BBC Newsreader George Alagiah Dies at 67

George Alagiah, one of the mainstays of BBC News, has sadly passed away today at the age of 67.

On Monday, July 24, it was announced that one of the most respected journalists on the BBC has passed away after a nine-year battle with cancer, writes the BBC.

Tribute To BBC’s George Alagiah

Mr Alagiah’s agent, Mary Greenham, released a statement today and said that he ‘died peacefully today, surrounded by his family and loved ones. George fought until the bitter end but sadly that battle ended earlier today.

‘George was deeply loved by everybody who knew him, whether it was a friend, a colleague or a member of the public.’

‘He simply was a wonderful human being. My thoughts are with Fran, the boys and his wider family,’ she concluded.

BBC director general Tim Davie commented: ‘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.’

The Face Of BBC News

For more than 30 years, George was a regular face on British television. He was an award-winning foreign correspondent and sent reports from Rwanda to Iraq. For the past 20 years presented the BBC News at Six

In 1994, Alagiah was nominated for a Bafta for his coverage of Saddam Hussein’s genocidal campaign against the Kurds of northern Iraq and also named Amnesty International’s journalist of the year, for reporting on the civil war in Burundi. In 2008 was appointed an OBE for his services to journalism.

Born George Maxwell Alagiah in Colombo, Sri Lanka, his family relocated to Ghana, before finally settling in England as a child. Later, he attended Durham University, where he met his future wife, Frances Roberthan.

He joined the BBC in 1989 as a foreign affairs correspondent before he became the Africa correspondent. He later transferred to news presenting. He went on to become the face of the BBC One O’Clock News, Nine O’Clock News and BBC Four News, before being made one of the main presenters of the Six O’Clock News in 2003.

George Alagiah was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2014 and revealed in October 2022 that it had spread further. He leaves behind wife Frances with whom he had two children.