The respected Australian journalist and former host of A Current Affair has died aged 76 after a battle with throat cancer.

Veteran journalist Mike Willesee has died age 76.

The former A Current Affair host had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2016 and struggled with the loss of his voice.

One of Australia’s most respected journalists, Willesee began his career on the ABC’s This Day Tonight and then joined Four Corners.

From there he became the host of A Current Affair and was credited with discovering Paul Hogan on the Channel 9 show.

Willesee was a prominent figure in Australian broadcast news from the late 1960s, first as a journalist and then a presenter of several top-rating shows.

He fronted a number of memorable current affairs programs, including Willesee At Seven.

One of the journalist’s most iconic interviews was with John Hewson, the Liberal Leader vying to be prime minister, in the lead-up to the 1993 election.

Ten days out from the poll, Willesee peppered the politician with questions about his proposed Goods and Services Tax — including a simple one about the cost of a birthday cake.

BREAKING | Mike Willesee has died from cancer, aged 76.@chrissmithradio has been informed by those who were close with the veteran journalist. pic.twitter.com/iQWiMOlEmq — 2GB 873 (@2GB873) March 1, 2019

Deeply saddened to hear that our colleague and TV legend Mike Willesee has passed away. Our thoughts are with his family. We’ll remember an incredible journalist, tenacious and tough. A loss for our industry. #sn7 #7news pic.twitter.com/frCLuecanD — Melissa Doyle (@melissadoyle) March 1, 2019

Legendary television journalist and #9ACA’s first host Mike Willesee has sadly passed away after a lengthy battle with throat cancer, aged 76. Our thoughts are with his family during this time. pic.twitter.com/tl1YN4m3ri — A Current Affair (@ACurrentAffair9) March 1, 2019

Willesee was one of the giants. Born to tell stories & like all the greats remained hungry to do so through to the close. A charismatic TV presence & one of our most daunting, persuasive & incisive interviewers. He shaped the form.

A thrill to work with him. Vale.#mikewillesee — steve taylor (@thatstevetaylor) March 1, 2019

Vale. Good man.

Veteran TV journalist Mike Willesee dies aged 76 https://t.co/QMSQG2u7bV via @smh — Peter FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) March 1, 2019

I'm so thankful for journalists like Mike Willesee. What an example he set! He will be sorely missed! https://t.co/OSlwhh4daa — Kendall Gilding (@KendallGilding7) March 1, 2019

Deeply saddened to hear that our colleague and TV legend Mike Willesee has passed away. Our thoughts are with his family. We’ll remember an incredible journalist, tenacious and tough. A loss for our industry. #sn7 #7news pic.twitter.com/frCLuecanD — Melissa Doyle (@melissadoyle) March 1, 2019

The birthday cake questions, or rather Hewson’s embarrassing inability to clearly answer them, were credited with costing the Liberals the election — which had been dubbed unlosable.

He notoriously conducted a live phone interview on air in 1993 with two children who were being held hostage by their father. The decision sparked significant public backlash.

He regularly filled in for Jana Wendt on A Current Affair during the show’s golden era. On one night in particular, he sparked controversy by appearing to host the show while intoxicated but later insisted he was on heavy medication.

Speaking about the incident in 2017’s Australian Story, Willesee said he “didn’t know I had a problem” with alcohol at the time.

“I was defenceless against it. When I did know the problem, then I could start dealing with it. That’s really what it’s been all about, the knowledge as opposed to ignorance or denial,” he said.

While on assignment in Kenya in 1997, he and cameraman Greg Low shared a brush with death after the plane they were on crashed.

The light aircraft took off from Nairobi and was hit by bad weather, with its engine stalling and the plane spiralling back to earth.

The newsman freed himself and Low from his jammed seatbelt, helping him to safety.

The whole experience led Willesee back to his Catholic faith, he later revealed.

Willesee was inducted into the TV WEEK Logies Hall of Fame in 2002 and despite stepping back from the limelight, continued to make regular small screen appearances.

He was an occasional interviewer for Channel 7’s Sunday Night program from 2012, sitting down with prominent figures from billionaire James Packer to then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

In a statement Seven said they were “deeply saddened” to learn of Willesee’ death.

“The Perth-born journalist was known for his masterful interviewing skills,” their statement read.

“Willesee dominated Australian television current affairs for 50 years setting an industry standard that few were able to match.

His final major TV investigation was for Seven’s flagship news and public affairs program Sunday Night. Our thoughts are with his family.”

In an interview with ABC’s Australian Story two years ago he revealed he was battling throat cancer.

“I was getting sick and I had a lot of pain in one side of my jaw. It was cancer. The prognosis wasn’t very good. Six to 12 months,” he said.

He also told ABC Sydney’s Drive with Richard Glover the cancer treatment had impacted his voice.

“It’s the radiation that has caused my voice to go, it’s quite a heavy treatment,” Willesee said.

Despite his diagnosis, Willesee vowed to keep busy, telling Australian Story: “The thing that drives me on most, and this is interesting, because I do have cancer, is that I don’t want to start looking backwards. You know, I always want something coming up.

“I’ve tried my hand at writing. I want to do some more of that. And I intend to do more work on television.

“I always want to have something in front of me that I can do well.”

Vale Mike Willesee. A true giant of broadcast journalism and an inspiration to the generations that followed. Deepest condolences to all his family. — Mark Riley (@Riley7News) March 1, 2019

Saddened to hear of the death of Mike Willesee. So many career highlights, but his 1993 ‘birthday cake’ encounter with John Hewson will go down as one of the greatest political interviews in Australian history. Vale. pic.twitter.com/SNK8Eeh5Yx — Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) March 1, 2019

I grew up being inspired by the masterful interviewing skills of #MikeWillesee and wondering if, one day...

Vale. https://t.co/Ugz3MNcrXD — Lisa Wilkinson (@Lisa_Wilkinson) March 1, 2019

The great Mike Willesee has died. He was one of the true pioneers of TV journalism in Australia, an outstanding interviewer and a presence in every Australian living room for decades. Vale. — Gaven Morris (@gavmorris) March 1, 2019

Willesee was married to former Miss Australia Joan Stanbury and had two children, Michael and Katie. He later married actress and model Carol Brent in 1976, and the couple had daughters Amy, Lucy and Jo.

Willesee’s son, Michael Willesee Jr, followed in his father’s footsteps as a journalist and then producer, with earlier stints in advertising, before moving into politics as an adviser. He is married to Sixty Minutes reporter Allison Langdon.

His daughter Amy Willesee is a journalist and writer, married to fellow writer Mark Whittaker.

In 1999, Willesee married television make-up artist Gordana Poljak and had a son, Rok. The couple separated after 11 years of marriage and divorced the following year.