Veteran Channel Seven News broadcaster Rob Brough faces profound grief following the death of his daughter, Jess Willmott, who succumbed to aggressive cancer on Thursday.
Tragic Turn After Brief Hope
Jess, a devoted mother of three, received a clean bill of health from breast cancer just one month prior. Tragically, an aggressive brain tumor soon emerged, leading to her untimely passing.
Her husband, Tammen Willmott, shared the heartbreaking news on a GoFundMe page established to aid the family during her illness, where he served as her full-time caregiver.
‘Jess was deeply loved—as a wife, a mother, a friend, and an extraordinary human,’ Tammen wrote. ‘The space she leaves behind is immeasurable, and our family is navigating a loss that words cannot fully capture.’
He praised her as ‘strong, courageous, and truly resilient’ and expressed deep gratitude to the community for their support, prayers, donations, and unwavering presence throughout the ordeal.
Brough’s Sacrifice for Family
The 71-year-old anchor stepped away from his longstanding role delivering nightly bulletins for Channel Seven in regional Queensland—covering areas like the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay, and Mackay—in late 2024. This decision allowed him to focus on Jess and her young family.
In a 2025 interview with ABC Sunshine Coast radio, Brough recounted the journey: ‘About four years ago our daughter Jess was diagnosed with breast cancer. That was pretty confronting.’
‘We got to a tough stage where things weren’t working and not a lot of options were available,’ he added. ‘It was just an easy choice for me to leave work and spend as much time as I could around her and her family.’
Brough now dedicates himself to raising Jess’s children—Indigo, Milla, and Madden—on the Sunshine Coast. ‘That’s a beautiful thing because bringing up your children and then being a part of your grandchildren’s upbringing is as good as it gets,’ he shared.
A Career Spanning Decades
Brough, a familiar face on Australian screens since the 1970s, began in radio before transitioning to television with ABC and Channel Nine. During his absence, Nathan Spurling and Joanne Desmond have filled in for Seven’s regional bulletins, including Cairns.
This loss echoes a previous family tragedy: nearly three decades ago, Brough’s three-year-old son, Sam, passed away suddenly.
