The Australian TV scene is mourning the demise of Towards 2000 star Jeff Watson aged 80, following the news he misplaced his battle to mind most cancers final Wednesday.
The veteran journalist was surrounded by his spouse Judi, kids Timothy and Lucy, stepdaughter Cara and her husband Ben when he handed away peacefully at Greenwich Palliative Care Hospital, Nine studies.
After his prognosis in 2018, Watson was solely given three months to reside however exceeded docs’ expectations by 5 years, spending what was left of his life on Sydney’s northern seashores.
The common TV presenter spent greater than 40 years working within the media trade and was well-known for his function in ABC science program Towards 2000.
The sequence ran for 3 seasons and was a worldwide success, with simply in need of 100 nations airing the present.
His spectacular resume additionally included roles at ABC’s This Day Tonight and Four Corners, Beyond 2000 which aired on channels seven and 10, and 60 minutes.
Watson was additionally the unique presenter of Channel Nine journey sequence Getaway from 1992 to 1998, together with his ardour for journey extending past the display as an avid aviator.
He flew 23,000 km from England to Australia with John Travolta whereas producing this system Southend to Sydney along with various different small jet journeys around the globe.
Other reveals Watson produced included two aviation applications The Boneyard and The Shape Of Things To Come in addition to various documentaries together with Spitfire Over Australia, Classic Aeroplanes in Australia and the RAAF seventieth Anniversary which aired throughout various networks.
Tributes at the moment are flowing for the much-loved TV star, starting together with his household who’re remembering him for his comedic nature and groundbreaking work.
“His humour and stories will be missed by all,” they mentioned in a press release.
Meanwhile Beyond 2000 producer Carmel Travers mentioned Watson – or Watto as she referred to as him – was a “one-off”.
“His humour, his steadfast loyalty to friends, his love for the long lunch, his passion for anything that flew from the shuttle to the Concorde to biplanes and spy planes, Watto had an encyclopaedic knowledge of it all,” she mentioned in a press release to TV Tonight.
“Watto will be much missed by his friends and colleagues, and there’ll never be another quite like him. The mould is broken.”
Getaway host Catriona Rowntree has additionally labelled the news as “heartbreaking”, saying in a press release that Watson was a “joy” to be round.
“Jeff had the best bloopers ever! Jeff always spoke of his love for his family, I know their hearts will be hurting and we are sending all our love to them,” she advised TV Tonight.
Fans and different fellow colleagues additionally praised Watson on-line, with broadcaster and columnist Phillip Adams remembering him as a “major figure in the history of the ABC”.
A service will probably be held in Mona Vale on Sydney’s Northern Beaches on Thursday to farewell the TV icon.
Source: www.news.com.au
