Who is Frances Robathan? Wife of BBC presenter George Alagiah

Award-winning journalist and much-loved BBC presenter George Algiah has passed away aged 67. 

The much-loved broadcaster was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2007 which spread to his liver and lymph nodes in April 2014. 

Sharing the sad news, a statement from agent Mary Greenham said: “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 BBC presenter is survived by his wife Frances Robathan and their two children.

George Alagiah. (Image: PA)

Who is Frances Robathan?

Wife of BBC broadcaster George Algiah, Frances was born in 1960 in London and went to Durham University where she met George. 

The couple married in 1984 and share two sons together, Adam and Matthew. 

Frances works as a Senior Partnerships Adviser of the Fairtrade Foundation since 2002. 

She has also had the position of Head of Programme Partnerships and Head of Institutional Fundraising at the Foundation.

Although the couple kept their lives private, George has spoken out about his family in an interview, sharing: “When I look back and I looked at my journey… the family I had, the opportunities my family had, the great good fortune to bump into [Frances Robathan], who’s now been my wife and lover for all these years, the kids that we brought up… it didn’t feel like a failure.”