Very sorry to read in Broadcast Dialogue’s ‘Weekly Briefing’ today that Philip Campbell has died in Victoria after a long illness (stage 4 melanoma). He was 65.
.
Campbell was a CHEK-TV Victoria anchor-reporter for 22 years until he left the station in 2009.
He was a graduate of Western Washington University, Bellingham Washington. He received a BA degree in Broadcast Communication and did a practicum in Vancouver in 1983 at BCTV. Before transferring to WWU, Philip had attended Trinity Western University in Langley.
.Philip’s first anchoring/reporting job was at an NBC affiliate station in Washington State. He then took a job in Oregon where he also mixed anchoring with reporting. CHEK TV lured Philip to Victoria in September 1987.
.As I recall, he served as the regular anchor on the weekends, which was his role for many years after first fronting the CHEK Noon News.
Frequently he worked as a general reporter three days a week, when he would often come up with my favorite news item of the day.
.
Of his co-workers at CHEK News, Philip was quoted as saying “They’re the best…working with pros, from camera operators, to editors is truly inspiring”
.Our sincere condolences to his family, wife Rhonda, son Harrison and daughter Jocelyn.
From CHEK TV:
Saying goodbye to former CHEK Anchor/Reporter Philip Campbell HERE
I am shocked and crushed to hear about the passing of my dear workmate Philip Campbell. I remember so many times sitting and talking about surfing and cars with Philip and I will miss him very much. My heart goes out to his family, here and in the lower mainland.
I worked with Philip for over two decades.
He used to come into the newsroom with the biggest lunch pail I have ever seen.
Full of nutritious food for Philip was a health nut.
Philip Campbell was honest in his life and career and worked hard to go a step further than an assignment normally required.
That made him a good reporter.
He would smile and say, “what’s next.”
From our family to yours Philip – condolences and thank you
Sad news but thank-you for covering this, since no news source in victoria
is covering this story.One would hope that more outlets would pay respect
to the professional that he was.Thank-you for honouring him
I am truly sad for Philip an his so cherished family. He was wonderful colleague, professional and friendly at the same time. Philip you are one of my favorite people on this planet. Working with you was one of the best experiences in my life. RIP Dear Philip and deepest condolences to Philips family.
Graham my understanding is that no Victoria-based media, least of all CHEK, has covered or mentioned this out of respect to the family who were apparently not ready at this time to have it widely publicized.
So sorry condolences to the family,
I worked with Phillip 7 years. My first four years at CHEK he was anchoring the weekend show when I was scheduled to work every weekend. He was a true mentor and I always felt he was in my corner though I was still very green and not always worthy of his support. His writing and sense of humour was top notch. He was unwavering in his faith in God – a Jesus follower. Interesting note about Phillip…due to a family tragedy he promised his wife he would not fly on the job. So there several times when there were good stories, involving a helicopter ride or float plane and he would refuse to go. But viewers at home would never know that. He would often make humdrum stories entertaining. My condolences to Rhonda and his children whom he often talked about at work, and it was obvious he loved them dearly.
Really saddened to hear of Philip’s passing. I have many fond memories of our shifts together at CHEK; playing guitar, talking cars (I’ll never forget the drive to Sombrio in the ‘Woody’ where he lent me a surfboard for my first attempt, and having to use a pair of vice-grips to operate the windshield wipers, lol), and of course covering the news. He was a super generous, friendly man and he will be missed. My heartfelt condolences to Rhonda and the kids.
So very sorry for the passing of a great guy and part of a great team who brought us the news, the weather and the sports for many years. I didn’t know him personally but as an avid diver for many years and life-long boater, I’m glad to see he enjoyed surfing; that he experienced a lot of our coast that most folks never do. Cheers for a life well lived and let’s hope the scourge of cancer will soon be defeated.
Philip was so full of fun and life. To imagine this untimely passing is very sad. My condolences to his beautiful wife Rhonda and their wonderful children Harrison and Jocelyn.
I’m very saddened to hear about Philip’s passing. Philip was a unique guy with a big heart who always took a moment to share a story or smile. We often talked about cars and surfing and he would walk a mile over broken glass in bare feet if “Endless Summer” was playing on a screen somewhere nearby. What I remember most about Philip is how much he loved his family and so my condolences go out to those who loved him most. Philip was a nice guy in a sometimes unforgiving business and he will be missed.
I’m so sorry to hear of Phillip’s passing. He was a kind, sincere person who was always a gentleman in the truest sense of the word. My condolences to his family (I remember talking to you quite a bit when you were in the process of moving up to Victoria from Oregon).
Phillip was generous, kind, strong. He loved life and family very much. To Rhonda and children I am so sorry for your loss.
Alex Robertson
I was just thinking of Philip the other day and then came across this. As well as his work as a reporter and anchor, I also knew him as a faith-filled Christian who encouraged me in the early days of my own “walk”, and I’m very grateful for that. “You never know how the seeds you sow will root and grow.” To Rhonda and the family, I’m so sorry for your loss.