Basil Zempilas
Encyclopedia
Basil Zempilas is a sports presenter and commentator
on radio and television in Perth, Western Australia
. He currently appears on Seven News
, and radio stations 1116 SEN and 92.9. Zempilas has commentated on the Olympics and several other major sporting events.
. He graduated from Murdoch University
in 1992 with a degree in Media Studies and Mass Communications, and took up a cadetship as a sports reporter with Seven News
. This also saw the end of his Australian rules football
career, retiring from the West Perth Football Club
after five seasons.
, Zempilas was awarded "Best News Story" at the annual Western Australia Football Commission media awards for his coverage of the Melbourne Football Club
being thrown out of a West Coast Eagles
closed training session. In 1996, he was named the "Best Television Personality" at the same awards.
In 1996 Zempilas was promoted to weekend sports anchor on Seven News, a position he held until the end of 2001, when Seven lost the rights to broadcast AFL
. In 1997 he commenced hosting a locally-produced football show, Basil's Footy Show. He hosted the 1998 World Aquatics Championships
in Perth and co-hosted the local television program Perth at Five with Yvette Mooney.
He has been involved with the Seven Network's coverage of the Olympic Games
since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he co-hosted Tonight at the Games with Bruce Abernethy
for the Western Australia
and South Australia
markets. At the 2002 Winter Olympics
, Zempilas called Steven Bradbury
's win in the 1000m speed skating
; Australia's first Winter Olympic Gold medal. Zempilas provided commentary at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and represented Seven News at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships
. In 2006 he began presenting the AFL segment on the Seven Network program Sportsworld
with David Schwarz. He called the speed skating event at the 2006 Winter Olympics
with Bradbury and also commentated at the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
Zempilas is currently the weeknight sports presenter on Seven News, provides AFL commentary on SEN into Melbourne and is now a host of the "Lisa, Baz & Sam" show on Perth's 92.9.
From 2012, Zempilas will be part of the Seven Network's expanded AFL broadcast team.
, and in the same year he featured in Cleo
s 50 Most Eligible Bachelors. In 2007, Zempilas received a fine and a three month suspension of his driver's licence after pleading guilty to drink driving.
On the 6th September 2009 Zempilas married his longtime girlfriend Amy Graham in Greece.
On the 23rd August 2010 Zempilas and his wife Amy accounced that they are expecting their first child due March 2011. In March 2011, Amy gave birth to a baby girl, Ava Jessica Zempilas.
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
on radio and television in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. He currently appears on Seven News
Seven News
Seven News is the television news service of the Seven Network in Australia.National bulletins are presented from Seven's high-definition studios in Martin Place, Sydney, while flagship 6pm bulletins are produced in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. The network also produces Seven...
, and radio stations 1116 SEN and 92.9. Zempilas has commentated on the Olympics and several other major sporting events.
Early life
As a child Zempilas attended Floreat Park Primary School and Hale SchoolHale School
Hale School is a selective, independent, Anglican day and boarding school for boys, located in Wembley Downs, a coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia....
. He graduated from Murdoch University
Murdoch University
Murdoch University is a public university based in Perth, Australia. It began operations as the state's second university in 1973, and accepted its first students in 1975...
in 1992 with a degree in Media Studies and Mass Communications, and took up a cadetship as a sports reporter with Seven News
Seven News
Seven News is the television news service of the Seven Network in Australia.National bulletins are presented from Seven's high-definition studios in Martin Place, Sydney, while flagship 6pm bulletins are produced in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. The network also produces Seven...
. This also saw the end of his Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
career, retiring from the West Perth Football Club
West Perth Football Club
The West Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Falcons, is an Australian rules football club located in Joondalup, Western Australia, competing in the West Australian Football League . It is the oldest existing Australian rules football club in Western Australia. It competes in the West Australian...
after five seasons.
Career
In his first year at the Seven NetworkSeven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
, Zempilas was awarded "Best News Story" at the annual Western Australia Football Commission media awards for his coverage of the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
being thrown out of a West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
closed training session. In 1996, he was named the "Best Television Personality" at the same awards.
In 1996 Zempilas was promoted to weekend sports anchor on Seven News, a position he held until the end of 2001, when Seven lost the rights to broadcast AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. In 1997 he commenced hosting a locally-produced football show, Basil's Footy Show. He hosted the 1998 World Aquatics Championships
1998 World Aquatics Championships
The 1998 World Aquatics Championships or the 8th FINA World Swimming Championships were held in Perth, Western Australia, Australia between 8 January and 17 January 1998....
in Perth and co-hosted the local television program Perth at Five with Yvette Mooney.
He has been involved with the Seven Network's coverage of the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he co-hosted Tonight at the Games with Bruce Abernethy
Bruce Abernethy
Bruce Abernethy is a former Australian rules footballer in the SANFL, VFL/AFL and current media personality.-Football career:...
for the Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
markets. At the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
, Zempilas called Steven Bradbury
Steven Bradbury
Steven John Bradbury OAM is a former Australian short track speed skater and four-time Olympian, who won the 1,000 m event at the 2002 Winter Olympics after all of his opponents were involved in a last corner pile-up...
's win in the 1000m speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
; Australia's first Winter Olympic Gold medal. Zempilas provided commentary at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and represented Seven News at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships
2005 World Aquatics Championships
The 2005 World Aquatics Championships or the XI FINA World Championships were held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from July 16 to July 31, 2005...
. In 2006 he began presenting the AFL segment on the Seven Network program Sportsworld
Sportsworld
Sportsworld was an Australian Sunday morning sports information program shown on Seven Network. The program was broadcast from 9.00am - 11.00am following Weekend Sunrise on a Sunday morning, from Seven's Martin Place streetfront studios in Sydney....
with David Schwarz. He called the speed skating event at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
with Bradbury and also commentated at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
Zempilas is currently the weeknight sports presenter on Seven News, provides AFL commentary on SEN into Melbourne and is now a host of the "Lisa, Baz & Sam" show on Perth's 92.9.
From 2012, Zempilas will be part of the Seven Network's expanded AFL broadcast team.
Personal life
In March 2004, a portrait of Zempilas by Perth artist Melinda Mackay was entered in the Archibald PrizeArchibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor of The Bulletin who died in 1919...
, and in the same year he featured in Cleo
Cleo (magazine)
CLEO is an Australian, New Zealand, South African, Malaysian, Singaporean, Thailand and Indonesian women's magazine.Aimed at an older audience than the teenage-focused Dolly, the magazine is known for its CLEO Bachelor of the Year award....
s 50 Most Eligible Bachelors. In 2007, Zempilas received a fine and a three month suspension of his driver's licence after pleading guilty to drink driving.
On the 6th September 2009 Zempilas married his longtime girlfriend Amy Graham in Greece.
On the 23rd August 2010 Zempilas and his wife Amy accounced that they are expecting their first child due March 2011. In March 2011, Amy gave birth to a baby girl, Ava Jessica Zempilas.
External links
- Presenter profile at Seven News