Live performance Ross began his career in comedy, and first came together with Merrick Watts when they teamed up for a one-off comedy show in 1996. They went on to appear in stand-up together often, touring Australia and participating in many comedy festivals. They collaborated as authors too, co-authoring
Merrick and Rosso, The Book and
Merrick and Rosso, The Book Volume 2. As well as performing as a comedian, Ross has fronted the comedy band Black Rose, which opened the Vivofit festival in Melbourne and Sydney in 2009.
Radio Ross began his careers with
Merrick Watts at
Triple J performing a weekly guest spot on the drive-time program on
Triple J radio in 1998 as Merrick and Rosso. They became full-time presenters and then in 2001 they moved to newly-launched commercial radio station
Nova 96.9 for the breakfast radio shift. Co-hosts on the breakfast show included Katrina Blowers,
Sami Lukis, and
Kate Ritchie. Ross left the successful radio program in 2009. At the end of 2011 Ross rejoined breakfast radio, signing for Sydney commercial radio station
Mix 106.5 with co-host comedian
Claire Hooper. In December 2012,
Mix 106.5 announced that Ross and Hooper would be replaced by a new breakfast show with Sami Lukis and
Yumi Stynes in 2013. Ross was appointed
Drive presenter on the
Mix Network with anchor Matt Baseley.
Television The first television series hosted by Merrick and Rosso was
Planet Merrick and Rosso (later known as
Super Planet Merrick and Rosso) on
The Comedy Channel. They had a guest role on top rating Australian drama series
All Saints in 2003. In 2003 their television show
Merrick and Rosso Unplanned debuted on the
Nine Network followed by
The B Team on
Network Ten in 2005. In 2008, they returned to the Comedy Channel with an original format entitled 'The Merrick & Rosso Show'. In 2009, Ross became a guest entertainment reporter for Nine's
Today. In 2010, he hosted
Uncharted, an unsigned band competition series on
MTV Australia and became the host of television series
Australia Versus on the
Seven Network. In 2011, Ross joined
Weekend Sunrise as a Weekend All Star replacing
Paul Murray. He also hosted the third season of
No Leave, No Life. In 2012, Ross was a regular contributor to entertainment and lifestyle website Live4. In 2016, Ross presented
Streets of Your Town, a two-part television documentary series about Australian
modernist architecture, which was the most watched arts program on the ABC that year. In 2021, Ross presented
Designing A Legacy, a one-hour television documentary on the ABC, where Ross met with families whose lives had been shaped by iconic architecture.
Architecture and design Ross's interest in architecture has led to speaking engagements at The 50s and 60s House Symposium (
Museum of Sydney),
Home Series talks (Government House), and at Sydney Design Week, and he is an ambassador for Sydney Open. In 2012 Ross became a member of the Creative Services Advisory Committee for Sydney Living Museums. He spoke at the opening of the
London Design Museum, gave the Heritage Council Address in 2018 in Melbourne, was the speaker for the Griffin Lecture presented by the
Australian Institute of Architects in 2018, and was a keynote speaker at the Culture of Lates Symposium in
London. In December 2018 he launched the "Home: A Suburban Obsession" exhibition at the
State Library of Queensland. He collaborated with the
National Archives of Australia to curate "Reception this way: motels – a sentimental journey with Tim Ross" which was displayed at the
Museum of the Great Southern, Museum of the Goldfields and the Museum of Geraldton in 2025-2026. He has written on architecture for various publications including
Real Living,
Habitus,
The Saturday Paper, and
The Guardian. Ross has created numerous podcasts. In 2020 he released a podcast in collaboration with the
Sydney Opera House, on the tapestries at the Opera House. In 2025, Ross launched a podcast with
Kevin McCloud, entiled ''Tim & Kev's Big Design Adventure''. In each episode the two hosts discuss different architectural buildings they have visited, encompassed with general conversation between friends.
Writing In 2017, Ross launched his second book,
The Rumpus Room, capturing nostalgic short stories about life in Australia's suburbs in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In collaboration with the
National Archives of Australia, Ross created a coffee table book called
MOTEL – Images of Australia on Holidays, released in 2019 in conjunction with his live show performed with friend
Kit Warhurst. In 2025,
What A Ripper! was published. The book examined everyday objects used by Australians, reflecting on their design and cultural impact. == Recognition and honours ==