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Angela Louise D'Audney (née Cerdan, 26 August 1944 – 6 February 2002) was a New Zealand television
news anchor A news presenter – also known as a newsreader, newscaster (short for "news broadcaster"), anchorman or anchorwoman, news anchor or simply an anchor – is a person who presents news during a news program on TV, radio or the Internet. ...
and occasional actress. She became known as New Zealand's “first lady of broadcasting” and was the first woman to regularly anchor nationwide news bulletins on New Zealand television in 1973. In a career spanning four decades, she presented news regularly for
TVNZ Television New Zealand (, "Te Reo Tātaki" meaning "The Leading Voice"), more commonly referred to as TVNZ, is a New Zealand state-owned media company and Crown entity. The company operates a television network, streaming service, and news se ...
until 1997 and occasionally until 2001, when failing health forced her to leave her role at the broadcaster.Veteran broadcaster D'Audney dies
, Television New Zealand 6 February 2002. Retrieved 17 July 2014.


Early life

She was born Angela Louise Cerdan in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, to a
Jewish American American Jews (; ) or Jewish Americans are American citizens who are Jewish, whether by culture, ethnicity, or religion. According to a 2020 poll conducted by Pew Research, approximately two thirds of American Jews identify as Ashkenazi, 3% id ...
mother, Cecile Evelyn Cerdan (née Cohen) and a Spanish father, Ramon Cerdan Pla. D'Audney spent the first years of her life in
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, before moving with her family to Auckland in the early 1950s. She was homeschooled and developed a love for languages, also learning her Orthodox grandmother's native
Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
. She became a naturalised New Zealand citizen in 1956, and married Haddo D'Audney in 1965; they were later divorced.


Career

D'Audney began her career in broadcasting at the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation in 1962, working part-time as a
continuity announcer In broadcasting, continuity or presentation (or station break in the U.S. and Canada) is announcements, messages and graphics played by the broadcaster between specific programmes. It typically includes programme schedules, announcement of the ...
, while studying microbiology at the
University of Auckland The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...
. D'Audney was younger than the requisite minimum age of 21 for announcer. Bob Irvine, head announcer at the corporation was so impressed by D'Audney's audition, that he pleaded for an exception to the rules with the corporation's hierarchy in
Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
. In 1968, she relocated to
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
in Australia, where she was hired by the radio station 2GB, covering the midnight to dawn slot three days a week. She returned to New Zealand two years later, where she began working for the radio station Newstalk ZB as an "intermediary" between show guests, such as Bruce Slane and
David Lange David Russell Lange ( ; 4 August 1942 – 13 August 2005) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 32nd prime minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. A member of the New Zealand Labour Party, Lange was also the Minister of Education ...
. She then landed her first main role on television as a reporter for ''On Camera'', an afternoon women's show. She sparked public debate about female newsreaders when she was rushed to the studios as a fill in to present the national news in 1973. Sharon Crosbie complained "I feel it is incongruous to have a continuity girl in a cocktail dress and hairdo saying that a typhoon has just killed 50 people." However, D'Audney was promoted from continuity to announcer to become a full-time broadcaster and then national news reader from 1973. She also worked occasionally as an actress, and in 1982 shocked the public by appearing topless in the television comedy play ''The Venus Touch''.Casserly, P.
Nude D'Audney tops legendary NZ TV moments
, ''New Zealand Herald'', 12 March 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
She playing the partner of a sexologist with sexual problems in his own marriage, "I was an actress doing a job, and it would be unfortunate if I lost the goodwill of some viewers because of that."Obituary - Angela D'Audney
''New Zealand Herald''. Retrieved on 4 December 2023
She led the regional news programme, ''Look North''. D'Audney and her colleagues were dropped from the lineup in 1984, and then hastily rehired. D'Audney turned down a position to return as a reporter. She instead took up a position as a newsreader on current affairs digest, ''Eye Witness News'' until 1989.Eyewitness News Television, 1982–1989
NZ on screen. Retrieved on 4 December 2023
She was replaced by Cathy Campbell and Anita McNaught, commenting "they simply didn't have my breadth of experience, my skills, my track record. I belonged in that chair next to Lindsay Perigo, not them." The show was cancelled shortly afterwards. She continued as a current affairs presenter and occasional newsreader until 2001, gradually shifting her focus from television work to radio.


Personal life

In May 2001, D'Audney was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which proved to be cancerous, and underwent an operation two weeks later. She died in February 2002 at the age of 57. During her last year, she wrote and published her autobiography, ''Angela: A Wonderful Life''. Her funeral was held at Beth Shalom, a Progressive Jewish congregation in Auckland. She is buried in the Jewish section of Waikumete Cemetery.


Legacy

After her death, the Angela D'Audney Trust was set up to raise funds for cancer treatment in New Zealand.Johnston, M.
TVNZ weather presenter honours dying wish
, ''New Zealand Woman's Weekly'', 22 February 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2014.


References


External links

*
Angela D'Audney
at nzonscreen.com, includes several video clips * {{DEFAULTSORT:Daudney, Angela 1944 births 2002 deaths English emigrants to New Zealand Naturalised citizens of New Zealand English Jews New Zealand radio presenters New Zealand women radio presenters New Zealand women television presenters New Zealand television newsreaders and news presenters New Zealand Jews New Zealand people of English-Jewish descent New Zealand people of Spanish descent University of Auckland alumni New Zealand autobiographers Deaths from cancer in New Zealand Burials at Waikumete Cemetery