Ray Martin (television presenter) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ray Martin AM
Martin in 2013
Born	Raymond George Grace (1944-12-20) 20 December 1944 (age 80) Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
Education	University of Sydney
Occupation	Journalist, television presenter
Years active	1965–present
Known for	Four Corners This Day Tonight Midday with Ray Martin (1985–1993) Ray Martin Presents Up Close and Personal The Ray Martin Show 60 Minutes Carols by Candlelight (1990–2007) A Current Affair (1994–1998; 2003–2005)
Awards	Gold Logie Award (1987; 1993–1996) for his role on Midday and A Current Affair

Ray Martin (born Raymond George Grace on 20 December 1944) is a very famous Australian television journalist and presenter. He has won the Gold Logie Award five times. This makes him one of the most awarded people in Australian television history!

Ray Martin is best known for his work on Channel Nine. He hosted popular shows like A Current Affair and The Midday Show. He was also one of the first presenters for 60 Minutes in Australia.

Early Life and School

Ray Martin was born Raymond George Grace in Richmond, New South Wales, Australia. He was the youngest of four children and the only boy. When he was about 10 years old, his mother changed the family's last name to Martin. This was so they could move and start a new life. They lived in different places like Adelaide and Tasmania.

Later in his life, Ray found out something special about his family. His great-great-grandmother was an Indigenous Australian woman from the Kamilaroi nation. This is an Aboriginal group from near Gunnedah.

Ray went to Launceston College. He then studied engineering at the University of Sydney on a scholarship. But he decided he wanted to teach instead. So, he changed his studies to English and history. He finished his university degree in 1967.

Ray Martin's TV Career

Ray Martin started his career in television in 1965. He worked as a cadet for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in Sydney. In 1969, he became the ABC's reporter in New York City. For the next 10 years, he covered many big events. These included protests, the Olympic Games, and presidential elections. He reported for news shows like Four Corners and This Day Tonight.

In 1978, Ray joined the Nine Network. He helped launch the famous news program 60 Minutes. He worked alongside other reporters like George Negus and Ian Leslie.

From 1985 to 1993, Ray hosted Midday with Ray Martin. This was a popular daily variety show. He also hosted special shows where he interviewed many famous people. These included Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robin Williams, Elton John, and Madonna.

Ray hosted A Current Affair from 1994 to 1998. After that, he presented other series like Our Century. In 2003, he returned to host A Current Affair again. In 2005, he became a Senior Reporter for Channel Nine. He helped report on major events, such as the tsunami disaster in 2005.

Ray has also hosted many other big television events. These include the Logie Awards, the Commonwealth Games, and election nights. He even covered the events after the 11 September terrorist attacks. In 2007, he became a co-host of the program Sunday.

Ray left the Nine Network in 2008. In 2008, he led the official broadcast of World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney.

In 2008, Ray spoke about how he felt journalism was changing. He said that news coverage was becoming "dumbed down."

Since 2014, Ray has presented the SBS series First Contact. In 2015, he appeared on the Australian version of Who Do You Think You Are?, a show about people's family history. In 2017, he hosted Look Me In The Eye.

In 2018, Ray became a presenter for the Nine Network's travel show, Helloworld. In 2020, he presented the ABC comedy series At Home Alone Together. In 2024, Ray presented the SBS series, Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye. This series looked at different ways people deal with death and funerals.

Awards and Honours

Ray Martin has won many awards for his work in television.

In 2010, Ray was given a special honour called Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This was for his help with charities, Indigenous groups, health, and sports. He also received the Centenary Medal in 2001.

In 2018, Australia Post released special stamps featuring Ray Martin. This was part of a series celebrating "legends of television." He also has a star on the Caloundra Walk of Stars.

Personal Life

Ray Martin is married to Dianne Martin. They have two children together.

Interests and Charity Work

Ray Martin is a big fan of the South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL team. He is also on their board.

He has done a lot of work for charity. He was the Chairman of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF). He was also the Chairman of The Fred Hollows Foundation. This foundation helps treat avoidable blindness, especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Ray has also supported children's services at Royal North Shore Hospital.

For over 30 years, Ray has been a Patron for the Humpty Dumpty Foundation. This charity helps sick children in hospitals across Australia. He hosts many of their events and visits hospitals to meet patients and their families.

Books by Ray Martin

• Ray: Stories of My Life (2009)
• Ray Martin's Favourites: The stories behind the legends (2011)