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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Entertainment
Amanda Meade Media correspondent

Simon Townsend, star Australian children’s TV presenter, dies aged 79

Publicity still of Simon Townsend and his dog Woodrow
Wonder World creator and former presenter Simon Townsend has died aged 79, soon after an aggressive cancer diagnosis. Photograph: Network Ten

The veteran children’s television star Simon Townsend has died aged 79, shortly after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.

The former newspaper and television journalist launched Simon Townsend’s Wonder World! on Channel Ten in 1979 with mascot Woodrow the bloodhound. The groundbreaking show made him a household name in the 1980s, delighting young audiences with magazine-style stories which covered a wide range of topics including mental health, bullying, grief, social justice and war.

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