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“I’ve had a ball”: Pat Welsh departs Seven News after 47 years

"The very fact that I've been in this studio, this building, for almost half a century, is testament enough for the wonderful way the Seven Network has treated me."

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Seven News sports presenter Pat Welsh signed off last night after an incredible 47 years with the Brisbane newsroom.

Welsh joined the Seven Network as a sports presenter and reporter in 1975.

“I started this job in the mid ’70s as a royal young reporter with one ambition: to tell sports stories and hopefully cover them in a way you, the viewers, wanted to watch,” he told viewers.

Well known for his rugby league and golfing commentary, Welsh has covered the Bathurst 1000, Melbourne Cup, international rugby league, Summer Olympic Games (Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing, Rio), and Winter Olympic Games (Nagano, Salt Lake City, Torino).

“I leave hoping in some small way that I’ve done that. Thank-yous are always fraught on a night like this, suffice to say the very fact that I’ve been in this studio, this building, for almost half a century, is testament enough for the wonderful way the Seven Network has treated me.

“For a rusted-on sports fan, I’ve lived a charmed life. To my darling wife Ceci, my extended family, the hundreds of work colleagues over the decades and our brilliant Seven News viewers, thank you. I’ve had a ball.”

Director of 7NEWS for Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Neil Warren said: ”Pat’s outstanding career is worthy of any sport hall of fame. 47 years with 7 is an incredible feat and his contribution to sport in Queensland has been enormous. He’s a sporting legend in his own right and a great bloke. We wish him all the best in his much deserved retirement.”

Ben Davis will replace Welsh as sports editor.

16 Responses

  2. What a legend, right up their with his old mate and contemporary Sandy Roberts (now they’re both gone – the last of that great old Seven Sport stable from the 70s and 80s like Moscow Olympics, Kooyong and HSV, BTQ and SAS). Go well!

  3. My exposure to Pat — as a Victorian — isn’t as constant as others here, but he’s one of those names and voices that’s peppered through my life. Another to add weight to my theory that journalists the world over are some kind of new genus of human given the consistent longevity of their careers.

  4. No need for comparisons his is an achievement regardless, Pat was an absolute thorough gentleman or old school as some reference a gentleman to be. I’ve watched him since he started on 7 he was 18 and some times thrown in the deep end but I never bothered much with the other sport reporters except Wally Lewis. He gave my late father a few goods tips at Doombin races when we went that paid off pretty well too. Congratulations on a job done well. Wish Pat well in his future endeavours.

  6. All the best Pat Welsh. Enjoyed your work over the many years, especially your reporting and commentary at the Olympics. We in Queensland can still hear Pat on the SEN brekky show with Ian Healy.

  7. … to share one Pat Welsh story, in the mid-80s I was running ITQ8 Mt Isa and we took BTQ7 News so we invited him to host our local Sports Star telecast and after the show there was a gathering at the Civic Centre … Pat was in his bright red channel 7 jacket and, as we were standing there chatting, a woman came up to Pat, felt his arm and said “you’re real!” … Pat quickly placed me between himself and the woman and said “CJ, help”, but having satisfied herself that he was indeed “real” the woman wandered off …

      1. Tracy Grimshaw has also been at Nine for 40+ years.

        Sandra Sully has 30 years at Ten – they made that known in a promo along with tenure their other news presenters.

        Ann Sanders has been with Seven for 30+ years.

          2. How often do you ask, once a year?
            Wonder why she is resisting, hmm? I’d like to hear about her lengthy time in news for one network. I remember as a kid, she and Ross Symonds doing the 6pm bulletin – up against Brian Henderson.

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