Chris Bath

Chris Bath
Born	13 May 1967 (1967-05-13) (age 44) Auburn, New South Wales
Occupation	Seven News Journalist
Spouse	Denis Carnahan (m. 1997–2008) «start: (1997)–end+1: (2009)»"Marriage: Denis Carnahan to Chris Bath" Location: (linkback://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Bath)
Children	Darcy (2000)

Christine "Chris" Bath (born 13 May 1967 in Auburn, New South Wales)^[1] 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.

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 School. 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.^[2]

Career

On the advice of The Sydney Morning Herald columnist Peter Bowers, 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.^[3]

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, 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.^[4]

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.^[5][6]

In 1999, she returned to the Late News, as well as reading afternoon news bulletins on Sydney radio station 2WS from May.^[7] 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,^[8] and on 31 December she hosted the networks New Year's Eve coverage.^[9]

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.^[10]

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.^[11]

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.^[12][13] 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.^[14][15]

Bath is also a Celebrity Ambassador for the Petrea King Quest for Life Foundation.^[16]

Other works

Other than Seven News, Chris Bath has appeared on a number of television programs and a film including:

• The Man Who Sued God (2001) as Newsreader
• All Saints
  • 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 Stars (September–November 2005) as herself and where she was runner-up in the program. Ada Nicodemou won.
• headLand episode 1.27 (4 January 2006) as Newsreader
• True Stories Episode 2.02 "Sophie's Story" (16 July 2006) as Host
• You've Got the Job 13 episodes (November 2006) as Host

External links

• Chris Bath's website
• Profile at the Seven Network website
• Bath's profile at the Ovations website
• Chris Bath at the Internet Movie Database

References

• De Brito, Kate (3 July 1999). "Equality - People in Media". The Daily Telegraph.

1. ^ Jane Freeman (8 January 1996). "Seven '96 News Attack". The Sydney Morning Herald. 
2. ^ Sue Yeap (17 November 2006). "Job seekers' starring role". The West Australian. 
3. ^ James Joyce (28 March 1998). "Seventh Heaven". Newcastle Herald. 
4. ^ Lynne Cossar (24 July 1997). "The Face To Watch". The Age. 
5. ^ Robert Fidgeon (16 September 1998). "Chris Bath Offer". Herald Sun. 
6. ^ Jacqueline Lee Lewes (12 November 1998). "Silly rumour season's started.". Daily Telegraph. 
7. ^ Andrew Conway (19 April 1999). "Network News". Sydney Morning Herald. 
8. ^ Heather Evans (1 October 1999). "Bath In The Hot Seat". Newcastle Herald. 
9. ^ Jackie Sinnerton (26 December 1999). "Party to end all parties.". Sunday Mail. </
10. ^ Seven's Roscoe calls it a night, The Daily Telegraph, 8 November 2009
11. ^ >"7 News Always in the Know". Sunday Telegraph. 28 January 2007. 
12. ^ Sascha Hutchinson (26 May 2003). "Following leads for the future.". The Australian. 
13. ^ Sascha Hutchinson (23 May 2003). "Explore the world, girls told.". The Australian. 
14. ^ Di Gatehouse (16 June 2007). "My Career". The Age. 
15. ^ CareerOne (14 July 2007). "Assistants to be stars for a day". The Courier-Mail. 
16. ^ The Petrea King Quest for Life Centre - Meet Our Celebrity Ambassadors

Preceded by program started	Sunday Sunrise Presenter 2001 – 2004	Succeeded by Chris Reason
Preceded by Chris Reason	Seven Morning News Presenter 2004 – 2006	Succeeded by Ann Sanders
Preceded by Ann Sanders	Seven News Sydney Weekend Presenter 2006 – 2009	Succeeded by Mark Ferguson
Preceded by Monique Wright	Seven 4.30 News Friday Presenter 2008 – 2009	Succeeded by Mark Ferguson
Preceded by Ian Ross	Seven News Sydney Weeknight Presenter November 2009 –	Succeeded by incumbent
Preceded by program started	Sunday Night Presenter January 2009 –	Succeeded by incumbent

Persondata
Name	Bath, Chris
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	13 May 1967
Place of birth	Auburn, New South Wales
Date of death
Place of death