Kris Radcliffe, a popular news anchor who worked at the NBC affiliate KCEN-TV in Waco for 22 years, has died at the age of 51, the station announced on Wednesday (October 30).
“Kris sat in the chair right beside me, and he was the best, he was simply the best,” said Lindsay Liepman, Radcliffe’s co-anchor, during an emotional on-air tribute. “Funny, genuine and smart. I looked forward to working with Kris every single night, and I think you all could tell at home. We had fun here. Kris loved this community and never took his role for granted.”
“If I had known yesterday was going to be our last newscast together, I would have ignored the cues to rap from our producers and just laughed a little longer at all of his jokes,” she said through tears. “I would have thanked him for all that he’s taught me and given to all of you, the viewers, but that is now how life works out.”
Radcliffe's cause of death was not publicly determined as of Friday (November 1) morning. The California native joined KCEN-TV in 2002, initially working as a sports anchor and later serving as the morning anchor for Texas Today for nine years before becoming an evening news anchor.
Radcliffe also hosted and produced 200 episodes of the weekly segment Money Talks, which discussed finances, for the news station. The 51-year-old was named Waco Tribune-Herald On-Air Television Personality of the year for six consecutive years.
Radcliffe graduated from California State University at Long Beach and worked in markets in California and Nebraska prior to joining KCEN-TV.