Australia just said goodbye to a cooking legend (89) and a news icon (76)—within days of each other
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Two beloved public figures—each with a distinct voice, a signature style, and a passion for their craft—have died just days apart.
Their unexpected passing has struck a chord with Australians who grew up watching them on screen, listening to their words, and trusting their guidance.
Now, as the nation reflects on their extraordinary legacies, many are stunned by the timing.
Television chef, author and artist Peter Russell-Clarke has died, aged 89, following complications from a stroke.
His family confirmed the news on 6 July afternoon, revealing he passed away peacefully in his sleep on 3 July.
‘In the end it was quite a release for the family that he wasn’t suffering anymore,’ his son, Peter Russell-Clarke Jr, shared.
Born in Ballarat in 1935, Russell-Clarke’s story was one of creativity, resilience and reinvention. He began his career at just 14 as a junior artist at an advertising agency, later moving into freelance cartooning and food consulting for New Idea, Woman’s Day, and other publications.
But it was the small screen that turned him into a household name—and his ‘g’day’ catchphrase into a national earworm.
In the 1980s, Come and Get It hit Australian television screens, fronted by Russell-Clarke in his signature neckerchief. The ABC cooking show ran from 1983 to 1992, with more than 900 episodes written and hosted by the man himself.
‘I realised that the bloke in front of the camera got more applause than the person who wrote it,’ he said in a 2017 interview.
‘So I wrote myself into the series and I became known as a cook rather than a painter or a writer.’
While the show cemented him as one of Australia’s first TV celebrity chefs, his passion for food went much deeper than television fame.
As a teenager, Russell-Clarke had been forced to leave his rural Victorian home after his parents’ separation. He spent time in foster care, and for a period, on the streets of Melbourne. It was a tough chapter—but it shaped his future.
‘He would spend time getting scraps of food from Victoria Market and making up sandwiches and things that he would sell from the various scraps,’ his son recalled.
‘He went around looking at the food that was thrown out from restaurants and analysing how they would cook and do things, and then form his own criticism about food.’
That eye for detail—paired with a necessity to cook for survival—sparked a lifelong love of cooking with purpose and practicality.
The concept eventually grew into Come and Get It, a five-minute cooking show that delivered quick, healthy meals and accessible tips for home cooks. It was ahead of its time.
‘It brought the idea of farm-to-table eating well before that was a thing,’ said his son.
‘He talked about the ingredients and what would be the benefits of eating naturally and eating good, healthy farm food back in the 80s before chefs and influencers were doing that.’
Russell-Clarke’s influence wasn’t limited to television. From the mid-70s for over two decades, he served as a popular spokesperson for the Australian Dairy Corporation, the Australian Egg Board, and Kraft Cheese, appearing on radio and TV to promote Australian produce.
In 1977, he was chosen as the chef for the Prince of Wales’s Silver Jubilee dinner. He was later invited to cook for several Australian prime ministers, Victorian premiers, and even the Duke of Edinburgh.
He went on to write at least 35 cookbooks and was named a United Nations food ambassador—titles that reflected not just his knowledge, but his commitment to educating the public.
‘He was a very big character,’ Russell-Clarke Jr said.
‘He had strong opinions and liked to share them. In public, he loved to educate and inform, and food was a natural outlet for him to do that.’
‘He was passionate about natural ingredients and farming and so he would promote healthy eating and the use of natural Australian food, and he loved to talk about it in private just as much as he did in public.’
‘It wasn’t just a job, it was his life, and that came across in everything he did.’
But for all his culinary fame, Russell-Clarke never stopped seeing the world through an artist’s eyes.
He painted for more than 65 years and spent a decade as a political cartoonist for The Herald in Melbourne. His work appeared in exhibitions both in Australia and overseas, was collected by the National Immigration Museum, and auctioned at the Shepparton Art Museum.
In 2004, the National Portrait Gallery requested a self-portrait for its collection.
Speaking to the gallery in 2022, he reflected on the connection between art and food:
‘[While painting,] you’re mucking around with colour, form, texture, shape. And with cooking, you’re doing the same thing,’ he said.
‘Cooking is only supplying heat to food. The same as painting. Painting is supplying paint to a surface, whether it’s a canvas or a piece of cardboard.’
Russell-Clarke was also commissioned to create artworks for the federal government—a fitting recognition for a man whose talents crossed multiple mediums and touched countless lives.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Jan, their two children, Peter and Wendy, and three grandchildren.
Losing Peter Russell-Clarke means saying goodbye to a voice, a brushstroke, and a cheerful ‘g’day’ that shaped the way Australians ate, cooked and thought about their food.
Just days earlier, Australia also farewelled another beloved public figure whose voice and passion shaped the nation in a different way.
Veteran journalist and lifelong animal welfare advocate Michael Beatty has died aged 76, just weeks after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.
His son, Liam, confirmed the news on 6 July, writing on social media that Beatty passed away that day surrounded by family.
‘He never lost his fighting spirit, as he continued to defy the odds,’ Liam wrote.
‘[He] committed a lifetime to giving a voice to those without one, or who he believed needed a louder one, [and] spent his final days reflecting on a life well lived with his close friends and family.’
Beatty had already been living with lung cancer for seven years before the leukaemia diagnosis.
His final role, as senior media adviser for RSPCA Queensland, came after a decades-long journalism career that spanned continents, political uprisings, and wild animal encounters.
But before he became one of Queensland’s most recognisable media figures, Beatty had to forge his own path.
Born in England in 1949, the son of Canadian screen actor Robert Beatty, he moved to Canada as a teenager following his parents’ divorce. There, he began his media career at the bottom—literally—as a mail boy at a CBC radio station in Ottawa.
It didn’t take long for him to seize opportunity: he volunteered to interview a young guitarist from the UK named Jimi Hendrix.
The reward? According to his 2018 memoir Off the Beatty Track, he was ‘promptly “exiled” to a CBC radio station in the eastern Arctic’.
Still, Beatty didn’t give up. He returned to the UK where he interviewed music greats including David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, The Rolling Stones and even a teenage Michael Jackson.
Eventually, he followed the call of adventure to Australia, where he joined the ABC in Sydney during the 1970s. It was the start of a journalistic run that would span more than three decades.
From Today Tonight to The 7.30 Report, Beatty became a familiar face and voice on current affairs television.
He also produced wildlife documentaries for Wild Life and Beyond 2000, and reported on some of the biggest stories of the 20th century—including the downfall of the Marcos regime in the Philippines, the 1981 Brixton riots in the UK, and land mine removals in Cambodia.
He even covered the conflict between Myanmar’s military junta and the Karen ethnic group.
But it wasn’t just war zones and politics that defined his on-screen persona—Beatty was always game for a stunt.
He once filmed a segment from the back of a 3.6-metre-long crocodile and was variously pelted with rocks, charged by a black rhino and shot at while on assignment.
‘[I did] some pretty stupid things. I was told I had nine lives, I reckon I’ve used about five of them,’ he said during his 2018 book launch.
Even after stepping away from mainstream journalism, Beatty continued to use his media savvy to make a difference.
As RSPCA Queensland’s senior media adviser, he spent over 15 years ensuring animal welfare issues received coverage across the state—often stepping in front of the camera himself to speak up when others wouldn’t.
In recognition of his work, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2019.
One of his most memorable public moments came in December 2004, when he joined then-RSPCA chief inspector Byron Hall in a locked car to demonstrate the dangers of leaving pets unattended.
Temperatures inside the vehicle reportedly soared to 70 degrees before the men exited.
‘He was always available for comment and never one to shy away from upsetting topics’ was a common refrain from journalists who worked with him.
Beatty’s memoir Off the Beatty Track offered a rare personal look behind the scenes of a life filled with adventure, danger and passion.
A black and white cover image showed a younger Beatty—moustachioed, cigarette in hand—looking both cheeky and defiant.
His legacy, though, goes far beyond headlines and TV moments.
He is survived by his wife Cecile and son Liam.
‘Whilst our hearts are shattered in pieces, we know we will mend them as we commit to continuously remembering and celebrating a great husband, friend, father, father-in-law, and grandfather at every opportunity,’ Liam wrote.
Both Peter Russell-Clarke and Michael Beatty left behind legacies marked by creativity, conviction and compassion.
Their work not only entertained but educated, inspired, and sparked important conversations—from the way we cook to how we care for animals and each other.
As Australia mourns two remarkable lives, we honour the voices they lent to causes greater than themselves.
While Peter Russell-Clarke and Michael Beatty made their mark through food and fearless journalism, others have captured hearts through sport and service. If you’ve been reflecting on the legacy of iconic Australians, you might also enjoy looking back on the lives of two very different—but equally memorable—figures. One came from royalty, the other from the footy field, but both left lasting impressions on the nation.
Read more: From the throne to the grandstand: Remembering a prince and a footy royal
Their unexpected passing has struck a chord with Australians who grew up watching them on screen, listening to their words, and trusting their guidance.
Now, as the nation reflects on their extraordinary legacies, many are stunned by the timing.
Television chef, author and artist Peter Russell-Clarke has died, aged 89, following complications from a stroke.
His family confirmed the news on 6 July afternoon, revealing he passed away peacefully in his sleep on 3 July.
‘In the end it was quite a release for the family that he wasn’t suffering anymore,’ his son, Peter Russell-Clarke Jr, shared.
Peter Russell-Clarke dies aged 89. Image source: Facebook/Paintings by Peter Russell-Clarke
Born in Ballarat in 1935, Russell-Clarke’s story was one of creativity, resilience and reinvention. He began his career at just 14 as a junior artist at an advertising agency, later moving into freelance cartooning and food consulting for New Idea, Woman’s Day, and other publications.
But it was the small screen that turned him into a household name—and his ‘g’day’ catchphrase into a national earworm.
In the 1980s, Come and Get It hit Australian television screens, fronted by Russell-Clarke in his signature neckerchief. The ABC cooking show ran from 1983 to 1992, with more than 900 episodes written and hosted by the man himself.
‘I realised that the bloke in front of the camera got more applause than the person who wrote it,’ he said in a 2017 interview.
‘So I wrote myself into the series and I became known as a cook rather than a painter or a writer.’
While the show cemented him as one of Australia’s first TV celebrity chefs, his passion for food went much deeper than television fame.
As a teenager, Russell-Clarke had been forced to leave his rural Victorian home after his parents’ separation. He spent time in foster care, and for a period, on the streets of Melbourne. It was a tough chapter—but it shaped his future.
‘He would spend time getting scraps of food from Victoria Market and making up sandwiches and things that he would sell from the various scraps,’ his son recalled.
‘He went around looking at the food that was thrown out from restaurants and analysing how they would cook and do things, and then form his own criticism about food.’
That eye for detail—paired with a necessity to cook for survival—sparked a lifelong love of cooking with purpose and practicality.
The concept eventually grew into Come and Get It, a five-minute cooking show that delivered quick, healthy meals and accessible tips for home cooks. It was ahead of its time.
‘It brought the idea of farm-to-table eating well before that was a thing,’ said his son.
‘He talked about the ingredients and what would be the benefits of eating naturally and eating good, healthy farm food back in the 80s before chefs and influencers were doing that.’
Russell-Clarke’s influence wasn’t limited to television. From the mid-70s for over two decades, he served as a popular spokesperson for the Australian Dairy Corporation, the Australian Egg Board, and Kraft Cheese, appearing on radio and TV to promote Australian produce.
In 1977, he was chosen as the chef for the Prince of Wales’s Silver Jubilee dinner. He was later invited to cook for several Australian prime ministers, Victorian premiers, and even the Duke of Edinburgh.
He went on to write at least 35 cookbooks and was named a United Nations food ambassador—titles that reflected not just his knowledge, but his commitment to educating the public.
‘He was a very big character,’ Russell-Clarke Jr said.
‘He had strong opinions and liked to share them. In public, he loved to educate and inform, and food was a natural outlet for him to do that.’
‘He was passionate about natural ingredients and farming and so he would promote healthy eating and the use of natural Australian food, and he loved to talk about it in private just as much as he did in public.’
‘It wasn’t just a job, it was his life, and that came across in everything he did.’
But for all his culinary fame, Russell-Clarke never stopped seeing the world through an artist’s eyes.
He painted for more than 65 years and spent a decade as a political cartoonist for The Herald in Melbourne. His work appeared in exhibitions both in Australia and overseas, was collected by the National Immigration Museum, and auctioned at the Shepparton Art Museum.
In 2004, the National Portrait Gallery requested a self-portrait for its collection.
Speaking to the gallery in 2022, he reflected on the connection between art and food:
‘[While painting,] you’re mucking around with colour, form, texture, shape. And with cooking, you’re doing the same thing,’ he said.
‘Cooking is only supplying heat to food. The same as painting. Painting is supplying paint to a surface, whether it’s a canvas or a piece of cardboard.’
Russell-Clarke was also commissioned to create artworks for the federal government—a fitting recognition for a man whose talents crossed multiple mediums and touched countless lives.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Jan, their two children, Peter and Wendy, and three grandchildren.
Losing Peter Russell-Clarke means saying goodbye to a voice, a brushstroke, and a cheerful ‘g’day’ that shaped the way Australians ate, cooked and thought about their food.
Just days earlier, Australia also farewelled another beloved public figure whose voice and passion shaped the nation in a different way.
Veteran journalist and lifelong animal welfare advocate Michael Beatty has died aged 76, just weeks after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.
His son, Liam, confirmed the news on 6 July, writing on social media that Beatty passed away that day surrounded by family.
Michael Beatty dies aged 76. Image source: Youtube/meditour2010
‘He never lost his fighting spirit, as he continued to defy the odds,’ Liam wrote.
‘[He] committed a lifetime to giving a voice to those without one, or who he believed needed a louder one, [and] spent his final days reflecting on a life well lived with his close friends and family.’
Beatty had already been living with lung cancer for seven years before the leukaemia diagnosis.
His final role, as senior media adviser for RSPCA Queensland, came after a decades-long journalism career that spanned continents, political uprisings, and wild animal encounters.
But before he became one of Queensland’s most recognisable media figures, Beatty had to forge his own path.
Born in England in 1949, the son of Canadian screen actor Robert Beatty, he moved to Canada as a teenager following his parents’ divorce. There, he began his media career at the bottom—literally—as a mail boy at a CBC radio station in Ottawa.
It didn’t take long for him to seize opportunity: he volunteered to interview a young guitarist from the UK named Jimi Hendrix.
The reward? According to his 2018 memoir Off the Beatty Track, he was ‘promptly “exiled” to a CBC radio station in the eastern Arctic’.
Still, Beatty didn’t give up. He returned to the UK where he interviewed music greats including David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, The Rolling Stones and even a teenage Michael Jackson.
Eventually, he followed the call of adventure to Australia, where he joined the ABC in Sydney during the 1970s. It was the start of a journalistic run that would span more than three decades.
From Today Tonight to The 7.30 Report, Beatty became a familiar face and voice on current affairs television.
He also produced wildlife documentaries for Wild Life and Beyond 2000, and reported on some of the biggest stories of the 20th century—including the downfall of the Marcos regime in the Philippines, the 1981 Brixton riots in the UK, and land mine removals in Cambodia.
He even covered the conflict between Myanmar’s military junta and the Karen ethnic group.
But it wasn’t just war zones and politics that defined his on-screen persona—Beatty was always game for a stunt.
He once filmed a segment from the back of a 3.6-metre-long crocodile and was variously pelted with rocks, charged by a black rhino and shot at while on assignment.
‘[I did] some pretty stupid things. I was told I had nine lives, I reckon I’ve used about five of them,’ he said during his 2018 book launch.
Even after stepping away from mainstream journalism, Beatty continued to use his media savvy to make a difference.
As RSPCA Queensland’s senior media adviser, he spent over 15 years ensuring animal welfare issues received coverage across the state—often stepping in front of the camera himself to speak up when others wouldn’t.
In recognition of his work, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2019.
One of his most memorable public moments came in December 2004, when he joined then-RSPCA chief inspector Byron Hall in a locked car to demonstrate the dangers of leaving pets unattended.
Temperatures inside the vehicle reportedly soared to 70 degrees before the men exited.
‘He was always available for comment and never one to shy away from upsetting topics’ was a common refrain from journalists who worked with him.
Beatty’s memoir Off the Beatty Track offered a rare personal look behind the scenes of a life filled with adventure, danger and passion.
A black and white cover image showed a younger Beatty—moustachioed, cigarette in hand—looking both cheeky and defiant.
His legacy, though, goes far beyond headlines and TV moments.
He is survived by his wife Cecile and son Liam.
‘Whilst our hearts are shattered in pieces, we know we will mend them as we commit to continuously remembering and celebrating a great husband, friend, father, father-in-law, and grandfather at every opportunity,’ Liam wrote.
Both Peter Russell-Clarke and Michael Beatty left behind legacies marked by creativity, conviction and compassion.
Their work not only entertained but educated, inspired, and sparked important conversations—from the way we cook to how we care for animals and each other.
As Australia mourns two remarkable lives, we honour the voices they lent to causes greater than themselves.
While Peter Russell-Clarke and Michael Beatty made their mark through food and fearless journalism, others have captured hearts through sport and service. If you’ve been reflecting on the legacy of iconic Australians, you might also enjoy looking back on the lives of two very different—but equally memorable—figures. One came from royalty, the other from the footy field, but both left lasting impressions on the nation.
Read more: From the throne to the grandstand: Remembering a prince and a footy royal
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my thoughts and prayers are with his family abd friends 
Vale Michael 
