‘Life is a gift’: George Alagiah’s final message to BBC viewers is played in emotional video on News at Six presented by his friend Sophie Raworth
- George Alagiah died ‘peacefully’ surrounded by his family yesterday morning
Sophie Raworth has revealed George Alagiah’s ‘final wish’ before his death was to come back on air and bid farewell to his faithful audience – but he never had the chance to.
Instead, an emotional final message from the broadcaster, who died ‘peacefully’ surrounded by his family yesterday aged 67, was played to BBC viewers where the much-loved presenter said he had ‘gotten to a place to see life as a gift’.
It came moments after his co-presenter of the News at Six, Raworth told viewers: ‘I saw him just a few weeks ago. He told me he had hoped to come back to work one last time to say thank you and goodbye, right here, live on air in the studio.
‘He didn’t get the chance, so we have done it for him. I will leave you now with in his own words.’
The presenter appeared to pinch her hand as she read off the autocue, in what seemed to be an attempt not to become emotional during the segment as a video montage of Alagiah began to play.
Sophie Raworth revealed George Alagiah co-presented the Six O’Clock News on the BBC together for years
Raworth paid tribute to her long-term colleague, calling him ‘a man of great values and indomitable spirit, a big smile, a velvety laugh, a great friend’
Alagiah in 2022 after returning to News At Six following months of treatment. In October he announced he was taking a break from the screen
A pre-recorded clip of Alagiah talking about his life ‘pre-cancer and post-cancer’, recalling how he was ‘at the top of his game at work and at home’ when he received his diagnosis.
The award-winning journalist added: ‘I have got to a place where I see life as a gift and rather than worrying about when it’s going to end and how it’s going to end, I’ve gotten to a place where I see it for the gift it is. I feel that gift keenly every morning.’
Earlier on the show Raworth had recalled launching the Six O’Clock News with Alagiah back in 2003, before reflecting on his long career and his battle with bowel cancer, which he was first diagnosed with in 2014.
READ MORE: The ‘amazing’ family by George Alagiah’s side: How wife Frances Robathan, his university sweetheart, and their sons Adam and Matthew supported the BBC presenter throughout his bowel cancer battle
Raworth said: ’20 years ago George and I launched the new Six O’ Clock News together back in January 2003. He was a foreign correspondent at heart, that was his passion, but he felt enormously proud and privileged to be presenting the BBC’s evening news and he loved it.’
‘He loved being in the newsroom being part of the team, and he made a good cup of tea as well. We all adored him, he felt a real connection with the audience too,’ she added.
‘After he was diagnosed with cancer just over nine years ago, he received thousands of letters and messages from people who wrote to him as it they knew each other, strangers who spoke to him as a friend. He was really touched by your support.
‘George was a man of great values and indomitable spirit, a big smile, a velvety laugh, a great friend.’
Alagiah is survived by his wife of 40 years, Frances Robathan and his two children – Adam and Matt.
In a pre-recorded clip shown last night he said: ‘My life is divided into pre-cancer and post-cancer. The weird thing about a bowel cancer journey is that you don’t know the beginning and you don’t know the end.
‘I know I was diagnosed with bowel cancer but I don’t know when it started because I was at the top of my game, at work at home.
‘Then suddenly you hear those words “I am sorry to have to tell you Mr Alagiah, you have bowel cancer”.
Alagiah and Raworth during a ‘behind the scenes’ look at how they put the programme together
The journalist is seen at Buckingham Palace with his wife Frances Robathan and sons Adam and Matt, 17, after collecting his OBE from the Queen in 2008
He was made an OBE in the 2008 New Year Honours list for services to journalism
He added: ‘At first when you are told you don’t know how to respond and it took me a while to understand what I needed to do and I needed to get to a place of contentment.
‘The only way I knew how to do that was to look back at my life and the only way I could do that was look back at my journey, how it all started, look at my family and the opportunities my family had.
READ HERE: BBC’s George Alagiah said he wanted to hold his wife’s hand ‘until the end’ and described his fear of her having to set the table and eat alone after his death
‘My great fortune to bump into Fran, my wife and lover for 40 years. I wish I hadn’t had cancer obviously but I have cancer and I am glad about the things I’ve learnt about myself and my community and my family as a result.’
Following his Stage Four cancer diagnosis in 2014, he finished treatment in October 2015 before returning to BBC screens a month later.
In 2020, his health hit the headlines again when he tested positive for Covid. He returned to his presenting duties in April 2022 before departing again in October after revealing the cancer had spread to his lungs and lymph nodes.
Speaking in one his final interview with the Sunday Telegraph, the veteran broadcaster said he hoped to hold his wife’s hand until the very end, and spoke of his fear of her having to set the table and eat alone after his death.
Colleagues from the corporation have been overcome by emotion since the announcement of the presenter’s death just after midday yesterday.
Naga Munchetty, 47, found out about the news of her colleague midway through her live show on BBC Radio Five.
George Alagiah – who had been the face of News At Six since 2007 – passed away ‘peacefully’ surrounded by his family
Alagiah joined the BBC in 1989 and was one of the broadcaster’s leading foreign correspondents
Interrupting a sports bulletin on the programme, she said: ‘We’ve had the very sad news that our colleague George Alagiah, BBC presenter – you all know him – who has been living with bowel cancer since 2014 – he has since stepped back from presenting BBC News.
‘We’ve just heard the news he has died aged 65. We’ve just heard that from his agent.’
As her voice started to wobble, she continued: ‘Apologies for the emotion in my voice – he was so loved in our news room.
‘We’ve had that news, we’ll bring you more a little bit later, Rebecca apologies for the interruption, you have the rest of the sport.’
Naga spoke about her colleague again later in the show.
She said: ‘Our beloved colleague, George Alagiah, BBC News reporter, established reporter and correspondent, presenter who whenever he delivered the news you knew you were in safe hands.
‘He was a voice we trusted and he was someone I can personally say I loved, he supported me greatly.
‘Throughout my career…apologies for the emotion in my voice but I do think this will be reflected in our newsroom and our thoughts of course primarily go out to those who loved him dearly and his family.’
Alagiah chats to Queen Camilla – then the Duchess of Cornwall – during a 2013 reception at Clarence House
Alagiah with his co-presenter Natasha Kaplinsky on a News At Six bulletin in 2007 – the year he began presenting duties
Clive Myrie also struggled with her emotions during a news bulletin on BBC One, where he told viewers: ‘George touched all of us here in the newsroom with his kindness and generosity, his warmth and good humour.
‘We loved him here at BBC and I loved him as a mentor, colleague and friend. His spirit, strength and courage in the later years of his life are something his colleagues can be so proud of. Journalism has lost a giant.’
Fiona Bruce said: ‘George was that rare thing – a first-rate journalist and an all round lovely human being.
‘Integrity and decency shone through him. That and a mischievous sense of humour with an endearing giggle.
‘I remember his 60th birthday party, surrounded by his wonderful family and his glamorous sisters like so many birds of paradise.
‘It was an intimate family affair and I know George counted his blessings to be there with the people he loved so much.
‘He fought with all he had to stay with them as long as he could. We loved him in the newsroom and we – I – miss him so much.’
Alagiah was a popular and reassuring presence behind a BBC News desk for more than 20 years, his unflappable demeanour making him a hit with viewers.
He joined the corporation in 1989 and was one of the broadcaster’s leading foreign correspondents, filing dispatches on subjects ranging from the Rwandan genocide to civil wars across Africa.
Source: Read Full Article
