Christopher Wenner was born on 6 December 1954 in Kensington, West London, England. His father, Michael Alfred Wenner, was a diplomat, author, and former British ambassador, while his mother, Gunnilla Ståhle, was Swedish. The surname “Stahl,” which he later adopted professionally, was derived from his mother’s maiden name.

He was educated at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire before studying English Language and Literature at Balliol College, Oxford. During his university years, he participated in dramatic productions and developed an interest in broadcasting and journalism.

Wenner joined Blue Peter on BBC One in September 1978, succeeding John Noakes. He presented the children’s programme until June 1980 alongside Simon Groom and Tina Heath.

After leaving television presenting, he moved into journalism and international reporting. Under the name Max Stahl, he became famous for documenting the 1991 Santa Cruz massacre in East Timor, footage that drew worldwide attention to the country’s independence movement. UNESCO later recognised his work as historically significant.

Wenner spent his later years working as a journalist and filmmaker. He died in Brisbane, Australia, on 28 October 2021 after battling cancer. He was survived by his four children.