The BBC newsreader George Alagiah has passed away at the age of 67 after a nine-year battle with bowel cancer, according to his agent.
Known as one of the BBC’s most recognizable journalists, Alagiah presented the BBC News at Six for twenty years and had a successful career as a foreign correspondent prior to that.
Alagiah passed away peacefully on Monday morning, surrounded by his loved ones, his agent Mary Greenham confirmed.
Greenham said, “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 [his wife] Fran, the boys and his wider family.”
Alagiah was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2014 and underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy before returning to work. He took breaks for further treatment as the cancer spread, but always aimed to return to the newsroom. Alagiah stepped away from his broadcasting duties last October, stating that working at the BBC had been an important source of energy and motivation for him.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2020, Alagiah expressed contentment with his life despite the illness. He said, “On being diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2014, I constructed a pros and cons list of how my life had gone so far. The things that had gone well far outweighed the others, which brought me to a place of total contentment.”
Alagiah used his illness to raise awareness of bowel cancer and promote testing kits for the disease.
Fellow newsreader Fiona Bruce paid tribute to Alagiah, describing him as a first-rate journalist and a lovely human being. Clive Myrie, who presented the BBC One O’Clock News, also expressed his condolences and praised Alagiah’s kindness and humor.
Alagiah, born in Sri Lanka, began his career in print journalism before joining the BBC in 1989. Throughout his career, he covered major events and interviewed notable figures such as Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. He was awarded an OBE in 2008 for his contributions to journalism.
BBC director general Tim Davie described Alagiah as one of the best and bravest journalists of his generation, emphasizing his kindness, empathy, and humanity. Alagiah is survived by his wife Fran and their two sons, Adam and Matthew.
