- Karen Tighe has called time on her broadcasting career
- Sport reporter battled viral encephalitis in 2020
- Life-threatening condition impacted her memory
Renowned Aussie sports broadcaster Karen Tighe has announced she will leave the ABC to concentrate on her health after battling a life-threatening inflammation of the brain.
The award-winning broadcaster was hospitalised in March 2020 with viral encephalitis, which she said left her short-term memory ‘absolutely shot’.
Tighe was left unable to recall her address, date of birth, or her husband or son’s names, forcing her to stand down from her role on ABC Grandstand shortly afterwards.
‘I’ve always been a really positive person, but this has been probably the most challenging thing that I’ve ever gone through and it’s something that just came completely out of the blue,’ Tighe said in an interview at the time.
Tighe said she could picture sports teams and people, but frustratingly couldn’t recall the names.
Karen Tighe has announced she will leave the ABC to concentrate on her health
The award-winning broadcaster (pictured with husband and fellow reporter Glenn Mitchell) became dangerously ill with inflammation of the brain in 2020
‘My short-term memory is absolutely shot and that’s the really awful thing,’ Tighe said.
‘I can recognise sportsmen and women, our Prime Minister and Premier, world leaders, and if you wrote me their names mixed in with a whole heap of other names I’d quickly find them, but if it’s me on my own I just can’t say that name off the top of my head and that’s why I can’t go back to work at the moment.
‘It’s the weirdest feeling.’
She joined the ABC in 1989 and spent eight years as a sports researcher, presenter and broadcaster.
Between 1991 and 1994, the broadcasting great was part of Andrew Denton’s sport comedy show Live and Sweaty.
Tighe was also a TV sports presenter for the ABC as she starred on the weeknight news in Perth for six years.
She made the move from TV to radio in 1997 and worked on the national weekend sports program, Grandstand.
‘ABC TV and then Radio Sport have been my working home since March 1989 after the combination of a letter and little piece to camera on a VHS I had posted to then head of ABC TV sport David Salter asking for a job,’ Tighe said.
Tighe (pictured with Mitchell) joined the ABC in 1989 and quickly became a trailblazer for female sport broadcasters
‘I will forever be grateful for all the experiences and opportunities I have had in my time both in Sydney and all that was set up for me when marriage took me to Perth in 2001.’
Tighe made history becoming the first person to win the Sport Australia Media Award twice, in 2000 and then again in 2001.
She also was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sports Australia Media Awards in 2020.
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