Chris Wragge (born June 19, 1970) is an American news anchor. He is currently the co-anchor for New York's WCBS-TV News at 5 and 11 p.m. weekdays alongside Kristine Johnson. He was previously the station's sports director. Wragge also serves as substitute news anchor and host for CBS News' The Early Show and is the current host of CBS's The Saturday Early Show, alongside CNN's Erica Hill.

[edit] Career

Born in Hackensack, New Jersey and raised in Rutherford, Wragge attended Mahwah High School, where he was an athlete. He received a football scholarship to the University of New Hampshire. He earned three varsity letters and graduated a year early with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications to pursue a career in professional sportscasting.^[1]

Wragge became sports reporter for WMUR-TV in Manchester, New Hampshire, where his first television appearance was as a reporter as part of a 48 Hours expose on NBA Spring Break 1991. He then became anchor for the nightly sportscasts on WVIT-TV, an NBC affiliate in Hartford, Connecticut. Wragge got his big break when Mary Hart of Entertainment Tonight was visiting a friend and saw Wragge during his weekend sports slot. Hart had ET bring Wragge to L.A., and after his audition, he joined ET. ET sent him on assignment to spend time with Swedish fashion model and actress Victoria Silvstedt,^[2] and shortly thereafter, they became a couple. Wragge was also a reporter for NBC Sports, including the NBA, the WNBA, Notre Dame football, the Gator Bowl, the Sun America Sportsdesk, and the Olympics.

From 1996 to 1997, Wragge was a correspondent with the nationally-syndicated entertainment news show Entertainment Tonight. His first interview was with actor Kurt Russell. He went on to cover the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Grammys.^[3]

In 1998, Wragge joined NBC Sports and became Sports Director and anchor of the nightly sportscasts on News2Houston on KPRC-TV in Houston, Texas, and was the recipient of the 2002 Associated Press "Best Sportscast" award for the Houston area.^[3]

In December 2000, while still with NBC Sports and KPRC, Wragge joined USA Sports as the on-site correspondent for PGA Tour Sunday, the PGA Tour's leading broadcast partner. He also became presenter of the Ask DIY, HGTV and the Travel Channel. ^[4]

In 2003 and 2004, Wragge was a behind-the-chutes reporter for the PBR's Built Ford Tough Series during their NBC telecasts, and during a couple of events served as the play-by-play announcer in George Michael's absence.

In 2004, after broadcast legend Warner Wolf was abruptly fired, Wragge joined WCBS-TV as lead sports anchor. On November 6, 2006, Wragge become news anchor for CBS2 News at Noon and CBS News at 5 PM with newly-hired Kristine Johnson. The pair replaced Mary Calvi and news veteran Roz Abrams.

[edit] Personal life

In June 2000, Wragge married Swedish model and actress Victoria Silvstedt at Tuxedo Park Country Club in Tuxedo, New York. Six years later, Silvstedt and Wragge threatened legal action against Sky News for slander, after pictures of her in Sardinia with a man other than her husband made their way onto the Internet. Sky News was forced to remove the page.^[5] Silvstedt and Wragge later separated and filed for divorce.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Chris Wragge at the Internet Movie Database
• The Chris Wragge Celebrity Golf Challenge