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Denham Hitchcock

Denham is a senior reporter who has been with Sunday Night since 2014. He has spearheaded many of the programs biggest stories including two trips to the front lines against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the devastating Zika virus in South America, and the plight of Australian drug mule Cassandra Sainsbury in Colombia.

Back home there’s been a series of full program reports including an undercover story with the NSW Police Child Exploitation unit tracking down the country’s worst paedophiles, and a major investigation into the death of a young cheerleader on the Gold Coast that caused a re-evaluation of the entire police case.

But his strongest asset would be his versatility. While he is at his best in crucial sit down interviews and high pressure situations, you will also see him suspended from bridges, riding a racehorse at full gallop, surfing with Kelly Slater, at the bottom of a human tower in Spain, getting into the ring with UFC fighters, riding a mountain bike down the death road in Bolivia, or even spending the day with Phil Collins or superstar Margot Robbie.

So how did all this begin?

In 1995 he started on Seven’s Today Tonight fresh out of school and answering phones. Within six months he worked his way up to researcher, and then producer for a weekly current affairs show called The Times.
But the call of daily news was soon to come and he shifted to the beating heart of any television station… the newsroom. Here he worked as both an assistant chief of staff, and producer.

In 1997 he moved to Channel Nine and although he started in the role of assistant chief of staff, he quickly progressed to the news desk as a key producer.

Then like many Australians at the age of 22 the world beckoned. Denham spent two years working in London as a freelance reporter, editor and producer for the highly regarded media agency Reuters, along with the UK’s BSKYB and GMTV.

He then spent a year backpacking through Europe, the Middle East and Africa, eventually returning home to Sydney.

Back at the Nine Network in 2001 and with the travel bug satisfied he progressed from producer, to line up producer, and finally a full time reporter.

In 2010 Denham was awarded the coveted position of US Correspondent in the Los Angeles Bureau and travelled the length of North and South America covering news events for The Today Show, 11am, 1630 News, 5pm News, the main bulletin at 6pm, A Current Affair and 60 Minutes.

In 2014 Denham joined the Sunday Night news team as a respected international reporter.

Among his stories covered as an International Correspondent:

Philippines Typhoon: Anchoring the coverage from the worst hit city of Tacloban where 10 thousand people are believed to have died. Reporting in extreme conditions on the rising death toll, the missing Australians and the mission to get basic necessities to a panicked and shell shocked population.

Boston Bombings: The first successful terrorist attack on American soil since September Eleven. Two brothers, radicalized and with a hatred for the west, bombed the Boston marathon killing three people and injuring more than 200 others. The subsequent manhunt went for days. A city ordered to stay indoors. Shoot outs with police. And an eventual standoff that led to the capture of one of the brothers. Denham delivered live or packaged reports into all six bulletins every day for 14 days.

The Pope: Leading the coverage in Rome, Italy, for the historic resignation of Pope Benedict, and the election of the current leader of the Catholic church, Pope Francis.

US Shootings: Denham was at the scene of every major US shooting between 2010 to 2014 including the heartbreaking massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school where 20 children were gunned down.

Hurricane Sandy: Dubbed a super storm, Sandy struck 24 states, killed almost 300 people and caused $75 billion dollars of damage, the second costliest hurricane in US history. The coverage included live crosses, while mobile, for three hours as the storm struck New York.

Bin Laden Killed: The extraordinary mission to track down and kill the world’s most wanted terrorist.

Gallipoli: Ten days of reports from the Gallipoli peninsula. The scene of one of Australia’s greatest war time tragedies and a place of enormous national pride.

The Oscars: Providing live network coverage from the red carpet at Hollywood’s night of nights from 2010 to 2014.

Tornado Alley for 60 Minutes: A look at one of the deadliest years for Tornadoes in the USA. The damage. The loss of life. The survivors. The storm chasers who risk it all.

Juarez Mexico: The world’s most dangerous city. A place where more than 3,000 people are murdered each year in a battle between police and drug cartels. A place where life is cheap.

Chile Volcano: The first media crew to climb the treacherous Puyehue volcano while it was erupting. Trekking through ice, snow and raining volcanic ash and stones.

September 11: Providing network coverage from ground zero for the week surrounding the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York on September 11.

His time in the US also led to extensive profile interviews with celebrities including Angelina Jolie, Matt Damon, Johnny Depp, Lionel Richie, Dolly Parton and Betty White and many more.

A selection of his stories can be found HERE.