Ellie Marsden

Ellie Marsden was born in Norfolk, United Kingdom before emigrating to Cambridge, Waikato as a young child.

She became enamored with radio broadcasting at the age of 12, when she voiced her first radio ad and went on to study the medium at NZ Radio Training School and AUT, hosting regular shows as part of her studies. She won Best Copy Script at the International Student Broadcasting Championship in 2023 and was runner up for Best Voiceover – the only winner from Aotearoa in this competition’s history.

She’s now a studio operator at RNZ, supporting the delivery of on-air content, as well as the production and editing of various interviews, podcasts and the like. “I'm the person where, when you get a call from RNZ, I go: 'Are you on speaker phone or any bluetooth headphones? Mind counting to five for me?'”

“I love that every day I get to contribute to outstanding public media. RNZ holds a really significant place in our media landscape, I feel like I'm part of something much bigger than myself that brings important and uplifting stories to Aotearoa. I'm learning so much from the people around me, and it's really enriching I wake up every day happy to go to work.”

Outside work, Ellie enjoys an array of hobbies including drawing and painting, scenic walks, and cats coming up to her on the street.

Ellie makes her RNZ National on-air debut this summer, hosting 8 ‘til Late alongside Corey Fuimaono on Friday 10, 17 & 24 January 2025.