Michael Willesee Jr. is an Australian television journalist with a strong reputation in both print and broadcast media.
He is the son of the legendary Mike Willis, one of Australia’s most influential and respected interviewers.
Michael Willis Jr. follows in his father’s footsteps, covering a variety of topics and issues, from politics to crime, entertainment to sports.
contour
- Full name: Michael Willesee Jr.
- Date of Birth: December 1, 1969
- Age: 55
- Sex: Male
- Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
- Nationality: Australian
- Occupation: TV reporter, documentary filmmaker, political consultant
- Height: Unknown
- Parents: Mike Willis (father, deceased), Joan Stanberry (mother)
- Siblings: Amy Willis (sister), Kate Willis (sister)
- Spouse: Alison Landon (wife)
- Children: Mike James Willis (son), Scott Heather Willis (daughter)
- Marital status: Married
- Net worth: $3 million
Early life and education
Michael Willis Jr. was born on December 1, 1969 in Sydney, Australia, the eldest son of Mike Willis and Joan Stanbury.
His father is a well-known journalist and interviewer who hosted several popular television shows such as Current Affairs, Four Corners and This Is Tonight.
His mother was a former Miss Australia and the first wife of Willis High School. They divorced when Michael was young, and his father remarried twice. Michael has two older sisters, Amy and Kate, who also work in journalism and healthcare, respectively.
Michael was introduced to journalism at an early age growing up in a media-enthusiastic family and attended Sydney’s prestigious Jesuit school, St Ignatius’ College, Riverview, where he excelled both academically and in sport.
In late 1988, he graduated from Charles Sturt University with a degree in Journalism.
personal life
Michael Willesee Jr.’s wife, Allison Langdon, is a reporter for Channel 9’s “60 Minutes.”
The two met in 2006 while working for the same television network and got engaged in 2007. In 2008, they got married in a lavish ceremony at the Palm Beach Golf Club in Sydney.
They have two children: a son named Mack James, born in January 2017, and a daughter named Scout Heather, born in March 2019. The couple lives in Sydney and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Profession
Michael Willesee Jr. began his career at The Australian in 1990 as a trainee reporter.
He then moved to Los Angeles and New York, working for several TV shows including Entertainment Tonight, Extra, and Inside Edition, covering Hollywood celebrities and the OJ Simpson case.
In 1996, he returned to Australia and joined Channel Nine, reporting for National Nine News and A Current Affair.
He also hosted his own show, Michael Willis Live, where he interviewed such notable figures as Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali.
In 1997, he made headlines when he interviewed convicted murderer John Wayne Glover on A Current Affair. The interview caused controversy as it was seen as callous and exploitative, and Willis was accused of paying Glover for an exclusive interview.
Willis defended his decision, saying he wanted to understand the mind of a serial killer, and donated the money to charity.
In 1999, he left Channel Nine to form his own production company, Willesee Productions, which specialises in documentaries and non-fiction programmes. He has produced and presented award-winning documentaries such as Miracle of Bali, The Last Days of Jesus and The Power of the Heart.
He has also collaborated with his father, Mike Willesee, on projects such as The Willesee Interviews and The Willesee Dynasty.
In 2014, he resigned from his position as a senior reporter for Sky News Australia to work in the office of Treasurer Joe Hockey.
He served as Hockey’s media advisor and speechwriter until Hockey resigned in 2015. He then returned to journalism, joining the Seven Network as a senior correspondent for Sunday Night. He has also appeared on Sunrise, The Morning Show and The Daily Edition.
Awards
Michael Willesee Jr. has received several awards for his work as a journalist and documentary filmmaker, such as:
- “Miracle in Bali” won the 2000 Logie Award for Outstanding Public Affairs Reporting.
- The Last Days of Jesus won the 2001 Walkley Award for Best Documentary.
- “The Power of the Mind” won the Best Documentary Award at the 2002 New York Film Festival.
- In 2003, “The Willis Interview” won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Documentary.
net worth
Michael Willesee Jr.’s net worth is estimated to be $3 million, although he has not disclosed his income or assets to the public.
He has made a decent amount of money from his career as a journalist, documentary filmmaker and political consultant. He also inherited some wealth from his father, Mike Willis, who died in 2019 after a long battle with throat cancer.
dispute
Michael Willesee Jr. has faced some controversy during his career, mainly due to his 1997 interview with John Wayne Glover.
He was criticized for being unethical, sensationalist, and paying a convicted murderer for exclusives. Glover’s family sued him, saying he had invaded their privacy and caused them distress. The case was settled out of court, with Willis apologizing to Glover’s family.
Another controversy Willis has faced was his involvement in the 2015 “Plibersek affair”. At the time, he was working as a media advisor to Joe Hockey and he approached Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek to ask her to comment on the budget. Plibersek refused to answer and accused Willis of being a “Liberal Party puppet”. Willis denied any bias and said he was simply doing his job as a journalist.
social media
- Instagram: @michaelwilleseejr
- Twitter: @mwilleseejr
