George Alagiah: TV presenters and broadcasters lead tributes

He became the familiar face of BBC One’s News At Six in 2007 and was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, which had spread to his liver and lymph nodes, in April 2014.

He endured two rounds of chemotherapy and several operations, including the removal of most of his liver.

BREAKING: BBC newsreader George Alagiah has died at the age of 67, his agent has said.https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3

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— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 24, 2023

In October 2015 he announced that his treatment was over and returned to BBC News At Six on November 10.

A statement from Mary Greenham to the PA news agency 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.

“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.”

TV presenters and broadcasters lead tributes after BBC’s George Alagiah dies aged 67

TV critic and broadcaster Scott Bryan, posted on Twitter: “George Alagiah was a brilliant journalist and news anchor, with a warmth that millions of viewers tuned in for each day.

“He also did so much to raise awareness for symptoms of Bowel Cancer, after his diagnosis in 2014.”

Political correspondent for ITV, Shehab Khan said: “Really devastating news – George was an absolute icon and inspiration – thoughts with his family.”

Growing up, when the BBC’s George Alagiah was on TV my dad would shout “George is on!”. We’d run to watch the man who inspired a generation of British Asian journalists.

That scene was replicated across the U.K.

We thank you, George. RIP xx ???? https://t.co/tkh9NOtHip

— Sangita Myska (@SangitaMyska) July 24, 2023

Former BBC colleague Nick Bryant, wrote: “Rare in our industry for someone to be so universally loved. There won’t be many dry eyes today in the BBC newsroom. What a beautiful man.”

Mark Austin from Sky News shared: “This breaks my heart. A good man, a rival on the foreign correspondent beat but above all a friend. If good journalism is about empathy, and it often is, George Alagiah had it in spades. He understood injustice and the power of good reporting to highlight it, if not correct it …”

LBC journalist Sangita Myska, added: “Growing up, when the BBC’s George Alagiah was on TV my dad would shout “George is on!”. We’d run to watch the man who inspired a generation of British Asian journalists. That scene was replicated across the U.K. We thank you, George. RIP xx”