How a radio fill-in became Australia's 'golden girl' of television
In short: She began her career as an emergency replacement for a sick colleague. From those Perth radio roots, Carrie Bickmore ascended to become a staple of Australian television, winning the industry's highest honours and transforming a personal tragedy into a multi-million dollar movement for brain cancer research.
Carrie Bickmore's media journey began unexpectedly at 92.9FM in Perth, where she stepped in as a newsreader to cover a colleague. After studying English at Curtin University, she moved to Melbourne in 2001, quickly establishing herself in radio on stations like Nova 100. Her television breakthrough came in 2006 on the variety show Rove Live, where her 'Carrie @ the News Desk' segment blended news with pop-culture quips. Her father, Brian Bickmore, was also a radio announcer at the same Perth station. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in 2000 before relocating to Victoria.
By 2009, Bickmore transitioned to Network 10's The 7pm Project, a role she held for thirteen years. Her popularity on screen earned her the Gold Logie for Most Popular TV Personality in 2015. During her acceptance speech, she used a beanie to honour her late husband, Greg Lange, who passed away in December 2010 after a battle with brain cancer. This poignant moment birthed 'Carrie's Beanies 4 Brain Cancer'. Before her long tenure on The Project, she served as a breakfast newsreader for the Hughesy & Kate program. Her television career also included presenting for the variety show Rove Live.
What started as a personal tribute evolved into a massive philanthropic engine. In November 2015, Bickmore launched the charity with an initial fundraising goal of $4.2 million; remarkably, this target was met within just two months. As of September 2022, the foundation has raised over $18 million. Her contributions extend beyond media, earning her a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2019 for her service to broadcasting and brain cancer awareness. The charity's success was so rapid that the $4.2 million milestone was reached by January 2016. Her philanthropic impact led to her induction onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2017.
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