Ben Fordham (born 29 November 1976) is an Australian journalist, sports reporter and radio presenter. Fordham currently hosts ''Ben Fordham Live'' on Sydney radio station 2GB.

Career

Fordham began his career on Sydney's

2UE 2UE is an all-music radio station in Sydney owned by Nine Entertainment Co and run under a lease agreement by Ace Radio. It currently broadcasts from its studios in Pyrmont, New South Wales. History 1920s 2EU Electrical Utilities applied to the ...

radio station, for which he won a

Walkley Award The annual Walkley Awards are presented in Australia to recognise and reward excellence in journalism. They cover all media including print, television, documentary, radio, photographic and online media. The Gold Walkley is the highest prize and ...

for his coverage of the

1997 Thredbo landslide The Thredbo landslide was a catastrophic landslide that occurred at the village and ski resort of Thredbo, New South Wales, Australia, on 30 July 1997. Two ski lodges were destroyed and 18 people died. Stuart Diver was the only survivor. Land ...

. In 1998, Fordham moved to television and joined

Sky News Australia Sky News Australia is an Australian news channel owned by News Corp Australia. Originally launched on 19 February 1996, it broadcasts rolling news coverage throughout the day, while its prime time lineup is dedicated to opinion-based programs f ...

as a reporter and presenter. After less than a year at Sky News, Fordham joined the Nine Network, working on tabloid current affair and news programs including '' 60 Minutes'', ''

A Current Affair ''A Current Affair'' may refer to: * ''A Current Affair'' (Australian TV program), 1971–present Australian current affairs program that airs on Nine Network * ''A Current Affair'' (American TV program), a 1986–1998 American television news ...

'', '' Nine News'' and ''

Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * Day of the present, the time that is perceived directly, often called ''now'' * Current era, present * The current calendar date Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Today'' (1930 film), a 1930 ...

''. Fordham filled in for Stuart Bocking on 2UE Nights in the 2008/09 summer period and also filled in for

Ray Hadley Raymond Morris Hadley OAM (born 27 September 1954) is an Australian talkback radio broadcaster and a rugby league football commentator for Channel Nine. He presents 2GB Sydney's Monday to Friday morning show, and leads the Continuous Call T ...

on 2GB in the 2009/10 summer period. In 2010, he joined '' Nine News'' and ''

'' as a reporter, he also covered the 2010 federal election. In January 2011, Fordham became the ''Today'' sports presenter replacing

Cameron Williams Cameron Williams (born 18 February 1963 in Emerald, Queensland ) is an Australian television journalist and presenter, most notably with the Nine Network. Williams has previously been a sport presenter on ''Nine News Sydney'' from Sunday to ...

. He also joined 2GB in January 2011, replacing Jason Morrison on the programme ''Sydney Live'' (since renamed ''Ben Fordham Live)''. In March 2014, Fordham announced that he would be leaving ''

'' at the end of the year to concentrate on his radio career. Since moving into his radio position, he has served as a fill-in presenter on ''

'' and '' Nine News.'' In 2016, Fordham was announced as co-host of ''

Australian Ninja Warrior ''Australian Ninja Warrior'' is a sports entertainment competition spin-off of the Japanese television series '' Sasuke'' which premiered on 9 July 2017 on the Nine Network. It features hundreds of competitors attempting to complete series of ...

'' alongside

Rebecca Maddern Rebecca Maddern (born 6 August 1977) is an Australian television presenter and journalist. Maddern is currently weekend presenter of ''Seven News Melbourne'' with Mike Amor and presents ''Seven Afternoon News'' in Melbourne. She has worked a ...

on the Nine Network. In 2018, Fordham was also made an inaugural board member of the Ash Williams Show Podcast, alongside other media personalities such as Ed Kavalee,

Sonia Kruger Sonia Melissa Kruger (born 28 August 1965) is an Australian television presenter and media personality, who has been a prominent figure in the media for over 20 years. Kruger is currently the host of ''Big Brother Australia'' and a presenter on ...

and Tony Martin. Fordham was also instrumental in securing the support of

Scott Pape Scott Pape (born 1978) is an author, television presenter and radio commentator. He is best known through the persona, The Barefoot Investor. Early life and career Scott Pape grew up in Ouyen, Victoria, where he held odd jobs – once being paid ...

as a permanent board member. In May 2020, 2GB announced that Fordham would replace Alan Jones, who was retiring from radio. Fordham finished hosting his drive show on 22 May 2020 and began his new role on 1 June 2020. His breakfast show took the same name as his drive show: ''Ben Fordham Live.'' In October 2021, Fordham announced that he will not return as co-host of ''

.''

Personal life

When Fordham was seven years of age, he was diagnosed with epilepsy after suffering a seizure. He did work experience at a radio station as a teenager while a student at

Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview Saint Ignatius' College Riverview is an Australian independent single-sex primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys, conducted in the Jesuit tradition, located in Riverview, a small suburb located on the Lane Cove River on the ...

, a Catholic college in

Lane Cove Lane Cove is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lane Cove is nine kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local governmen ...

. He is managed by the Fordham Company, which was run by his late father, John. In October 2011, Fordham married ''

Seven News ''7NEWS'' is the television news service of the Seven Network and, as of 2021, the highest-rating in Australia. National bulletins are presented from Seven's high definition studios in Martin Place, Sydney, while flagship 6pm bulletins are ...

'' presenter Jodie Speers. In August 2014, Fordham announced on ''Today'' that his wife was pregnant with their first child; their son was born later that year. In April 2016, Fordham announced on radio that Speers was pregnant with their second child. She gave birth to a daughter later that year. In September 2019, Fordham announced that Speers gave birth to their third child.

Legal issues

On 26 February 2009, Fordham was charged with concealing a serious crime and breaching the Listening Devices Act. The Nine Network and ''A Current Affair'' producer Andrew Byrne were also charged. On 20 July 2010, NSW Supreme Court judge Elizabeth Fullerton called Fordham's attitude "disrespectful" when he failed to appear in court to hear her judgement on the charges of breaching the Listening Devices Act. Justice Fullerton found him guilty of one of four charges against him, that he knowingly recorded a conversation on 28 May 2008. Byrne was convicted of four charges of breaching the act. The conversation was aired on ACA in May 2008, claiming to show former

Waverley Waverley may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Waverley'' (novel), by Sir Walter Scott ** ''Waverley'' Overture, a work by Hector Berlioz inspired by Scott's novel * Waverley Harrison, a character in the New Zealand soap opera ''Shortland Stree ...

mayor James Markham ordering a fatal hit on a male escort. Although found guilty, Fordham and Byrne each escaped conviction, with Justice Fullerton saying it was "an appalling lack of judgment by two senior journalists who are otherwise held in esteem by their colleagues".

References

External links

''Ben Fordham''

''Ben Fordham, The Fordham Company''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fordham, Ben 1976 births Living people Nine News presenters Australian radio presenters Australian game show hosts People educated at St Pius X College, Sydney People educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview 2GB presenters