Former CNN anchor Bobbie Battista dies aged 67 after four-year battle with cervical cancer

Former CNN host Bobbie Battista died Tuesday, aged 67, after a four-year battle with cervical cancer, a spokesperson for her family confirmed. 

Her husband John Brimelow described her as the ‘consummate trooper’ who was ‘thoughtful for all the others in her life’. 

Battista was one of the original CNN headline anchors when the network launched in 1981. 

Some of the major events she covered included the Challenger space shuttle explosion, the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan and the Gulf War. 

She died in Davenport, Iowa. 

She presented ‘TalkBack Live’ the first TV news show to feature a live audience

‘Bobbie was the consummate trooper in her struggle with cancer, she was courageous and fearless in her battle and thoughtful for all the others in her life even as she fought through the pain,’ Battista’s husband John Brimelow said in a statement on Tuesday. 

‘My dear partner of 25 years of marriage has cut her earthly bonds and is now in peace.’ 

Battista had one step daughter through her marriage to Brimelow. 

She was previously married to James M. Battista but the marriage ended in divorce in 1975. 

The news of her death was first reported by executive producer of CNN Political David Gelles who mentioned her long history with the network. 

‘Battista was one of the original CNN Headline News anchors when the network launched in 1981,’ he wrote Twitter. 

‘She anchored several news programs on CNN including ‘TalkBack Live.’  

‘Talkback’ was the first news program to be filmed before a live audience and to feature public participation alongside newsmakers. Battista was at the helm of the show for three years from 1998. 

‘Wherever I traveled around the world, people asked about Bobbie Battista, especially soldiers stationed overseas,’ Charles Hoff, CNN’s former deputy managing editor, told the New York Times. 

‘She was CNN.’ 

Before joining CNN in 1981, she worked as an anchor and producer in North Carolina

Former CNN host Bobbie Battista died Tuesday, aged 67, after a years-long cancer battle

Born Barbara Ann Nusser in New Jersey on July 23, 1952, Battista studied in Northwestern University before beginning her journalistic career. She earned a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and film production. 

Before joining CNN in 1981, she worked as an anchor and producer at Action News 5 for WRAL-TV, Raleigh, North Carolina. 

She began her TV journalism career with WRAL-TV in 1976. There she produced the morning news report and produced a variety of programming across sports, public affairs and children’s TV. 

She first became an anchor in 1977. 

In 1981, Battista won a George Foster Peabody Award for a five-station documentary named ‘Fed Up with Fear’. 

She was a member of the Women in Communications and Sigma Delta Chi and had been a guest lecturer at several universities and conventions. 

In 2001, she spoke about her distinguished career so far and highlighted some of the hardest and some of the best moments she had experienced.  

‘Whether the Challenger explosion, the assassination attack on Reagan, the Gulf War, certainly this terrorist attack. Those were memorable from the anchor desk,’ Battista said. 

‘As far as TalkBack, we’ve had some serious shows, and some fun shows. If I had to pick, I’d say I liked Free for All Fridays the best.’