George Alagiah death: BBC newsreader dies aged 67 after bowel cancer diagnosis

‘Audiences could sense his kindness, empathy and wonderful humanity,’ said BBC director general Tim Davie

BBC newsreader George Alagiah has died at the age of 67, his agent has announced.

In a statement issued to the PA news agency, Mary Greenham 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.”

Greenham continued: “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 and face of BBC News At Six was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, which had spread to his liver and lymph nodes, in April 2014.

Alagiah underwent two rounds of chemotherapy and several operations, including the removal of most of his liver.

In October last year, the presenter announced that he would be taking another break from his studio duties following another scan.

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

In the years since his diagnosis, Alagiah took multiple breaks from presenting due to struggles with his health.

In October 2015, a year after announcing his diagnosis, he said that his treatment was over and returned to BBC News At Six the following month.

BBC newsreader George Alagiah (PA Media)

In December 2017, however, Alagiah underwent further treatment away from work before later returning to the studio. He took another hiatus in October 2021 and returned to screens in April 2022.

That same year, Alagiah appeared in a campaign for Macmillan Cancer Support in which he spoke about his experience of living with stage four bowel cancer.

“People always ask me how I cope and it’s the hardest question,” he said in the campaign.

“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.”

BBC director general Tim Davie has shared a statement on social media paying tribute to the late presenter.

“Across the BBC, we are all incredibly sad to hear the news about George. We are thinking of his family at this time,” wrote Davie. “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.”

Alagiah ‘was loved by all and we will miss him enormously’ said BBC director general Tim Davie (Rex)

Davie continued: “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.”

Alagiah joined the BBC in 1989. There, he spent many years as one of the broadcaster’s leading foreign correspondents before taking on presenting duties.

He first began hosting BBC News at Six in early 2003 alongside co-host Natasha Kaplinsky. After Kalpinsky’s departure from the programme in 2007, Alagiah fronted the news bulletin solo.

Throughout his illustrious career, Alagiah interviewed a number of high-profile figures, including former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmon Tutu, and former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe.

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 new year honours.

Alagiah was the author of multiple books, including A Home From Home: From Immigrant Boy to English Man (2006), which explored the immigrant experience as lived by Alagiah in the UK.

He is survived by his wife, Frances Robathan, and two children.

Additional reporting from PA