After studying finance and marketing at Waikato University and graduating with honours, Bradley began working for IBM as a marketing associate. In 1991, she left for New York to pursue a stage career, attending the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, majoring in musical theatre, after which she toured in several productions. She began hosting local television shows in New York state.
In 2001, she returned to Auckland as business editor for TV3 News and was a back-up anchor for the network's flagship 3 News at 6 p.m., and its late-night news programme, Nightline. She began her stint on Good Morning in late February 2006.