John Riddell (presenter)

Last updated
John Riddell
Born (1956-09-23) 23 September 1956 (age 67)
Semaphore, South Australia
Occupation(s)radio and television presenter
Known forco-anchoring Seven News in Adelaide; co-hosting the Mix 102.3 breakfast show
Television Seven News , Today Tonight , The World Around Us , The Crows Show , SA Decides , SA Weekender: Book Them Out

John Anthony Riddell (born 23 September 1956) [1] is an Australian former television and radio presenter. [2] [3]

Contents

He is best known for his thirty-year association with the Seven Network's television station in Adelaide, SAS-7 where he anchored Seven News bulletins from 1990 to his retirement in late 2019. [2] [3]

Career

Riddell began his media career with a cadetship at Messenger Newspapers in Adelaide. [2] Riddell then moved into radio where he worked at 5DN and then as a foreign correspondent for the Macquarie Radio Network. [3] While in London covering the assassination of Lord Louis Mountbatten for Macquarie in 1979, Riddell caused a security scare and was ejected from Australia House when he was mistaken for a bomber when he was seen with an unscrewed telephone receiver with its wires connected to a small black cassette recorder as he attempted to send a pre-recorded report back to Australia. [3]

He then moved into television, initially working at TVW-7 in Perth before returning to Adelaide where he started working at NWS-9 in 1981. [3]

After spending nine years at NWS-9, he moved to SAS-7 where he anchored the weekend Seven News bulletins. [2] When Graeme Goodings moved to weekends as he recovered from cancer, Riddell moved to the weeknight bulletin in 2005 where he formed an enduring on-air partnership with Jane Doyle. [4] While at Seven, Riddell also occasionally hosted the Adelaide edition of Today Tonight . [5] He also hosted the documentary series The World Around Us and the local AFL program The Crows Show , despite being an ambassador for Port Adelaide. [3] [6]

He also anchored Seven's coverage of South Australian state elections. [7] However in a 2019 interview, he admitted that he would have said no to hosting election coverage if he'd been able to. [3]

Riddell also continued to work in radio. From late 2007 to early 2012, he was a co-host on the Mix 102.3 breakfast show, alongside Jason "Snowy" Carter and Jodie Oddy. [8] [9] With Carter, Riddell inaugurated an annual charity fundraiser called the West End Mighty River Run to raise money for Novita Children's Services in 2006. [10] Riddell briefly returned in radio in June 2012 filling in for Dale Lewis on Triple M Adelaide's Hot Breakfast. [11]

After his 63rd birthday in September 2019, Riddell announced his retirement. [1] His co-anchored his final Seven News bulletin on 6 December 2019. [12] After his retirement, Jane Doyle continued as the sole anchor of the bulletin until her own retirement in late 2022. [13]

Following the South Australian bushfires of late 2019 and early 2020 which affected the Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island, Riddell returned to Seven co-host a special "Book Them Out" edition of SA Weekender to help support the local communities. [14]

Personal life

After his retirement, Riddell and his wife sold their apartment at Holdfast Shores and relocated to Victor Harbor. [15]

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References

  1. 1 2 Woolford, Lisa (9 November 2019). "John Riddell to retire from 7NEWS Adelaide after four decades on TV". The Sunday Mail . Retrieved 13 January 2023. prompted somewhat by turning 63 in September...
  2. 1 2 3 4 "John Riddell". Yahoo! Finance . 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Woolford, Lisa (30 November 2019). "From larrikin to Adelaide icon in 40 years on frontline of news". The Advertiser . Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  4. ↑ Knox, David (15 August 2016). "Seven News Adelaide wins 400th week". TV Tonight . Retrieved 13 January 2023. Presenters Jane Doyle and John Riddell have been reading together since July 2005.
  5. ↑ Knox, David (23 September 2018). "Record run for Today Tonight in Adelaide". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  6. ↑ "Ambassadors". Port Adelaide Football Club. Retrieved 13 January 2023. John Riddell - media
  7. ↑ Knox, David (14 March 2018). "Seven News: SA Decides". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  8. ↑ "New studio for Mix 102.3 Adelaide". radioinfo. 3 December 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2023. The new Mix 102.3 breakfast show "Mix Mornings with John Riddell, Jodie Blewett & Snowy" broadcast the first show from the new studio this morning...
  9. ↑ "Channel 10 Adelaide". radioinfo. 5 February 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2023. Mark Aiston has been confirmed as John Riddell's replacement on the Mix 102.3 breakfast show
  10. ↑ Landau, Sophie (3 November 2022). "2023 Mighty River Run to honour Russell Ebert after high flows cancels this year's event". ABC News . Retrieved 13 January 2023. Ebert pitched the fundraiser idea along with his friends John Riddell and Jason 'Snowy' Carter back in 2006
  11. ↑ "Special guest John makes radio return". The Advertiser. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  12. ↑ Knox, David (7 December 2019). "John Riddell signs off: "I'm getting a bit emotional."". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  13. ↑ Debelle, Penelope (17 November 2022). "Jane Doyle to retire from 7 News Adelaide after 33 years". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  14. ↑ Knox, David (28 January 2020). "Airdate: Bushfire T20 Showdown" . Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  15. ↑ James, Colin; Hough, Andrew (11 February 2022). "Revealed: The rich Holdfast Shores residents whingeing about noise". The Advertiser. Retrieved 13 January 2023. The couple since have sold their apartment in the seaside complex and moved to Victor Harbor
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