You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t love Today’s new golden boy Alex Cullen.
Watch Below: Alex Cullen slams JLo & Shakira’s Super Bowl Performance
At just 41 years of age, the easygoing dad of three is fast becoming one of the Nine Network’s most prized on-air talents.
With his star on the rise, Alex admits he wouldn’t be who he is today without one very special person – his wife of five years, Bonnie Campbell.
“She’s in the trenches when it comes to taking care of our little family – I definitely got the easy end of the deal!” Alex shares with New Idea from their home in Sydney’s inner-west.
“Considering we had three kids under 3 at one point – that’s a lot going on. Bonnie really is something special!”
Kidding around
While twins Evie and Audrey turned 3 earlier this year, more recently it’s all been about their little brother, Max, who just celebrated his first birthday.
“From the moment Max opened his eyes, he’s been a dream child – totally chilled and he hardly cries.
“But he’s no pushover and is bound to grow up tough, as … his bossy big sisters knock him around a fair bit!” says Alex with his trademark cheeky grin.
Fond memories
Family has always been the most important thing for Alex, the oldest of four siblings. When his dad and the family’s rock, Tom, died of brain cancer back in 2018, his entire world came crashing down.
“Dad was that bloke who never complained, who endured years of drought, and always made sure Mum [Anne] and my siblings and I were OK. I think of him every single day, and miss him dearly,” says Alex, holding back tears.
Little Max bears his grandpa’s moniker as his middle name. While Max, Evie and Audrey never got to meet the family patriarch, Alex says: “I constantly tell them stories about their grandpa and the sort of bloke he was.”
Boy from the bush
Raised on a farm in Coonamble, New South Wales, Alex began his education in the local school his mum taught at. He then headed to boarding school at Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview in Sydney.
“Between Mum, who is remarkably resilient, and my brother, Tom, they’ve managed to keep the family property going.
“Whenever we can, we take the kids out there and they just love it – wide open spaces, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and the animals. What kid wouldn’t love that?!”
Last year, during harvest, Alex took his daughters “out on the header”. His thoughts turned to his dad, who was always a big part of the harvest, and Alex suddenly found himself overcome with emotion.
“The twins gave me a hug. It’s like they knew their daddy was hurting.”
Dream team
With a career that’s taken him from a young-gun regional reporter, to the dizzying heights of ground-breaking investigative journalism with Seven’s Sunday Night, it’s his “second family” at Today that has Alex feeling like he’s finally home.
“There’s never a dull moment. Karl [Stefanovic] is incredibly funny, Ally [Langdon] is just a top human being, Brooke [Boney] has the quickest wit of anyone I know and ‘Dickie’ [Richard Wilkins] is a kind soul who is incredibly compassionate.
“And as for Tim [Davies] – everyone just gets lost in those eyes, and he’s such a top fella!
Breakfast Battle
“We know we have our work cut out for us up against the well-oiled team over at Seven’s Sunrise, but we’re already proving we’re up for the challenge.
“And let’s not forget, as a long-suffering [NRL] Parramatta Eels fan, I’ve been waiting since 1986 to win another premiership, so I’m used to the long game!
“For now, if I can be the best dad I can be, just like our father was to us, then in the end, that’s the stuff that really matters.”
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