Beloved Texas News Anchor Kris Radcliffe Passes Away at 51

Kris Radcliffe, a beloved and long-serving news anchor at KCEN-TV in Waco, Texas, has passed away at the age of 51. The announcement was made by the station on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, leaving the community and his colleagues in deep sorrow.

Radcliffe had dedicated 22 years to KCEN-TV, initially joining the station in 2002 as a sports anchor. He later transitioned to become the morning anchor for the show ‘Texas Today‘ for nine years before taking on the role of an evening news anchor for the 5, 6, and 10 p.m. broadcasts. In addition to his anchoring duties, Radcliffe hosted and produced over 200 episodes of the weekly segment ‘Money Talks,’ which focused on financial topics.

Lindsay Liepman, Radcliffe’s co-anchor, paid an emotional tribute to him during a live broadcast. She described Radcliffe as “the best,” highlighting his humor, authenticity, and intelligence. Liepman expressed her regret for not having the opportunity to thank him properly, saying, “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.”.

Radcliffe was a California native who graduated from California State University at Long Beach. Before joining KCEN-TV, he worked in markets in California and Nebraska. He was named the Waco Tribune-Herald On-Air Television Personality of the Year for six consecutive years, a testament to his impact and popularity in the community.

The community’s reaction to his passing has been overwhelming, with thousands of comments, shares, and reactions on social media. Many have described Radcliffe as the “heart and soul” of KCEN 6 News, and his family, including his wife, daughters, grandchildren, and sister, have been flooded with messages of support and condolences.