Christopher Lawrence (broadcaster)
Lawrence's parents were both nightclub and television entertainers, his father a singer and pianist, his mother a singer and dancer. He has two younger brothers. From age 11 he had attended the Sydney Conservatorium of Music High School, studying piano and cello, but at age 15 had to terminate his studies and get a job when his parents divorced and his mother became a single mother of three sons. He was first employed as a mail boy at the ABC, later moving to the record library. Lawrence was the first presenter of Radio National's "The Music Show" on Saturday mornings which started in 1991 as "In Tempo 91". He also presented ABC Classic FM's "Breakfast" and "Drive" programs between 1994 and 2001. He then left Classic FM but returned in 2010 to present its "Afternoons" program; in 2012 he became the presenter for "Mornings", taking over from Margaret Throsby's tenure in that role. In 2016, he began presenting "Drive", and moved to "Weekend Breakfast" in 2018. He also presented "Evenings" and "Breakfast" on 702 ABC Sydney, "Afternoons" on 936 ABC Hobart, and the series "Bakelite Express" on networked local radio across the country. In October 2018, Lawrence announced his intention to retire in January 2019. He is the partner of violinist Julia Fredersdorff, Artistic Director of the Peninsula Summer Music Festival. The couple have two daughters.
Career
He is most notable for his work as a broadcaster on Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio station ABC Classic FM, and previously on ABC Radio National and ABC Local Radio.