then signed by the Nine Network.<ref>No farewells for Willesee as Seven wields axe, The Sunday Telegraph, 3 April 1988, Page 15</ref> Willesee's role on the seven current affairs show went to Derryn Hinch.

Willesee hosted ''Live at Five'' on the Nine Network with Jo Pearson. He also hosted a variety of programs including ''Today'' and ''A Current Affair''.<ref name="smh1">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com.au/newspapers?id=frQnAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EugDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4140,7307803|title=Antennae|last=Lewes|first=Jacqueline Lee|date=23 October 1989|access-date=9 April 2010}}</ref>

In 1992 Willesee moved to the United States where he anchored the nationally syndicated program, A Current Affair Extra. He also travelled the country as a reporter for ''A Current Affair'' (not related to Nine Network's programme of the same name). He was later promoted to anchor the Fox network's national programme, ''A Current Affair Extra''.<ref name="skynews1" /><ref name="nyt1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/06/style/vows-katherine-kamhi-tony-coghlan.html?pagewanted=1|title=VOWS; Katherine Kamhi, Tony Coghlan|last=Smith Brady|first=Lois|date=6 June 1993|work=New York Times|access-date=9 April 2010}}</ref>

After three years in the United States he moved back to Australia, reading news for Nine Network affiliate STW in Perth. While in Perth he occasionally hosted a talkback radio show for 6PR.<ref name="skynews1" />

In 2001, Willesee presented a talkback radio show for Sydney radio station 2GB.<ref name="skynews1" />

In 2002, Willesee returned to national television where he anchored ''Willesee Across Australia'' on Sky News Australia. He later presented ''First Edition'' in 2002 until June 2013 when he retired.<ref name="skynews1" />

Willesee has also worked as a media trainer.<ref name=dimensions1>{{Cite episode |title=Episode Two |series=Media Dimensions |series-link=Dimensions (TV series) |credits=presented by Annette Shun Wah |network=ABC TV |airdate=13 August 2001 |transcript=yes |transcript-url=http://www.abc.net.au/dimensions/media/transcripts/s346110.htm }}</ref>

==Awards== *Logie Awards – Most Popular Male (Western Australia): 1978,<ref name="1978logie">{{cite news|url=http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62244|title=THE 20TH ANNUAL TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS (1978)|publisher=TV Week|access-date=9 April 2010|archive-date=21 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080721044737/http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62244|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1979,<ref name="1979logie">{{cite news|url=http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62246|title=THE 21ST ANNUAL TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS (1979)|publisher=TV Week|access-date=9 April 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080721044507/http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62246|archive-date=21 July 2008}}</ref> 1980,<ref name="1980logie">{{cite news|url=http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62398|title=THE 22ND ANNUAL TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS (1980)|publisher=TV Week|access-date=9 April 2010|archive-date=5 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205011752/http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62398|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1981<ref name="1981logie">{{cite news|url=http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62400|title=THE 23RD ANNUAL TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS (1981)|publisher=TV Week|access-date=9 April 2010|archive-date=21 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080721053039/http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62400|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|0929801}}

{{Sky News Australia}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Willesee, Terry}} Category:Australian television presenters Category:Living people Category:Australian radio presenters Category:Australian male journalists Category:Mass media people from Perth, Western Australia Category:1945 births