George Alagiah: BBC presenter and St John's College pupil in Portsmouth dies aged 67 after cancer diagnosis

The broadcaster, who attended St John’s College in Nelson Road, Southsea, had been the face of BBC One’s News At Six since 2007. He was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, which had spread to his liver and lymph nodes, in April 2014.

A statement from Mary Greenham, his agent, said: “I am so terribly sorry to inform you that George Alagiah died peacefully today, surrounded by his family and loved ones. George fought until the bitter end but sadly that battle ended earlier today.

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"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.”

The Sri Lanka-born journalist endured two rounds of chemotherapy and several operations, including the removal of most of his liver. He returned to BBC News At Six on November 10, 2015, after announcing his treatment had finished in October. His cancer then returned in December 2017, with George revealing it had spread to his lungs in June 2020.

George fought to carry on his profession throughout. He took a break from studio duties in October 2021 to deal with a further spread of cancer – returning in April 2022.

The presenter spoke about his own experience living with stage four bowel cancer during a campaign in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support in 2022. He said: “People always ask me how I cope and it’s the hardest question.

"The challenge at first was getting my cancer diagnosis straight in my head – despite having so much going for me, a successful career and a loving family, here I was just being told I was dying.” George took another break from presenting in October last year.

He said: “A recent scan showed that my cancer has spread further so it’s back to some tough stuff. I’m missing my colleagues. Working in the newsroom has been such an important part of keeping energised and motivated.”

George was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 1955 when the city was still considered part of the former British territory of Ceylon. Following his school stint in Southsea, he went on to read politics at Durham University.

He was the editor of the student paper and a sabbatical officer of the students’ union while studying – while also meeting his wife Frances Robathan. The couple married in 1984 and share two sons Adam and Matthew.

George was based in Johannesburg, South Africa, as developing world correspondent for South Magazine, before starting with the BBC in 1989. He was one of the corporation’s longest-serving newsreaders – spending many years as one of its leading foreign correspondents before moving to presenting.

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He was often a specialist in Africa, with coverage of civil wars in Somalia and Liberia as well as the genocide in Rwanda 20 years ago. George was named Amnesty International’s journalist of the year in 1994 for reporting on the civil war in Burundi and also won the Broadcasting Press Guild’s award for television journalist of the year. He was also part of the BBC team that won a Bafta Award in 2000 for its reporting of the conflict in Kosovo, one of several prizes he received during his broadcasting career.

He first began hosting the 6pm news bulletin in early 2003, but stepped up to front it solo four years later following the departure of his co-host, Natasha Kaplinsky. George was also a relief presenter for News At Ten.

Throughout his career he interviewed central political figures, among them former South African president Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and ex-Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe.

George also wrote a number of books including A Home From Home, which looked at what it means to be British. During his illustrious career, he also presented other shows such as Mixed Britannia, looking at the UK’s mixed-race population.

He was made an OBE in the 2008 New Year Honours. After the first announcement about his cancer, and his return in 2015, viewers and fellow journalists welcomed him back with open arms.

In 2016, George said he was a “richer person” for his cancer diagnosis, which saw him undergo several rounds of chemotherapy and three major operations, one of which included the removal of most of his liver.

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His health was back in the headlines in March 2020, when amid a global pandemic he tested positive for Covid-19. He credited his experience of fighting cancer with helping him deal with the “mild” case of coronavirus.

Speaking after the cancer had spread to his lungs, he told the Times newspaper: “My doctors have never used the word ‘chronic’ or ‘cure’ about my cancer. They’ve never used the word ‘terminal’ either. I’ve always said to my oncologist, ‘Tell me when I need to sort my affairs out’, and he’s not told me that, but what he did tell me is that the cancer is now in a third organ. It is in my lungs.”

The presenter said he had kept the development a secret, only telling his editor. His loss has been met with sadness from colleagues.

BBC director-general Tim Davie said: “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.” St John’s College closed in May 2022.