Before joining SUNDAY, Ellen presented the Nine Network's late-night news program NIGHTLINE. Ellen has also presented or reported for every news and current affair program on the network.

In 1999, Fanning joined 60 MINUTES becoming only the twelfth reporter to work on the program since in was launched in February 1979.

During her years there, Fanning reported from locations including the Eskimo territory of Nunavut in northern Canada, the depths of the Pacific Ocean aboard a Collins class submarine and the skies over Bosnia in a British Army refuelling jet.

She conducted feature interviews with characters as diverse as Harrod's boss Mohammad al-Fayd, Cher and Kylie Minogue.
Prior to joining Nine, Fanning spent a decade at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

In 1992, she became the first woman to host a national current affairs radio program for the national broadcaster when she was appointed presenter of PM. Later, she spent three years at the helm of ABC Radio's flagship morning program AM while also serving as the fill-in presenter for the The 7.30 Report.

Later, she was a producer for the broadcaster's late night current affairs program, Lateline and in 1997 became one of the ABC's North America correspondents, based in Washington D.C.
In 2004, Fanning directed an award-winning six part documentary series for SBS Television.

'Fine Line' dealt with the ethical dilemmas of journalism. It was recognised at the prestigious New York Awards, is the subject of a book by Cambridge University Press and is now included on the curriculum for high schools and University programs.
Born in Brisbane, Fanning began her broadcasting career in commercial radio in 1988 after completing a communications degree at the Queensland University of Technology.
She is married with two children.