A New Chapter for a Broadcasting Legend
For nearly five decades, Bruce McAvaney has been a household name in Australian sports broadcasting. From calling AFL games to the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open finals, and Test cricket matches, his voice has become synonymous with major sporting events. Known as “Mr Olympics” for his coverage of every Summer Games since 1984, McAvaney has remained steadfast in his television career, resisting the temptation that has lured many of his peers into reality TV.
Despite numerous invitations, including offers from Seven’s Dancing with the Stars, McAvaney has always declined. He also turned down SBS’s initial request to trace his family tree on Who Do You Think You Are? However, a combination of timing, curiosity, and the advice of a close friend changed his mind. Fellow Seven sports broadcasting legend Dennis Cometti, who passed away in March, played a key role in this decision.
At the age of 72, McAvaney is stepping outside the commentary box for the first time, though he insists it will be his last. “There’s a bit of me that’s a show-off, but there’s a lot of me that’s pretty shy,” he says. “When I’ve got to perform, I know I can do that, but it takes a fair bit of preparation to feel comfortable. The timing for me to have this experience was just right. And it will sustain me the rest of my life.”
In 2017, McAvaney revealed his diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. “I’m feeling very well at the moment. I’ve had a couple of ups and downs with my health. But that’s going very well. And I think, in my seventies, I would like to know a little bit more about why I’m here and who came before me.”
McAvaney first ran the idea past Cometti, who had appeared on the first Australian version of the British format in 2008. “I remember when Dennis and I were calling a match on a Friday night in Melbourne and the [WDYTYA?] crew were in the box with us,” McAvaney recalls. “And he told me then how much he enjoyed doing [the series]. And I actually rang him and his wife, Vee, to say: ‘Look, I’m going to do this program. What was it like for you?’ It was all positive. But what a beautiful program it is. It tells great tales. I also had no idea what might be uncovered.”
This season of Who Do You Think You Are? includes several notable figures, such as Guy Sebastian, Rosie Batty, Curtis Stone, Matt Day, Essie Davis, Aaron Pedersen, and Chrissie Swan. McAvaney traces his South Australian roots through both parents’ bloodlines, uncovering a fascinating story of hardship, entrepreneurship, tragedy, and endurance. There are connections to a horse trotting track in Smithfield and a tiny Wendish church north of Adelaide, where his great-great-grandmother was married. For McAvaney, these details provided a “profound” sense of connection.
“I felt attachment and affection,” McAvaney says. “It was a very strong emotion … It was such a different time. What drove people to do certain things? What were their ambitions? And what about the other people that were living at the same time, and how did they connect with the communities? All those things run through your head. I wondered through this whole episode, ‘Were they happy?’”
His beloved sports-mad parents, Betty (who died in 2004) and Roy (who died in 2009), are a strong presence throughout, with McAvaney sharing precious childhood memories. He would “give anything to have an hour with them, to watch the show with them.” He can’t wait for his 96-year-old Uncle Bobby to learn more about his family history.
“Life’s tricky. There are so many questions we’d like to know the answers to. But I’ve always felt that whilst I’m alive, my mother and father are in a way as well. And I feel that that’s what I and my wife, [journalist] Anne [Johnson], will leave to our children. It’s a lovely thing. Life is short and we all know that it’s very difficult when people leave us.”
Who Do You Think You Are? returns at 7.30pm on Tuesday, May 12, on SBS and SBS On Demand.
Other TV Highlights
- Bad Company: Anne Edmonds waited years to make this theatre satire. Her friend and co-star Kitty Flanagan had some advice. Plus, our four-star review.
- Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee: Meet Sam Campbell, the new sidekick on the ABC’s popular quiz show.
- Beef: The creator of the Netflix hit reveals the real event that inspired season two.
- Taskmaster Australia: Rove McManus reveals why his co-star Anisa Nandaula “will become one of the biggest names in Australian comedy.”
- Streaming guides: What to watch this week and this month.
