Basil Zempilas Biography

Basil Zempilas (born 30 July 1971) is an Australian radio and television presenter based in Perth, Western Australia. He is the senior sport presenter on Seven News, Perth. and since January 2014 co-hosts Perth radio station 6PR's breakfast program with Steve Mills. He is also a member of the Seven Network's AFL football commentary team. Zempilas has commentated on the Olympics and several other major sporting events and was formerly with radio station 92.9 in Perth.

Early life

As a child Zempilas attended Floreat Park Primary School and Hale School in Perth. He graduated from Perth's 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 in Perth. This also saw the end of his Australian rules football career, retiring from the West Perth Football Club after five seasons.

Media career

In his first year at the Seven Network, 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 Rowing and Basketball 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 on Rowing, Canoe/Kyak and Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Zempilas is the senior sport presenter on Seven News, Perth. and in the past has provided AFL commentary on radio station 1116 SEN into Melbourne. He was a co-host of the "Lisa, Paul & Baz" show on Perth's 92.9 but left in November 2013. He joined Steve Mills to host the 6PR breakfast radio show in January 2014.

Since 2012, Zempilas has been part of the Seven Network's expanded AFL broadcast team, calling Saturday afternoon matches and occasionally some Friday night (if the match in this timeslot is played in Perth) and Sunday afternoon matches. He is also a commentator for Seven's Australian Open tennis coverage and is the host of the annual Channel Seven Perth Telethon.

Personal life

In March 2004, a portrait of Zempilas by Perth artist Melinda Mackay was entered in the Archibald Prize, 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 6 September 2009, Zempilas married his longtime girlfriend Amy Graham on the island of Kastellorizo, Greece. They have two daughters.