BBC newsreader, George Alagiah dies at 67 after a nine-year battle with bowel cancer
Legendary BBC newsreader, George Alagiah, has died at the age of 67 after a nine-year battle with bowel cancer.
The BBC’s longest-tenured and most reputable correspondent, Alagiah, received a colon cancer diagnosis in 2014.
For more than three decades, he reported and presented for the BBC, hosting BBC News at Six for 20 years while also winning accolades as a foreign correspondent in the years before.
He was born in Sri Lanka and spent his early years in Ghana and England before joining the BBC in 1989 as a foreign affairs journalist and then as an Africa correspondent.
For his coverage of the Burundian civil conflict, George was voted the year’s top journalist by Amnesty International in 1994. He also took home the Broadcasting Press Guild’s television journalist prize.
Before becoming one of the primary presenters of BBC News at Six in 2003, George later delivered the BBC One O’Clock News, Nine O’Clock News, and BBC Four News. For many years, George also hosted his own program on BBC World News.
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In 2008, he received an OBE for his services to journalism.
George returned to presenting in 2015 despite receiving a stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis in 2014. When not receiving treatment, he continued to present for the BBC.
Together with Frances Robathan, his wife of 40 years, he has two sons and three grandchildren.
The BBC confirmed the news of Alagiah’s death, writing:
“Across the BBC, we are all incredibly sad to hear the news about George. We are thinking of his family at this time.
“George was one of the best and bravest journalists of his generation who reported fearlessly from across the world as well as presenting the news flawlessly.
“He was more than just an outstanding journalist, audiences could sense his kindness, empathy, and wonderful humanity. He was loved by all and we will miss him enormously.”
