Veteran news reader Ian Ross has passed away aged 73.
The 73 Year old who retired in 2009, has passed away after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. in his fifty year career he has worked for both the Seven and Nine Networks.
The entire team at Seven News is deeply saddened by the death of our wonderful colleague, friend and mentor, Ian Ross.
Roscoe – as he is known to everyone – delivered Sydney’s Seven News for seven years before he retired in 2009. In a career spanning five decades, Roscoe was one of the most popular newsreaders in Australian television history – a perfect mix of on-road experience and on-camera charisma. More than that, he was respected, trusted, and with a warm personality viewers loved. What you saw on television was the man behind the scenes. He was loved by everyone in the newsroom. We extend our deepest sympathies to Roscoe’s partner Gray and his family.
Director of Seven News, Sydney, Chris Willis, paid tribute to Ian: “We all loved Roscoe. He was the consummate newsman and a wonderful human being. He had incredibly high professional standards and could be a tough task master. He led our news brilliantly in the time he was here. “He was also great fun to work with. He was serious about his job, but didn’t take himself too seriously and frequently entertained the newsroom with jokes at his own expense. We will all treasure our memories of Roscoe
Tim Worner, CEO, Seven West Media said Ian Ross was a champion bloke. News rooms bring out the best of characters and Roscoe was one of the best of the best.
Everyone who had the opportunity to work alongside Roscoe during his 50 year journalistic career will remember him with tremendous affection.
Ian joined the Seven News team in Martin Place in 2003, after a lengthy spell with Channel Nine, Sydney. It was a seamless, comfortable transition, exactly like everything Roscoe undertook, and there can be no doubt he was instrumental in what became a critical period for Seven. He was proud of that. And he deserved to be.
Our love and thoughts are with Ian’s longtime partner Gray and other members of his family. They all meant the world to Roscoe. And Roscoe meant the world to us.
Nine CEO David Gyngell said “The Nine and Seven networks and the whole television industry have lost one of our best and bravest in the sad passing of Ian Ross. Rosscoe is the good guy who always finished first.
