Nelson Aspen signs off Sunrise as “an honorary Aussie… an honour I don’t take lightly “
"I'm so grateful not only to the producers & the publicists and all the presenters... but the people in the control room, the engineers that it got me on the air through the pandemic."
- Published by David Knox
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Showbiz reporter Nelson Aspen signed off Sunrise today after 19 and a half years with bringing entertainment news to Australians.
Asked today about his favourite interviews he said, “You can’t resist Julie Andrews. I was fortunate enough over the 20 years with Sunrise, that I got tea parties with her, we got to sing songs together, drink tea together, Hugh Jackman of course, so many interviews with him and it has gone to the point where we have come social colleagues as well. We have sung together at weddings. He makes me coffee, we socialise together. He is the real deal and to go see him in a Broadway show, go backstage and celebrate his many gifts you saw.
“Camilo Cabello, she could be my daughter, she’s so young, but we had a special bond over the course of several interviews. She is an amazing talker and she calls me uncle Nelson now and I feel a sort of paternal pride for her. She is incredibly gifted. I like most celebrities.”
Asked who impressed him the least he named Kevin Spacey and Vin Diesel who was “seven hours late, than it was four hours, and two hours.
“We work in live TV, guys, you can’t be late. You can be three hours early, you can’t be three seconds late!”
Aspen is releasing a book  Your Home is Your Castle: Live Like an A-Lister in a Post-Pandemic World, performing cabaret in Adelaide & Sydney and will be attending Telethon in Perth later this year.
Thanking Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington he said, “I’m only a click away on social media, so you can always find out what’s going on. Call me if you need me. I am right here, and I do want to take advantage of this moment because I’m so grateful not only to the producers and the publicists and all the presenters, but the people we don’t often talk about, the people who are in my ear, the people in the control room, the engineers that it got me on the air through the pandemic.
“This is the only thing that makes me emotional, when I think about this. People I have never met who have just been in my ear or on the emails and the Sunrise family viewers that have made me an honorary Aussie for so long, it’s an honour I don’t take lightly and will continue to live up to. Thank you.”
Farewell, Nelson and congrats.
Updated.
5 Responses
Nelson really gave the show credibility with his professionalism. Hope they choose his replacement wisely.
Is that Camila Cabello he’s talking about?
It was a transcript but thanks for pointing out!
What a lovely guy. Unfortunately he wasn’t getting much on air time these days anyway but very busy doing many other things in his life. I follow him on Insta and he always responds if asked a question or just compliment him on what he is doing. Gee is he was a good looking young man (still is very handsome).
“Camilo Bauer” – Nelson was referring to singer Camila Cabello whom he interviewed a number of times.