Chris Bath

Personal life

Bath was born and raised in Sydney's western suburbs 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 leaving. 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.

In 1997, Bath married composer Denis Carnahan and in late 2000 Bath gave birth to son Darcy.

In 2008, after 10 years of marriage Bath and Carnahan separated.

In January 2012, Bath married Seven News sport presenter and reporter Jim Wilson, only weeks after Wilson asked Bath to marry, but some four years into their relationship. The couple was featured in New Idea magazine in late August 2013.

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, halfway 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.

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 of 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.

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.

In 1999, she returned to the Late News, as well as reading afternoon news bulletins on Sydney radio station 2WS from May. 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 panellist on Geoffrey Robertson's Hypotheticals in October, and on 31 December she hosted the network's New Year's Eve coverage.

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, Bath was a contestant in the third Australian series of Dancing with the Stars alongside professional dance partner Trenton Shipley. 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 News Sydney until the end of 2005. She then returned Seven Morning News on Wednesday to Friday and did the Seven News 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 host of Seven's new current affairs program, Sunday Night. In November of that year, Bath became the weeknight anchor of Seven News Sydney, following the retirement of Ian Ross. In July 2012, she was partnered by her husband Jim Wilson as sports presenter for the 6pm weeknight bulletin.

In January 2014, Bath was replaced by Mark Ferguson. Bath continued to present the 6pm news on Friday and Saturday, as well as Sunday Night.

In June 2015, it was announced that Bath would leave the Seven Network after twenty years with the network, to explore new horizons, with Melissa Doyle to replace on Sunday Night and Seven News Sydney on weekends.

Network Ten

In late 2015 and 2016, Bath made regular appearances on Network Ten shows Studio 10 and The Project.

ABC

In November 2016, ABC announced that Bath will host Evenings on ABC Radio Sydney across New South Wales and ACT from 2017 replacing Christine Anu.

Bath is also a fill in presenter on ABC News NSW.

Community

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.

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. 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.

Bath is also a Celebrity Ambassador for the Petrea King Quest for Life Foundation.

Other works

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