Legendary BBC newsreader, George Alagiah, has died at the age of 67  after a nine-year battle with bowel cancer.

 

Alagiah, who was one of the BBC’s longest-serving and most respected journalists, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2014.

 

He reported and presented for the BBC for more than three decades, presenting the BBC News at Six for 20 years, and collecting awards as a foreign correspondent in the years prior.

 

Born in Sri Lanka before moving to Ghana and then England in childhood, he joined the BBC as a foreign affairs correspondent in 1989 and then became an Africa correspondent.

 

George was named Amnesty International’s Journalist of the Year in 1994 for reporting on the civil war in Burundi and also won the Broadcasting Press Guild’s award for television journalist of the year.

 

Later, George presented the BBC One O’Clock News, Nine O’Clock News, and BBC Four News, before being made one of the main presenters of BBC News at Six in 2003. George also presented his own show on BBC World News for many years.

 

He was appointed an OBE for services to journalism in 2008.

 

George was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2014 and returned to presenting the following year. He continued to present for the BBC when not receiving treatment.

 

He had two sons with his wife of 40 years, Frances Robathan, and three grandchildren.

 

The BBC confirmed the news of Alagiah’s death, writing:

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

“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.

“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.”